desktop icons not working

scarebit72 · 09 Oct 2013

Hi,
I have a Samsung laptop and cannot access anything from the desktop icons, toolbar or start menu. All icons have changed to a blue and white Windows page icon. When I click on this I get a blank Microsoft Word screen with a box in the middle saying File Conversion - (name of programme) and underneath select the encoding that makes your document readable and a box full of code. I'd be grateful for any help.

Brink · 09 Oct 2013

Hello scarebit, and welcome to Seven Forums.

If this is only happening with shortcuts, then you might see if downloading and merging the .reg file for the listed lnk (LNK) option in the tutorial below may help. It will restore the default associations for shortcuts (lnk files).

Default File Type Associations - Restore

Hope this helps, :)
Shawn

scarebit72 · 09 Oct 2013

I can't access the internet, I'm looking at this thread on a tablet. I can't access anything on the laptop atm.

mitchell65 · 09 Oct 2013

Can you get to your hard drive? You may have to boot into safe mode to do this! If so back up all your data files as a matter of urgency.
When done think what you did or was doing just prior to this happening and then try a system restore to a point behind when this first happened.

gregrocker · 09 Oct 2013

Try booting into System Recovery Options to System Restore to before this problem happened. If this succeeds then run a full scan with Malwarebytes

Boot into Safe Mode with Networking to install and run a full scan with Malwarebytes.

If you can't boot into Safe Mode then work through the steps for Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Start

scarebit72 · 09 Oct 2013

Thanks guys, running a back up now.

gregrocker · 09 Oct 2013

I would run the Malwarebytes full scan next from Safe Mode with Networking, since if you System Restore while infected there is some risk it can get into the Restore points.

Once clear of infection try the System Restore to before the problem began, working further backwards if necessary in the Restore Points. You can restore from System Recovery Options on F8, Win7 installer or System Repair Disk.

If you can't run Malwarebytes from Safe Mode or Windows, then use the bootable CD scan and proceeding with the other steps in Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Start