Just a quick question I'm almost certain this isn't anything serious but sometimes when I come onto my computer and go to the desktop I get a new icon that is on the desktop called HomeGroup to my knowledge I know this is already on the computer and have read some forums where users have it permantly stuck there and couldn't get rid of it. But my main question is that can I just safely ignore it randomly appears there? It's there for about 25-30 seconds and then disapeers and doesn't come back. This is the second time it's happened so I'm not too worried about it. Nothing has been going differently on my computer apart from some programs crashing occaionally but that's about it.
Just a quick question I'm almost certain this isn't anything serious but sometimes when I come onto my computer and go to the desktop I get a new icon that is on the desktop called HomeGroup to my knowledge I know this is already on the computer and have read some forums where users have it permantly stuck there and couldn't get rid of it. But my main question is that can I just safely ignore it randomly appears there? It's there for about 25-30 seconds and then disapeers and doesn't come back. This is the second time it's happened so I'm not too worried about it. Nothing has been going differently on my computer apart from some programs crashing occaionally but that's about it.
Hi huwyngr Thanks for the reply! Would you say that I can safely ignore of this happens again? Because from what I’ve read it doesn’t seem to be doing any harm?
Honestly I have no basis for judging the wisdom of doing nothing ......
In particular I don't know what "leaving the Homegroup" does in practice especially whether it affects your status on the LAN in terms of access to and from other computers on the LAN.
But I'd do nothing immediately and see what others here suggest since networking is one of my weak spots......
This article would seem both to answer the question and give clear directions on how to "leave the homegroup" but it seems clear that it kills any sharing you have set up -- eg files or printers.
Hi huwyngr Thanks for the reply! This has only came up twice so I’m not too worried about it I will take a look into the link you posted a bit later on because I’m quite busy at the moment. I’ll see what other people have to say about this but it’s not like it’s happening all the time so I may just ignore it.
Hi huwyngr I turned on my computer today and I didn’t get HomeGroup on my desktop. I don’t really understand the usage for HomeGroup but I’m almost certain I don’t use it for example like you said printers or something along those lines so I think I will just ignore it. If anything more happens I will let you know!
AudiA1 wrote: Hi huwyngr I turned on my computer today and I didn't get HomeGroup on my desktop. I don't really understand the usage for HomeGroup but I'm almost certain I don't use it for example like you said printers or something along those lines so I think I will just ignore it. If anything more happens I will let you know!
Thanks a lot for the help I appreciate it :)
Hi,
I use the Homegroup with my Desktop and Lapop PC's for fast file-copying between the PC's via my Router. Instead of using a Flash Drive, plugging in, copying, disconnecting from one PC and plugging into the other PC,... you can do something like this in a script or define a hotkey to copy an important file over to a 2nd PC, for backup purposes.
My Laptop PC is my 2nd / backup PC to my Desktop so I'll use a "copy" command using a freeware script program called "AutoHotkey", to do this:
The %drive% part of the command is a variable that's defined from an earlier query within the script. If I wanted to copy the same group of items to another external drive, I'll enter the drive letter in the script query so then the script will copy to the defined drive.
That command will copy my PST data file over to my Laptop. You can also use the command to copy folders between PC's.
I do this to keep my Laptop up to date with a few of my "must-have" files, like my Outlook PST data file and a few excel files.
Hi Scoop8 Thanks for the info it does seem like a gold system! But I don’t have another laptop or computer and just use the one I have now. So I don’t think I’ll really ever need to use HomeGroup but none the less I’ll leave it on the system in case I need it later on down the line but if it comes up as a icon on the desktop again I’ll just ignore it.
I find it simpler to drag and drop over my LAN using WINKEY + E to open Windows Explorer. My structure is such that I can often do it in one Window but if necessary I just use two instances of Explorer ..... Used to use PowerDesk which gave features similar to the Norton Desktop for Windows that I valued way back when .....
Have you noticed the context menu attached to the Homegroup icon on the desktop and that it reveals the Password for the Homegroup" .... nota sure what that is since I don't use Homegroup on my machines but rather Workgroup that is compatible with XP .....
Hi huwyngr I couldn’t answer your question about using HomeGroup because I’ve never even opened it up before! When it appeared on my desktop it dissapeeres so I never actually click it!
I find it simpler to drag and drop over my LAN using WINKEY + E to open Windows Explorer. My structure is such that I can often do it in one Window but if necessary I just use two instances of Explorer ..... Used to use PowerDesk which gave features similar to the Norton Desktop for Windows that I valued way back when .....
Have you noticed the context menu attached to the Homegroup icon on the desktop and that it reveals the Password for the Homegroup" .... nota sure what that is since I don't use Homegroup on my machines but rather Workgroup that is compatible with XP .....
That's a good point, the drag/drop from the explorer tree.
I use my script since I'm lazy . I have the <win>z key defined as running the "copy" script that will copy my 6 daily items that are usually edited or changed frequently.
I also use the script to detect if my Outlook program is open since it won't copy the Outlook data file (*.PST) if Outlook is open. The script will close Outlook, if open, then prompt me for a drive letter, or I'll enter an "l" for my Laptop PC. If the Latop is asleep, the script will wake it with a LAN packet before copying the files. Then the script opens the destination folder on the drive or Laptop so that I can see the copying completed. It closes the folder then plays a WIndows media .wav file to let me know that the script is finished.
About the deskop Homegroup icon, I've never seen it on my PC's but it may have appeared there initially when I set up the Homegroup network and I deleted the icon at that time.
XP, I recall something about that, with a friend that tried to set up the Homegroup between his Win 7 and XP PC's. He couldn't get the Homegroup setup to work so he did the same thing, with the "Workgroup". If I recall, Homegroup was introduced after XP, with Win 7, I think, or maybe Vista. I skipped over the Vista years.
AudiA1 wrote: I just realised that post was to Scoop! Ignore the above post from me!
I missed this one, sorry My brain's not as sharp as is once was....then...it was never that sharp anyway
I can see the advantage of using a dedicated shortcut combination for something you do frequently -- I get a lot of mileage out of the Windows 7 and 8 shortcut keys.
Hi Scoop8 Do you think I should be worried if this icon comes up again on the desktop in this case? I don’t actually use it for now so it’s not a big use to me at all!
And no need to apologize my brain also isn’t the sharpests LOL!
I can see the advantage of using a dedicated shortcut combination for something you do frequently -- I get a lot of mileage out of the Windows 7 and 8 shortcut keys.
Aren't those shortcut keys great? I'm just lazy with that mouse. Some of mine launch the browser to frequent sites, Amazon, local weather page, news sites, or opening excel files.
The ones that I like best, with "AutoHotkey", are my audio volume keys, F10,11,12 for volume up, down, mute.
AudiA1 wrote: Hi Scoop8 Do you think I should be worried if this icon comes up again on the desktop in this case? I don't actually use it for now so it's not a big use to me at all! And no need to apologize my brain also isn't the sharpests LOL! Thanks a lot :)
I'm not familiar with this intermittent issue but I'd advise that it's not a problem although it's a peculiar symptom. It may be that the solution could be something like unchecking a display option but that's only a guess. I looked up a couple of info sites related to the topic but ran short of time yesterday. If I come across something about it I'll post here.
Thanks ("brain") Regardless of how sharp your's is, you have one of the most valuable assets available... you're "good people". Members see the evidence of this in how you post here
Just my opinion, but that's become a rare commodity these days, so it's more and more valued.
Hi Scoop8 Thanks for the information! I’ll try not to worry about it and leave it if it comes up again! And don’t feel obliged to find that link! And I agree there’s so many nice people on these forums! Including you and huwyngr! I don’t know what I’d do without these forums they’ve helped me learn a lot about computers and Norton it’s self!
. I have the <win>z key defined as running the "copy" script that will copy my 6 daily items that are usually edited or changed frequently.