Even in Windows 7, there still isn’t a Group Policy setting that will let you add the ‘My Computer’ icon to the desktop (unless you forcibly change the Start Menu to Classic) and then change the name from My Computer to anything else. I am very surprised this isn’t a setting but we can still modify the registry to achieve this (either inside a GPO or with a script):
To show the ‘My Computer’ icon on the desktop:
[HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel]
Name = {20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}
Type =REG_DWORD
Value = 0
To change the ‘My Computer’ icon to computer or user name:
[HKCR\CLSID\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}]
Name = LocalizedString
Type = REG_EXPAND_SZ
Data value = %computername% or any combination you like – eg %username% %computername%
Don’t forget you will need to change the permissions / ownership on this registry key so that you can change it – by default even Administrators cannot modify it.
These both apply to Windows XP and 7 and Windows Server 2003 and 2008.
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3 users responded in this post
I spent forever getting this right. The first registry key should be in the following path, it is slightly different from what you have posted
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel]
hope this helps
Using the hkey_local_machine will make the change apply to more than just the current logged in user.
Great tip, thanks much!
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