"Disappearing Shortcuts"

Hi everyone,

I know there have been a few posts about this already, at least I have found a couple but the propsed way to resolve the issue of Windows 7 "cleaning" up the shortcuts does not seem right to me. Surely someone out there has a better solution? Please tell me someone does . . . . . . otherwise this is a ridiculous "bug" that Microsoft need to resolve ASAP!

Here is a quick summary of the problem as I understand it and the general concensus "fix" for it. I would appreciate it if anyone has found some other workaround to this issue that does not involve disabling the scheduled maintenance, and in the process disabling some as yet unknown but important process . . . . .

Symptom - On a computer that is running Windows 7, shortcuts that you create on the desktop disappear.

Cause - These shortcuts are regarded as broken and are deleted by the System Maintenance troubleshooter.

The System Maintenance troubleshooter performs a weekly maintenance of the operating system. The System Maintenance troubleshooter either fixes problems automatically or reports problems through Action Center. When there are more than four broken shortcuts on the desktop, the System Maintenance troubleshooter automatically removes all broken shortcuts from the desktop.

Solutions - To work around this issue, use one of the following methods.

Method 1
Keep the number of broken shortcuts on your desktop to four or less.

Method 2
If you must have more than four broken shortcuts on your desktop, you can disable the System Maintenance troubleshooter.

Note If you disable the System Maintenance troubleshooter, all the maintenance tasks that it performs are disabled. Therefore, we recommend that you use Method 1.

Maybe the System Maintenance Troubleshooter should be renamed "The System Maintenance Troublemaker"! somehow Microsoft has allowed its programmers to create an unwanted, unneeded automatic 'fix' to a 'problem' that does not exist: we, the users, know perfectly well how to manage our own desktops...we neither asked for, nor need, an automated shortcut-destroyer coming along, removing all our productivity-boosting desktop shortcuts. The system should be programmed to accommodate and support users' needs. In this case, Windows should be programmed to support that.