# My Pictures can bite me! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 10, 2007, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pictures-can-bite-me/403536 "2007-05-10T13:39:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pictures-can-bite-me/403536/1 "2007-05-10T13:39:35Z")
I want to permanently delete the default folders of My Pictures and My Music (and My Data Sources, frankly) that Microsoft XP gives you. I delete them to the recycle bin, I clear the recycle bin and the next day, there they are again! Go _away_ you bastards!!! How do I damn them to deleted hell permanently? Yet another worthless thing that Microsoft does to “help” that you can’t shut off… ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pictures-can-bite-me/403536/2 "2007-05-10T13:45:13Z")
Once you tell the system to stop using them, you should be able to delete them. Download the TweakUI Power Toy from [microsoft.com](http://microsoft.com) and install it. Open TweakUI, look under “My Computer” for “Special Folders” and reassign the Location for those folders. You should be set to delete those now. ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pictures-can-bite-me/403536/3 "2007-05-10T13:54:34Z")
Is there a way to change their location? My C drive has been almost full for a few years now. I keep moving stuff from “C:\Documents and Settings\MyUserName\My Documents\My Pictures” to “D:\MyPictures2”, but it would be a lot easier if it just went there authomatically. advTHANKSance ETA: Oh, I see that TweakUI should be able to do that. Thanks again. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pictures-can-bite-me/403536/4 "2007-05-10T14:17:26Z")
Okay, I’ve done the download, moved the files to the Desktop, deleted them, and cleared the Recycle Bin. If these things come back tomorrow, **KneadToKnow** , I’m holding you personally responsible!! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pictures-can-bite-me/403536/5 "2007-05-10T14:22:04Z")
It’s about damn time somebody did, that’s all I can say. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pictures-can-bite-me/403536/6 "2007-05-11T15:27:19Z")
Ay-yep. My Pictures is back like a bad habit. Maybe it’s time to call a priest… Anyone got any other ideas? **Knead** , no television for a week. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pictures-can-bite-me/403536/7 "2007-05-11T16:30:49Z")
If “My Pictures” really bugs you that much, you can [trick Windows into not re-creating it](http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/article05-100). Same trick should work for “My Music” and “My Data Sources.” If you’re brave, there’s also a [Registry hack](http://www.pctools.com/guides/registry/detail/976/) to keep those folders off of the Start menu. I don’t think this affects their re-creation in the “My Documents” structure, though. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pictures-can-bite-me/403536/8 "2007-05-11T16:35:04Z")
…and while you’re at it, _please_ tell me how to permanently delete/nuke from orbit that stupid Links folder on the Favorites menu in IE that insists on doing the Rasputin thing… Grrr. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pictures-can-bite-me/403536/9 "2007-05-11T16:53:43Z")
Yeah, that, too!!! ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pictures-can-bite-me/403536/10 "2007-05-11T17:36:18Z")
[QUOTE=Keeve] Is there a way to change their location? My C drive has been almost full for a few years now. I keep moving stuff from “C:\Documents and Settings\MyUserName\My Documents\My Pictures” to “D:\MyPictures2”, but it would be a lot easier if it just went there authomatically. advTHANKSance ETA: Oh, I see that TweakUI should be able to do that. Thanks again. [/QUOTE] I did this by changing the “HOMEPATH” environment variable (in Windows 2000 - right click on My Computer, select Properties, click the Advanced tab, click Environment Variables) to point to a different folder than “C:\Documents and Settings\MyUserName”. At work I have it pointing to a private folder I have on the network. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pictures-can-bite-me/403536/11 "2007-05-11T20:59:33Z")
[QUOTE=An Arky] …and while you’re at it, _please_ tell me how to permanently delete/nuke from orbit that stupid Links folder on the Favorites menu in IE that insists on doing the Rasputin thing… Grrr. [/QUOTE] Both these plus I don’t want the recyle icon on my desktop. I have it turned off. My pet peeve is Windows doesn’t have a way to save where all the desktop icons are placed, and whenever the graphics driver is updated or the monitor configuration changes, they get all screwed up. You then have to sort icons to where they belong again. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pictures-can-bite-me/403536/12 "2007-05-11T21:11:14Z")
[QUOTE=An Arky] …and while you’re at it, _please_ tell me how to permanently delete/nuke from orbit that stupid Links folder on the Favorites menu in IE that insists on doing the Rasputin thing… Grrr. [/QUOTE] That one’s easy: get to your Favorites folder in Explorer and then right click on “Links” and put a check in the box next to “Hidden.” ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pictures-can-bite-me/403536/13 "2007-05-11T21:14:57Z")
[QUOTE=niblet\_head] **Knead** , no television for a week. [/QUOTE] Could be worse. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pictures-can-bite-me/403536/14 "2007-05-11T21:15:49Z")
To my shame I have to admit that I just gave up:( My documents are in ‘My documents’; My pictures are in ‘My Pictures’ it’s just not worth the hassle. It started when I decided it would save time to just make one partition, call it ‘C’ and let all programs instal in ‘Program Files’ instead of making a separate partition for Windows, programs, games, files/pictures etc. I feel I let the side down. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pictures-can-bite-me/403536/15 "2007-05-11T21:25:31Z")
To be honest, I never tried deleting the folders. I just redirected the system usage for them to where I wanted stuff to go and let them be. Empty folders don’t take up any room. ---
**Author:** ![Kalypso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/df705f/32.png) [@Kalypso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalypso)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pictures-can-bite-me/403536/16 "2007-05-11T21:45:48Z")
[QUOTE=The Librarian] To my shame I have to admit that I just gave up:( My documents are in ‘My documents’; My pictures are in ‘My Pictures’ it’s just not worth the hassle. It started when I decided it would save time to just make one partition, call it ‘C’ and let all programs instal in ‘Program Files’ instead of making a separate partition for Windows, programs, games, files/pictures etc. I feel I let the side down. [/QUOTE] I’m right there with ya. I had a big thing against the My Documents folder for the longest time, but I got over it. Wonder of all wonders, it is actually a handy place to keep my documents. Who knew? I still feel the pain though, as at work I keep my stuff on a network drive. ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pictures-can-bite-me/403536/17 "2007-05-11T23:39:21Z")
[QUOTE=Harmonious Discord] Both these plus I don’t want the recyle icon on my desktop. I have it turned off. My pet peeve is Windows doesn’t have a way to save where all the desktop icons are placed, and whenever the graphics driver is updated or the monitor configuration changes, they get all screwed up. You then have to sort icons to where they belong again. [/QUOTE] There’s gotta be a file for storing that, wound’t you think? If you can find it, you can back it up. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2007, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pictures-can-bite-me/403536/18 "2007-05-12T02:08:26Z")
[QUOTE=KneadToKnow] That one’s easy: get to your Favorites folder in Explorer and then right click on “Links” and put a check in the box next to “Hidden.” [/QUOTE] It’s a couple more steps, actually. After right clicking on Links, left click on Properties, then left click on Hidden. Then Left click Apply. Select ‘All subfolders’ from the next dialog box. You’re good to go. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2007, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pictures-can-bite-me/403536/19 "2007-05-12T02:12:55Z")
[QUOTE=JSexton] There’s gotta be a file for storing that, wound’t you think? If you can find it, you can back it up. [/QUOTE] But what is it? The icons on the desk top getting messed up is the biggest pain in the ass of all the irratations since Windows has been sold. It’s the one thing they should make easy to do and don’t. The Blue Screen of Death in earlier versions gave the same result with the icons on restart.