Desktop shortcuts no longer work

  • Thread starter Thread starter Voodoo
  • Start date Start date
V

Voodoo

Win2k Pro SP4

Suddenly, on my desktop, none of the shortcuts to programs work. I
double click on them and nothing happens. The exception is that
shortcuts to Internet sites still work and also I can still open My
Computer, My Documents, My Network Places and the Recycle Bin from my
desktop but not any shortcuts to programs. Also, none of the Start
Menu shortcuts to programs work. To open a program I have to open My
Computer, then browse to the program's directory and click on it's
executable file to get it to open.

Can anyone please tell me how to fix this? Thanks.
 
Here's one other thing. Double clicking on the shortcuts doesn't work,
but I can right mouse click and select "open" and that works.
 
Voodoo said:
Win2k Pro SP4

Suddenly, on my desktop, none of the shortcuts to programs work. I
double click on them and nothing happens. The exception is that
shortcuts to Internet sites still work and also I can still open My
Computer, My Documents, My Network Places and the Recycle Bin from my
desktop but not any shortcuts to programs. Also, none of the Start
Menu shortcuts to programs work. To open a program I have to open My
Computer, then browse to the program's directory and click on it's
executable file to get it to open.

Can anyone please tell me how to fix this? Thanks.
Click to expand...

Try this in order to get an idea about what's going on:
- My Computer
- Navigate to c:\winnt\system32
- Double-click cmd.exe
- Type these commands:
cd \
set path
xcopy
Report the complet output you get from the "set" and from the
"xcopy" command.
 
Try this in order to get an idea about what's going on:
- My Computer
- Navigate to c:\winnt\system32
- Double-click cmd.exe
- Type these commands:
cd \
set path
xcopy
Report the complet output you get from the "set" and from the
"xcopy" command.
Click to expand...

Thanks Pegasus.

Here's what I got.

C:\>set path
Path=C:\WINNT\system32;C:\WINNT;C:\WINNT\System32\Wbem
PATHEXT=.COM;.EXE;.BAT;.CMD;.VBS;.VBE;.JS;.JSE;.WSF;.WSH

C:\>xcopy
Invalid number of parameters
0 File(s) copied
 
Sounds like your mouse double click speed may need adjusted.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestion but I just went to my Control Panel's Mouse
applet and checked the settings, and that's not it.
 
Let me try that again.

C:\>set path xcopy
Path=C:\WINNT\system32;C:\WINNT;C:\WINNT\System32\Wbem
PATHEXT=.COM;.EXE;.BAT;.CMD;.VBS;.VBE;.JS;.JSE;.WSF;.WSH
 
Suggest you do a search in the NG with similar problems. I've seen several with the
same thing. That means it was caused by a hotpatch, SP, or you been ingested by a
bug.

don
------------



Win2k Pro SP4

Suddenly, on my desktop, none of the shortcuts to programs work. I
double click on them and nothing happens. The exception is that
shortcuts to Internet sites still work and also I can still open My
Computer, My Documents, My Network Places and the Recycle Bin from my
desktop but not any shortcuts to programs. Also, none of the Start
Menu shortcuts to programs work. To open a program I have to open My
Computer, then browse to the program's directory and click on it's
executable file to get it to open.

Can anyone please tell me how to fix this? Thanks.
 
Suggest you do a search in the NG with similar problems. I've seen several with the
same thing. That means it was caused by a hotpatch, SP, or you been ingested by a
bug.

don
Click to expand...

Thank you very much Don. I did a Google Groups search and found an
article that pointed to http://www.dougknox.com/ . That page had the
following file:

LNK (Shortcut) File Association Fix (Restores Default Shortcut
Behavior)

I executed the file. It was a .REG file. It fixed it.

I still don't know why the problem cropped up in the first place
unless it was caused by a critical update that I installed from
Windows Update. That's the only change to my system that I have made
lately.

But all is well that ends well.
 
vOOdOO,
yw
It is a strange anomaly. There are all kinds of strangeness going on now. I believe part of
the fixes will be for sale by M$, and/or third party soon. I've heard that Microsoft is
doing anti SPAM program now. I wondered why they left the throttle wide open on this for so
long. A way to make another buck. They are kinda like the Radar companies were in the 80's.
The same company made Radar detectors and the products they sold to the police. Each time
just a little better. That's why M$ has run into a wall; their game has to go to 64 bit to
blow everyone out again. Anyways, glad you got the fix. Thanks for sharing your work with
the NG.

good luck,
don
--------
Suggest you do a search in the NG with similar problems. I've seen several with the
same thing. That means it was caused by a hotpatch, SP, or you been ingested by a
bug.

don
Click to expand...

Thank you very much Don. I did a Google Groups search and found an
article that pointed to http://www.dougknox.com/ . That page had the
following file:

LNK (Shortcut) File Association Fix (Restores Default Shortcut
Behavior)

I executed the file. It was a .REG file. It fixed it.

I still don't know why the problem cropped up in the first place
unless it was caused by a critical update that I installed from
Windows Update. That's the only change to my system that I have made
lately.

But all is well that ends well.
 
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