File shortcut problems....

Hi All,

I recently built a new machine with Windows 7 Professional. This is my first experience with the OS after running XP Pro for many years.

I'm not sure what I've done, but now all the shortcuts on the machine are a problem. All the shortcuts (for example, on the desktop, and on the 'Start' menu) have the same look, and all cause the same executable to run, even though the name of the shortcut is correct, and the properties (target, etc.) are OK. Double-clicking on any shortcut ALWAYS starts the same program !

If I delete a shortcut, and then go to any application directory and create a new shortcut, it creates a shortcut with the correct name, but the wrong icon, and runs the wrong program.....

I've never seen anything like this problem on any Windows OS....

Thanks,

John

What executable is it running. This may be malware. run spybot to see if there is any malware installed.

how are you creating the shortcuts. right click and send to desktop, or drag and drop right mouse buttong and choosing create shortcut here?

Hi,

This machine has never been on the internet except to Activate the OS. The application that runs for every shortcut is my own code, so I'm fairly confident it's not malware !

I did something to cause this. I forget the exact sequence, but I think I tried to change the icon on the shortcut to this program, and instead it propagated to every shortcut on the machine, and now those shortcuts all cause my program to run even though they seem to be OK when you look at the properties.....

All the shortcuts used to work fine until I did something.....

Thanks,

John

Hello John, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Since these are only with all shortcut (LNK) files, you might see if downloading the lnk option in the tutorial below may be able to help you. It restores all default associations and settings for shortcuts.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/19449-default-file-type-associations-restore.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Hi Shawn,

Thanks for the welcome to the forum!

I reset all file associations, and that helped, but did not totally solve my problem. All shortcuts now seem to invoke the correct executable, BUT all shortcut 'icons' are still incorrect. Instead of the icon for the associated executable, it's a small version of the icon for the program that was originally running all the time for every shortcut.

Even when I create a new shortcut, the icon is incorrect, but the shortcut does work.....

I checked the Windows file integrity as recommended with no problems found!

Thanks,

John

John,

I'm happy to hear that we are getting there.

If it's the small shortcut arrow overlay icon that is messed up or missing, then see if you may be able to restore it with the tutorial below.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3606-shortcut-arrow-remove-restore.html


If the small arrow overlay icon is fine, but the icon itself is messed up or missing, then see if rebuilding the icon cache may help.

Hi Shawn,

OK, then you'll be even happier to hear that the problem is now solved !

I manually deleted the Icon Cache, rebooted the machine, and Voila!, everything is back to normal!

I've been a Windows user for a long time, but I've never seen a problem like this before! How do you suppose the file associations and icon cache became so messed up?

Thanks,

John

That's great news John. You're most welcome.

This usually happens sometimes if shortcuts (LNK file extensions) were accidentally set to have the wrong default program association. Doing so will cause the target link and icon to be broken.