Desktop Inactivated

[JHHPavel]

A new problem just popped up the other day. I'm running Win7 and for no apparent reason, the icons on my desktop which link to programs like Excel and Access or to specific files stopped working. I double click on them and nothing happens.

This morning, I shut down the computer before going to work and restarted when I got home in the evening. The icons were now activated. I opened Internet Explorer and checked the news and email. When I closed it, the icons were dead again.

What gives? How do I fix this?

 

[linney]

Is it only icons from Office programs that have this problem?

Can you launch these programs via the actual .exe? If so does creating new shortcuts for the Desktop give you a workaround?

Do they work from Safe Mode, or from Normal Mode with another user logon?

Try running ChkDsk to check your drive for errors. Right-click your Drive icon/ Properties/ Tools/ Error Checking. Try it first by not checking either box (this will run it in a Read-only mode) to see if it flags any hard drive or file problems. If it does, restart it by ticking both boxes, and rerun it to allow it to attempt to fix any found problems.

How to troubleshoot a problem by performing a clean boot in Windows Vista or in Windows 7

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/929135

See this "IF" the .Lnk, or .exe, file associations seem a bit dodgy.

File Association Fixes for Windows 7

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

System Restore (or System File Checker) is an option too.

How to repair the operating system and how to restore the operating system configuration to an earlier point in time in Windows Vista (or 7)

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/936212/#appliesto

 

[BadBigBen]

could also be malware related...

before further troubleshooting, I would suggest that a full scan with an AntiViral app, Online Antiviral service, MalwareBytes Antimalware, and SuperAntiSpyware would be in order...

AV: should be installed on your system, if not get a hold of AntiVir Personal (free of charge).

Free Online AV scans: TrendMicro Housecall and/or Kaspersky Anti-Virus Scan

AntiMalware: MBAM -

http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php

SAS -

http://www.superantispyware.com/

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
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