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Question

DESKTOP SHORTCUTS DON'T WORK

by Oct 9, 2012 5:46AM PDT

I have two user names on my Dell Inspiron 620 . I am using Foxfire. On user name the shortcuts work fine, but on my major user name account, most desktop shortcuts won't work. This happened after I was saving a notepad to a file. I cannot create new shortcuts to replace the bad ones.
Is there something in Tools or perhaps REGEDIT that i can adjust to fix this? Thank You! Mike

Discussion is locked

7 Posts
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Clarification Request
Re: shortcuts don't work
by Kees_B Former Forum moderator Oct 9, 2012 6:12AM PDT

That's strange.

- What notepad did you save to what file?
- Why can't you create new shortcuts?
- What happens if you double click such a shortcut?
- What are it shortcuts to (I mean, files, folders, programs, documents, websites)?

Now in My Computer or Windows Explorer, go to Desktop folder in your profile, set the folder properties to NOT hide the extensions of known filetypes and tell the full name (including the extension, that's the part after the last dot).

And you forgot to tell your OS (Windows 95, 98, 2000, XP, Vista, 7, 8?).

Kees

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DESKTOP SHORTCUTS NOT WORKING
by mike281 Oct 9, 2012 11:01AM PDT

I don't remember what shortcut i was trying to save.
if i try to make new shortcuts, they open a dialog box with computer readable text.
dbl clking a shortcut does same thing,

If i right click a faulty shortcut, select properties, I can open the target file by clicking 'open file location'.
The shortcut types vary...files, programs, things like downloads, easy capture, photo resizer, notepad, etc.
In Computer, properties I do not have "Hidden" checked. I don't see a tab that lets me adjust for full file types or extensions.

I am using Win7.

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Re: shortcuts
by Kees_B Former Forum moderator Oct 9, 2012 5:58PM PDT

Clearly, this is something inside your Windows account, because your other account is still working correctly.

So, if you can't find the cause, the easy way out is to make a new Windows account to replace this corrupted one. Copy all files you need from your backup (a nice way to see if it's complete!) or from the old account (for files missing on the backup).

Kees

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Answer
DESKTOP SHORTCUTS DONT WORK
by Oct 9, 2012 5:50AM PDT

I FORGOT to mention that the shortcuts that don't work have changed their appearance to TINY notrbooks.

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Please Do This
by Grif Thomas Former Forum moderator Oct 9, 2012 9:14AM PDT

Since most of the Dell Inspiron 620's are using Windows 7, I'll give you the fix for re-associating the shortcut file type back to its correct type. (If you happen to be using Vista, there's a link inside the page which will take you there also.) Please see the link below and try the .LNK fix first, then the .exe fix if that doesn't take care of the issue.

http://www.winhelponline.com/blog/file-asso-fixes-for-windows-7/

Hope thishelps.

Grif

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DESKTOP SHORTCUTS DONT WORK
by mike281 Oct 10, 2012 7:07AM PDT

Grif! THANX That fixed all my shortcuts. As soon as I fixed the LNK all my shortcuts changed from little notepads to the correct icon and they all work! THANX also to Kees_B for your reply! You also have helped me many times in the past! Mike

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(NT) Good Job & Glad We Could Help !
by Grif Thomas Former Forum moderator Oct 10, 2012 11:36AM PDT
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