[Raistlin]

Right-click on the the bit at the bottom of your desktop, where the programs show when you have them open (the bar that runs all the way across the bottom of the screen), you should get a menu that pops up, hover over the word 'Toolbars' in that menu. You should get a list appear next to the menu, there will be an item in that list that reads 'Desktop'.

If it has a tick next to it click on the word Desktop in the list and you should find that it dissapears from the bar.