disappearing desktop icons (shortcuts)

by jeffk Nov 30, 2004 1:49AM PST

HP laptop pavilion zt1172; XP Pro, SP1; Office 2k; Ad-Aware SE
Personal 1.05 (free version); Spybot S&D; AVG antivirus (free version)

Don't know if this problem is down to Windows or PSP or something else, so maybe this isn?t the right group for this issue:

I recently placed a shortcut to PaintShopPro 7 on my desktop (start/programs/Jasc software/Paint Shop Pro/send to desktop), but it keeps disappearing! It stays there for a few minutes & is then gone. If I replace it the same thing happens, even if I do nothing. I'm not sure when it first disappeared, I only noticed it a couple of days ago. Ditto if I uninstall/reinstall the program.

The program works ok when I access it via the start menu, as far as I can tell, but this is a just a bit annoying. And an interesting puzzle!

A couple of days ago I unchecked the auto arrange & align to grid options for desktop icons - but if the problem is down to windows, why ONLY THIS icon?

I've put it in the Spybot S&D ignore list ? still happening.

Any ideas what's going on & how to resolve it, anyone?

TIA, Jeff

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -

Re: disappearing desktop icons (shortcuts)

by Merl Priester Nov 30, 2004 3:59AM PST

Shot in the dark here....

Right Click the desktop -> Properties -> desktop tab ->
customize desktop

Look at the setting for "run desktop cleanup wizard every 60 days" , if it is checked uncheck it and see if anything changes.
Maybe it is deleting the shortcut.

I did say a shot in the dark.

- Collapse -

Re: disappearing desktop icons (shortcuts)

by jeffk Nov 30, 2004 5:02AM PST

Thanks Merl, but it wasn't checked. I didn't think it could be that anyway, as when I replaced the icon it was gone again within a few minutes.
Jeff

- Collapse -

Re: disappearing desktop icons (shortcuts)

by MarkFlax Former Forum moderator Nov 30, 2004 6:22AM PST

Hi Jeff,

A quick question.

Do you have a lot of icons on your desktop?

I could only find one article about disappearing icons at Microsoft KB, the link is here;

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;137069

Mark

- Collapse -

This Tip works in 9x

by sheard Nov 30, 2004 10:02PM PST

But before you try it ensure to back-up Registry
And be doublerly CAREFUL
Icons annoyingly changing 9x

If your Icons keep changing for no reason The easy way is to press F5

However if it is persistent it means a trip to the Registry which you should not undertake until you have used My Tip ? Registry Procedures before changes ? in the First Edition

Restart your 9x in safe mode and delete the Shel- IconCache file from your windows folder

This is a hidden file so change first your View Options an allow hidden files.

Again restart your computer and the file will be automatically recreated on startup

Now you have to go into the Registry. But not before carrying out the:-
? Registry Procedures before changes ?

Go to :-
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Explorer

Right-click to add a String value as below :-
Max Cached Icons
Give this then a value of :-
2048

Restart and all should be well, if not try deleting ShellIconCache again
But not all the Registry routine

disappearing desktop icons (shortcuts)

CNET Forums

Other Forums

Forum Info