Some desktop shortcuts disappeared!

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  1. Posts : 9
    Windows 7 Prfessional 64 bit
       #21

    R A said:
    I had a problem with some shortcuts recently. I set Distributed Link Tracking Client to manual and stopped it. It solved my problem. It's one of the services found in Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services. Or access it directly by going to services.msc in the Search Panel. I also had a problem with renaming files which turned out to be a Distributed Link Tracking Client problem too.

    Edit: Forgot to add that sometimes you can do a Refresh and it brings back the shortcut.
    Hey, thanks a LOT for posting this. It sounds like what I needed. I have stopped the service and set it to manual so it doesn't auto-start. We'll see if that does the trick, though it might take a few weeks to be sure due to the random and infrequent nature of the problem.

    Way to go!!

    Scott
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 32
    XP SP3 32bit, Vista HP 64bit, Seven Pro 64bit
       #22

    I have had Distributed Link Tracking Client DISABLED since I installed Seven, Windows still deleted some of my desktop shortcuts including one I had just used a few hours before. So I think it's not related to desktop cleanup of unused icons - which Seven shouldn't do without my permission anyway!

    I think it is caused by the scheduled "Diagnosis" task in the Task Scheduler that was mentioned in a previous post. I've just now disabled that task, it did run at 1 AM this morning and I think it deleted my shortcuts because I'm sure they were there last night.

    I'm going to look in the Windows backup and see if my shortcuts can be retrieved.

    From now on I'm also going to copy all my desktop shortcuts into a regular folder.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 6
    Windows 7 x64 Ultimate
       #23

    zBobG said:
    I have had Distributed Link Tracking Client DISABLED since I installed Seven, Windows still deleted some of my desktop shortcuts including one I had just used a few hours before. So I think it's not related to desktop cleanup of unused icons - which Seven shouldn't do without my permission anyway!

    I think it is caused by the scheduled "Diagnosis" task in the Task Scheduler that was mentioned in a previous post. I've just now disabled that task, it did run at 1 AM this morning and I think it deleted my shortcuts because I'm sure they were there last night.

    I'm going to look in the Windows backup and see if my shortcuts can be retrieved.

    From now on I'm also going to copy all my desktop shortcuts into a regular folder.
    As I said, I have done now both methods :) and yes mine was set to 1am also, but my system is running often at this time so it was a very common problem... I hope that between the two tweaks here this will have solved our issues :)
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 6
    Windows 7 x64 Ultimate
       #24

    oh FYI, and I successfully used Windows Restore to get all the shortcuts back
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 1
    Windows 7
       #25

    I have shortcuts to 12 RDP connections & four Excel files on my desktop and noticed they were missing this morning. This is the second time this has happened (been using Windows 7 for less than three weeks).

    After reading Gunthar's post I tested it by recreated four of the shortcuts and then running the Windows Diagnosis task. Within ten seconds, all of the newly recreated shortcuts disappeared.

    I'm now leaving that particular task disabled. Thanks Gunthar!
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 162
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64 RTM
       #26

    I've had certain shortcuts disappear overnight...
    but only the ones to:
    Computer
    Control Panel
    Programs & Features
    and 3 MS games (Freecell, Solitaire, Mahjong)

    Seems to be only shortcuts to system files....
    This has happened at least 3 times since I installed RTM.
    I'll try disabling the Diagnosis task to see if that helps.

    7 Ult 64 bit
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 6
    Windows 7 x64 Ultimate
       #27

    @ egoche, glad it worked well for you
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 36
    Windows 7 64-bit Ultimate
       #28

    Since i'm dealing with the same problem i'm reading this with quite some interrest.
    Like ZBobG already mentions above, he service Distributed Link Tracking Client is not the problem since it's disabled here and the problem still occurs.

    The onto the Windows Taks Scheduler. Disabeling this could solve the problem but the discription of the task says: "The Windows Scheduled Maintenance Task performs periodic maintenance of the computer system by fixing problems automatically or reporting them through the Action Center".
    For me this task does a lot more then just cleaning up broken or missing icons (in most cases these aren't even missing or broken at all).
    So if you disable this task to prevent Windows from deleting icons, i recon you disable a lot more which my be not such a good idea...?
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 7
    Windows 7 64bit
       #29

    Hello. I registered mostly because of this topic. Although I got Win7 recently so I'm sure there's plenty of time for him to give me more headache.

    First of all, let me get this straight:
    Not all, but only some of the shortcuts disappear?

    in my case:


    Second of all, it's not unused or broken shortcuts that's been disappearing, but the ones I use frequently. I have some program shortcuts that have not been used for a while, but those are still there!
    That's why I believe it's not related to 'maintenance' tasks or similar stuff...... (at least I hope Win is not so stupid to delete used shortcuts and leave unused)...

    Anyway... I disabled the Distributed Link Tracking Client (whatever that is), and will see how it goes...
    I'm open for suggestions...


    EDIT:
    The shortcuts disappeared again just now! So DLTC disabling doesn't help.
    Last edited by zvucnjak; 12 Apr 2010 at 08:57. Reason: Problem stil occuring
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 3
    Win 7 Pro64
       #30

    Desktop shortcuts disappear in Windows 7

    I second zBobG's and DocBrown's idea, of putting the shortcuts to [mapped drives, USB U3, NAS, etc] in a folder, then put a shortcut to the folder on the desktop. <sigh>
      My Computer


 
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