Why does Windows do this?

[MONKEY050]

I thought this would only happen in XP. I don't know why it is in Vista now too.
To start, a picture with the issue:
http://img354.imageshack.us/img354/6629/musicfoldernl0.jpg

See that? That's the music folder. However, it's lost its blueness with music note icon. This only happens after downloading 2 songs into it that I needed to hear today. I don't download music often at all these days.

In XP it only did this after a certain Windows update, and therefore I think it does it intentionally when you have DRM-free files in your Music folder or something like that.

What is going on here? How can I get my Music folder icon to look pretty again? (Likewise in XP if you know how to do it in there too.)

[Ozzylator]

Suck it up. It's just a folder icon.

[Youlikeyams?]

Thank you Ozzylator, it's good to see that this has been as contributory to everyone's lives as your 2,502 other posts.

Monkey, have you tried looking at the folder properties? Maybe there'll be some icon options in there; don't take my word for it as I'm not familiar with Vista.

[combatking0]

Right clicking either on the folder icon, or in the empty space visible when you are browsing the folder, look for a "Customise" button.

This will allow you to reset the icon. I have no idea how to make this alteration permenant though.

[albie_123]

Thank you Ozzylator, it's good to see that this has been as contributory to everyone's lives as your 2,502 other posts.
i liked you better when you were just a lovable loser instead of a dick

[Lewiji]

Turn on hidden files (google it, can't remember how to do it in Vista)
If your user folder is missing a "desktop.ini" file, that'd be why. It could also be a problem with the desktop.ini file so even if it's there, it might be worth replacing it.
Assuming you have other user accounts on your computer (if not, create one):
Browse to their user folder
Copy desktop.ini
Paste it into your folder.

Should work then.

[Youlikeyams?]

i liked you better when you were just a lovable loser instead of a dick

AT LEAST I WAS HELPFUL )':

[Ozzylator]

Steady on, YLY. It's a superficial and meaningless folder icon. It's not worth being a colossal and confrontational faggot about.

Oh wait, I forgot, you really ARE this petty. My bad.

[MONKEY050]

I didn't write this thread to turn it into a pissing contest...

Trying "Restore Default" under Folder Pictures doesn't do anything.
There's no desktop.ini in there (and there actually isn't one in any of the other user folders.)
I'm the only user of the laptop, so there's only one account.

[Lewiji]

I didn't write this thread to turn it into a pissing contest...

Trying "Restore Default" under Folder Pictures doesn't do anything.
There's no desktop.ini in there (and there actually isn't one in any of the other user folders.)
I'm the only user of the laptop, so there's only one account.
Sorry, my mistake: it should be in the music folder.

[MONKEY050]

That is where I looked. Desktop.ini is nowhere. They didn't get rid of its usage in Vista, did they?

[hynzytheweirdo]

In XP it only did this after a certain Windows update, and therefore I think it does it intentionally when you have DRM-free files in your Music folder or something like that.

I have DRM-free files in My Music folder and it still has the little music note (using XP here). However, My Videos just has the same icon as any other folder I create. I remember it definitely having its own special icon.

Sorry I can't help on how to change it, but to expand on your problem, anybody know why some of my file names (for pictures and music) are in blue whereas some are in black? And is there a way to make them all black?

[wyrd_fish]

if memory serves, blue means either compressed

might mean encrypted though


ah ha, blue is compressed, and green encrypted

good old google


edit: google also turned up this gem

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/why-did-windows-vistas-music-folder-icon-turn-yellow/

[MONKEY050]

Well, that adds an element of bizarre.

My desktop.ini thing that the link explains to open looks exactly as it should. I'll try rebooting and see if it is as simple as that.

Edit: just saw a comment suggesting changing the attribute of the desktop.ini to +r in command prompt. I'll try that after a reboot.

EDIT2: Sorted it without doing anything major like the command prompt thing. Went to rename the Music folder, put a dash on the end, it got renamed back to music and the preview pane at the bottom of the explorer window showed the right icon but the actual icon was still yellow. So I closed the window and opened it again, blue icon.

Now when I get a chance I'm gonna figure it out on XP.

EDIT3: I just thought about this - I don't think it's about having a fancy icon. A lot of people recognize their programs by their icon instead of the name under it. It's about easy recognition and navigating around the computer faster.

[The Grim Reaper]

Mine did this too, bit annoying on the network when its the only folder with my in it instead of the username. cbf fixing though because formatting solves everything.