# Oh shit, I've disabled my desktop properties! Any ideas how I can get it back?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-shit-ive-disabled-my-desktop-properties-any-ideas-how-i-can-get-it-back/390949
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [February 5, 2007, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-shit-ive-disabled-my-desktop-properties-any-ideas-how-i-can-get-it-back/390949 "2007-02-05T17:02:12Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Surbey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surbey)
#### Post date: [February 5, 2007, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-shit-ive-disabled-my-desktop-properties-any-ideas-how-i-can-get-it-back/390949/1 "2007-02-05T17:02:12Z")
So I was playing around with GPEdit.Msc, I know I know, that was my FIRST mistake!, and I have inadvertanly disabled my desktop properties. Any idea, in GPEdit, where I might have done that? I can’t think of anything I did in reference to the desktop and I certainly can’t think of anywhere else I would have done that outside of GPEdit. So, what do you think? Can I recover this or is my screen resolution stuck like this for eternity!
On a side, well, maybe related note, I disabled access to the Control Panel. Do you think this could have done it?
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### Author:  [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)
#### Post date: [February 5, 2007, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-shit-ive-disabled-my-desktop-properties-any-ideas-how-i-can-get-it-back/390949/2 "2007-02-05T17:18:57Z")
By “desktop properties,” do you mean Display Properties? Because I can’t imagine anything to do with the desktop that relates to screen resolution.
From GPEdit, if you go to User Configuration -\> Administrative Templates -\> Control Panel -\> Display, you will see an entry for “Remove Display in Control Panel.” Is that what you’ve done?
Other than that, I’d have to assume that you changed the security level of your log in account. Is that possible?
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### Author:  [@Surbey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surbey)
#### Post date: [February 5, 2007, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-shit-ive-disabled-my-desktop-properties-any-ideas-how-i-can-get-it-back/390949/3 "2007-02-05T17:19:12Z")
nevermind, it was the control panel. I’m so stupid. You can go ahead and close this thread moderators. Prevent people from destroying what little self-esteem I have left. Please, do it quick!
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### Author:  [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)
#### Post date: [February 5, 2007, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-shit-ive-disabled-my-desktop-properties-any-ideas-how-i-can-get-it-back/390949/4 "2007-02-05T17:21:16Z")
[QUOTE=Surbey]
nevermind, it was the control panel. I’m so stupid. You can go ahead and close this thread moderators. Prevent people from destroying what little self-esteem I have left. Please, do it quick!
[/QUOTE]
Too late, now we can all marvel at your embarrassment :o 😃
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### Author:  [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)
#### Post date: [February 5, 2007, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-shit-ive-disabled-my-desktop-properties-any-ideas-how-i-can-get-it-back/390949/5 "2007-02-05T19:33:42Z")
> [@](#):
>
> So I was playing around with GPEdit.Msc, I know I know, that was my FIRST mistake!
I’m new to Linux so thanks for a lesson I do not need to learn the hard way, which is my usual way.
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### Author:  [@Surbey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surbey)
#### Post date: [February 5, 2007, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-shit-ive-disabled-my-desktop-properties-any-ideas-how-i-can-get-it-back/390949/6 "2007-02-05T20:53:27Z")
well, this I’m doing this in windows so I don’t know about Linux. But I’m afraid to touch Linux because of my uncanny desire to fiddle with my computer. I know that if you want, and without prompt from the OS, you can completely delete Linux from your hard-drive with only 1 line of command. 😃
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### Author:  [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)
#### Post date: [February 5, 2007, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-shit-ive-disabled-my-desktop-properties-any-ideas-how-i-can-get-it-back/390949/7 "2007-02-05T22:35:37Z")
[QUOTE=Surbey]
well, this I’m doing this in windows so I don’t know about Linux. But I’m afraid to touch Linux because of my uncanny desire to fiddle with my computer. I know that if you want, and without prompt from the OS, you can completely delete Linux from your hard-drive with only 1 line of command. 😃
[/QUOTE]
Try deleting the Windows file “[command.com](http://command.com)” and see Win go bye-bye. Don’t try this at home.
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### Author:  [@SlickRoenick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlickRoenick)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2007, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-shit-ive-disabled-my-desktop-properties-any-ideas-how-i-can-get-it-back/390949/8 "2007-02-06T03:17:57Z")
[QUOTE=Surbey]
So I was playing around with GPEdit.Msc, I know I know, that was my FIRST mistake!, and I have inadvertanly disabled my desktop properties. Any idea, in GPEdit, where I might have done that? I can’t think of anything I did in reference to the desktop and I certainly can’t think of anywhere else I would have done that outside of GPEdit. So, what do you think? Can I recover this or is my screen resolution stuck like this for eternity!
[/QUOTE]
Group Policy settings are stored in C:\Windows\System32\GroupPolicy (or Winnt if you’re running w2k). All you have to do is delete or rename that GroupPolicy folder and reboot for all side effects to go away. When Windows boots again, a new GroupPolicy folder will show up but if you go back into gpedit.msc you will find that everything has been recreated back to Not Configured defaults.
Now if you push GP’s via a domain controller, you’d have some serious registry digging to do to get rid of those settings.
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### Author:  [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2007, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-shit-ive-disabled-my-desktop-properties-any-ideas-how-i-can-get-it-back/390949/9 "2007-02-06T03:34:37Z")
BTW, for those of you with Vista Home Premium, don’t worry about making a similar mistake because there is no gpedit.msc in Home Premium. I looked all over for it, figuring MS just arbitrarily renamed it (like with Outlook Express becoming Windows Mail) but as it turns out it’s not included in the non-business, non-Ultimate Vista Versions. Too much power in there for the home user I suppose.
So **Surbey** , if you really want to be on the safe side, upgrade to Vista. It won’t dignify any messing around in group policy no matter how much you might want it to.
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### Author:  [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2007, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-shit-ive-disabled-my-desktop-properties-any-ideas-how-i-can-get-it-back/390949/10 "2007-02-06T05:47:41Z")
[QUOTE=KlondikeGeoff]
Try deleting the Windows file “[command.com](http://command.com)” and see Win go bye-bye. Don’t try this at home.
[/QUOTE]
Um, no. If you delete **[command.com](http://command.com)**, you will simply be unable to run a 16-bit [pre-Win32 compatible] shell. If you somehow manage to delete a critical system file\* on Windows, it will restore it from the most recent check-point (it will also do this if it believes the file has been tampered with).
- Well, most files, anyway. There are still lots of ways to pooch a Windows install.