Persistent Desktop

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What Does Persistent Desktop Mean?

A persistent desktop is a virtual desktop that can save data and user settings on the operating system. As with older physical desktops with persistent hard drive images, persistent virtual desktops allow users to store their own settings, files and shortcuts on the desktop.

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Techopedia Explains Persistent Desktop

Unlike persistent desktops, non-persistent desktops do not save any of these pieces of data or settings. After closure, in the next session, they revert to the original disk image. As virtual desktops evolved, vendors began to offer both options to customers.

In general, the persistent desktop has certain values over the non-persistent desktop. For instance, it allows users to have certain administrative privileges. It also helps them to make sure that files and folders are not lost. However, persistent desktop can require more resources to maintain, which is why some companies may use non-persistent virtual desktops.

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Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert
Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert

Margaret is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical business audience. Over the past twenty years, her IT definitions have been published by Que in an encyclopedia of technology terms and cited in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine, and Discovery Magazine. She joined Techopedia in 2011. Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages.