Windows XP Shortcuts

[Ange]

I am running Windows XP Home Edition. I am having
problems with shortcuts both on the desktop and within
the Start > Programs menu. When I go to the Properties of
any of the shortcuts thay are all .lnk files and do not
open in the required program. When I try to create a new
shortcut on the desktop it does not allow me to browse to
the location of the item I am creating a shortcut for,
but just creates a file on the desktop called New
Shortcut.

Any help would be appreciated. I think maybe I have lost
a Registry setting as when the machine booted there was a
message saying that information had been successfully
recovered from a Registry backup.

Have tried reinstalling Windows XP SP1a to no avail.

Any ideas????

 

[Ange]

Some additional info:

I am also running Norton Internet Security 2004 and ran a
virus scan which came up with no results, so I don't
believe that a virus is causing this issue.

All my programs exist in Add/Remove Programs and I can
browse to a particular program through Windows Explorer,
ie. Word and start the .exe through there, just not from
a shortcut. Real pain having to browse to programs I want
to access through Windows Explorer!

Can I install the component of XP that allows the
creation of shortcuts???

Thks

 

[Tom]

Some additional info:

I am also running Norton Internet Security 2004 and ran a
virus scan which came up with no results, so I don't
believe that a virus is causing this issue.

All my programs exist in Add/Remove Programs and I can
browse to a particular program through Windows Explorer,
ie. Word and start the .exe through there, just not from
a shortcut. Real pain having to browse to programs I want
to access through Windows Explorer!

Can I install the component of XP that allows the
creation of shortcuts???

There is no component perse, they just work that way when they are created
in the shell. Have you tried using System Restore to a time whn you know
they did work?

Otherwise, you delete the SCs, and copy a new shortcut to your desktop by
directly right clicking on the program itself in the program/relative system
folder(s), and then choosing to cerate a SC on the desktop.

 

[Ange]

-----Original Message-----



There is no component perse, they just work that way when they are created
in the shell. Have you tried using System Restore to a time whn you know
they did work?

Otherwise, you delete the SCs, and copy a new shortcut to your desktop by
directly right clicking on the program itself in the program/relative system
folder(s), and then choosing to cerate a SC on the desktop.

Have tried sending new shortcuts to desktop when in
Windows Explorer, but same result as creating them on the
desktop. Just creates a file with no association to the
program I am creating the shortcut for. :-(

Haven't tried System Restore. Might have to give that a
go if no other alternative.

Cheers

 

[bullwinkel J. Moose]

You might want to right click and go to create shortcut then drag and drop
it to your desktop.

 

[Alex Nichol]

I am running Windows XP Home Edition. I am having
problems with shortcuts both on the desktop and within
the Start > Programs menu. When I go to the Properties of
any of the shortcuts thay are all .lnk files and do not
open in the required program. When I try to create a new
shortcut on the desktop it does not allow me to browse to
the location of the item I am creating a shortcut for,
but just creates a file on the desktop called New
Shortcut.

A shortcut is itself a .lnk file. Its Properties should have a shortcut
page that shows the 'Target' path and name of the file it is a shortcut
to. But it is likely that the association for .lnk is damaged -
possibly by trying a 'fix' that is alleged to remove arrows by deleting
an 'IsShortCut' in the registry.

To restore the standard association, Make the following, after - - start
and before - - end into a file by cut/paste to NotePad. Don't let lines
wrap around, [HKEY through next ] is always one line, an @= pr
"Command"= starts the next. Make sure there is a blank line at the end.
Save as "Patch.reg" then right-click on this file and take Merge to
enter it into the registry. Sorry it is a bit long so as to be
complete, but Cut and paste won't mind


- - start
REGEDIT4

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk]
@="lnkfile"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellNew]
"Command"="rundll32.exe appwiz.cpl,NewLinkHere %1"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellEx]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellEx\{BB2E617C-0920-11d1-9A0B-00C04FC2D6C1}]
@="{500202A0-731E-11d0-B829-00C04FD706EC}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellEx\{00021500-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}]
@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellEx\{000214EE-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}]
@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellEx\{000214F9-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}]
@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile]
@="Shortcut"
"EditFlags"=dword:00000001
"IsShortcut"=""
"NeverShowExt"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\CLSID]
@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\IconHandler]
@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\DropHandler]
@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}]
@=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\TargetContext]
@="{90A756E0-AFCF-11CE-927B-0800095AE340}"


- - end

 

[Plato]

I am also running Norton Internet Security 2004 and ran a
virus scan which came up with no results, so I don't
believe that a virus is causing this issue.

NIS 2004 is NOT recommended. Remove it for best results and computer
satisfaction.