Windows 7: windows 7 hiding old desktop icons - cannot access files

I am a desktop junkie and I can't get my crack.
Windows 7 is systematically hiding any icons and folders on my desktop that have gone unused for , I am guessing, 1 week or longer. Some files I use once a month to pay bills.



The only way I have found to get to them is to browse the C: drive until I get to the desktop folder in my user account and there they are. Please help me before I loose my mind.




SKYRIM HINT: To stop the non stop crashing download the 4gb patch. Ta duh.

Are you saying that not all, but just some are missing?

yes.

The ones least clicked on.
Drives me nuts.
Can't get them to show on the desktop anymore.



There is a hospital folder on the right.
The icon for it is nowhere on the desktop.
The icons have been auto arranged.
There are quite a few folders/files on the right window which is a browse of the desktop folder) that are not showing.

Please help.

Hello Bash, and welcome to Seven Forums.

You might see if turning off the System Maintenance Troubleshooter may stop your unused desktop shortcuts from being removed afterwards. This is one of it's functions that may be responsible for this.

System Maintenance Troubleshooter - Turn On or Off

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Thanks strange alien man from outer space.
Yeah, that might stop the issue.
Now, how do I get the files folders to come back?

Signed, Desktop Junkie.

I did the following:
controlpanel->troubleshooting->change settings->turn off

After refreshing my desktop using autoarrange all of my missing icons are back!



Whooop!

Once again thanks strange alien guy.

You're most welcome. I'm happy to hear that they returned as well.

spoke too soon.

What came back where the shortcuts. :-D
What did not come back was the hospital folder and some files. :-(

Why must you make my life hard Bill Gates?

You might see if you may be able to use the Previous Versions feature on your C:\Users\(user-name)\Desktop folder to see if you may have a older copy of the hospital folder and some files available to restore from.

It would appear that windows 7 will not display any folder that is older than a certain amount of time.
Is there a reg hack to change this behavior?

I moved the folder to another drive and then back and it is now there.
This is maddening.