Shortcuts fail to appear on the desktop

[Guest]

I'm asking a question for a woman who does not speak English. She has an
eMachine with a Windows XP home edition operating system. She is not
connected to the Internet.

Problem 1: After installing an optical mouse, all her shortcuts on the
desktop disappeared from the screen-saver. I tried putting her shortcuts back
on in several ways but they do not appear on the desktop. I spent a
frustrating hour trying to help her out in this.

Problem 2: It seems almost every minute she gets popups telling her to renew
her antivirus program. She never goes online so she does not need this. Is
there any way (any button I could push) to get rid of these popups forever?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

See below.

I'm asking a question for a woman who does not speak English. She has an
eMachine with a Windows XP home edition operating system. She is not
connected to the Internet.

Problem 1: After installing an optical mouse, all her shortcuts on the
desktop disappeared from the screen-saver. I tried putting her shortcuts back
on in several ways but they do not appear on the desktop. I spent a
frustrating hour trying to help her out in this.

Where exactly are these shortcuts located? Drive? Folder? You
can check this in the properties of each shortcut.

Problem 2: It seems almost every minute she gets popups telling her to renew
her antivirus program. She never goes online so she does not need this. Is
there any way (any button I could push) to get rid of these popups

forever?

This is not a Windows question but a question about the virus scanner
she installed (which you did not specify). Check the various options in
this virus scanner, or consult the FAQs of the manufacturer.

 

[Malke]

I'm asking a question for a woman who does not speak English. She has an
eMachine with a Windows XP home edition operating system. She is not
connected to the Internet.

Problem 1: After installing an optical mouse, all her shortcuts on the
desktop disappeared from the screen-saver. I tried putting her shortcuts
back on in several ways but they do not appear on the desktop. I spent a
frustrating hour trying to help her out in this.

Problem 2: It seems almost every minute she gets popups telling her to
renew her antivirus program. She never goes online so she does not need
this. Is there any way (any button I could push) to get rid of these
popups forever?

I don't understand what this means: "shortcuts on the desktop disappeared
from the screen-saver". Normally you don't see any shortcuts or the desktop
when a screensaver is running.

In the meantime, right-click on an empty area of the Desktop and then slide
over to the Arrange Icons By options. Make sure "Show Icons" is selected.
then left-click on Properties (you may need to right-click on the empty
area again if the menu disappears after you make any changes to the Icon
settings) and look on the Desktop tab. Click on Customize Desktop, and then
click on the Web tab. You will see that there are checkmarks next to "My
Current Home Page" and probably "Lock Desktop Items". Uncheck these.
Apply/OK out.

As for the antivirus, if this machine will never go on the Internet
uninstall it from Add/Remove Programs. If your friend has Service Pack 2,
after the uninstall go to Control Panel>Security Center and click on
"Change how Security Center alerts me". Uncheck the antivirus notification.
Apply/OK out.

Malke

 

[Rock]

I'm asking a question for a woman who does not speak English. She has an
eMachine with a Windows XP home edition operating system. She is not
connected to the Internet.

Problem 1: After installing an optical mouse, all her shortcuts on the
desktop disappeared from the screen-saver. I tried putting her shortcuts back
on in several ways but they do not appear on the desktop. I spent a
frustrating hour trying to help her out in this.

Problem 2: It seems almost every minute she gets popups telling her to renew
her antivirus program. She never goes online so she does not need this. Is
there any way (any button I could push) to get rid of these popups forever?

Just because the computer doesn't access the internet doesn't mean an up
to date anti virus program isn't needed. Does she ever get files from
friends? Shares CD's or floppy disks? Have her spend a few dollars to
get an updated AV.

 

[Guest]

Malke:

Thanks for helping out the woman with the problem. I meant the desktop, not
the screen saver, by the way. With your instructions I was able to restore
all her shortcuts (I also made the text larger so she could read it.) Then I
got those one-a-minute popups from Macafee to stop. Now she's happy with her
computer again.

In her language she wanted me to tell you, "Muchas gracias por toda su
ayuda."

 

[Malke]

Malke:

Thanks for helping out the woman with the problem. I meant the desktop,
not
the screen saver, by the way. With your instructions I was able to
restore all her shortcuts (I also made the text larger so she could read
it.) Then I got those one-a-minute popups from Macafee to stop. Now she's
happy with her computer again.

In her language she wanted me to tell you, "Muchas gracias por toda su
ayuda."

And you can tell her back from me "de nada".

Buena suerte,

Malke