How to get desktop icons back on the desktop and off of the taskbar?
On a desktop computer running Windows Vista Home, no icons appear on the desktop, there is on the taskbar "Desktop>>". If you click on the double arrows the list of all the items that should be on the desktop appear. Everything works find, but the user would like things back on the desktop. I have made all the choice by right-clicking, I have trying dragging and I tried removing "desktop" from the taskbar, then right-clicking on the desktop and selecting "View" and then "Display Desktop". Still the icons will not appear on the desktop. If I try to drag an icon over to the desktop it gives the choice to "move here", "copy here", or "create a shortcut". If I select move it says "The source and destination file names are the same" and all I can select is "cancel". This computer was loaded with malware, but it has been cleaned. The user cannot tell me when this started, because since everything worked they continued using it, until the malware preventing they from using the computer and then they brought it to my attention. All I know is that the missing icons on the desktop happen in early December.
Any suggestions of registry changes or anything would be greatly appreciated.
Any suggestions of registry changes or anything would be greatly appreciated.
John
Try a new user profile and see if desktop icons work properly. If so, the current user profile has been corrupted by the viruses and malware. The fix for this would be to make a new user profile, copy documents and email into it and generally set it back up. Once done, delete the corrupted profile. .... Thinkpads_User
ASKER
Sorry, still the same problem with a new profile. Thanks for the suggestion!
right click on the empty surface of the task bar and select toolbard, select the desktop which will unselect it.
Right click on the desktop and select properties go to the desktop bar customize desktop.
Check whether you have chosen a web page to appear instead.
Right click on the desktop and select properties go to the desktop bar customize desktop.
Check whether you have chosen a web page to appear instead.
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ASKER
Okay, I tried it, but Vista does not have the same options as XP, so I could not find where to check to see if a web page had be chosen. The desktop's background is set to one of the Vista choices, but there is no option for setting it as a web page. Thanks for the suggestion.
ASKER
Yes, I knew it may come down to that. I was just hoping that there may be another option from one of the experts. Thanks!
There are many opinions about how to get rid of viruses. One or two may not be an issue, but a large infestation sitting there for 2 months will likely beat out most tools. Some tools are so brutal kicking out viruses that they compromise the operating system anyway when the going gets tough.
Cheers, ... Thinkpads_User
Cheers, ... Thinkpads_User
ASKER
Thanks for the suggestions, I guess I will be wiping it clean and building it back up. Just a FYI, I will be using a program called PCMover to copy everything off to an external drive and then wipe the hard drive and reinstall a fresh OS. Then PCMover will place back on the files and programs (minus the viruses). This program has always worked wonders and saved time.
Thank you, and thanks for the update. ... Thinkpads_User