For some reason the shortcuts on my desktop with not activate the
program.  I double click on them and all the do is go slightly
transparent.  And it is mainly with .exe programs, because there are
folders on the desktop that I can open.  The only way that I can run
programs is by clicking on start, then clicking run, and browsing for
the program I want to use.  Why is this happening and how do I fix
this?

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Request for Question Clarification by sublime1-ga on 10 May 2004 22:11 PDT

crispytown...

If you right-click on the shortcuts and select Properties,
what shows up in the Target box, under the Shortcut tab.
Do the Target addresses look correct?

sublime1-ga

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Clarification of Question by crispytown-ga on 11 May 2004 09:08 PDT

sublime1-
    when i right click on the shortcuts and select properties the
targets are right on. when i find target it pops up with the folder
and shows the target, but when I double click on the target nothing
happens. i can however open the sub folders. for some reason it is the
programs that are effected. i have done a virus scan and nothing was
found. i guess i will check again.

crispytown

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Request for Question Clarification by sublime1-ga on 11 May 2004 12:29 PDT

crispytown...

See if the thread on this page from Tek-Tips gets you anywhere:
http://www.tek-tips.com/gviewthread.cfm/lev2/67/lev3/70/pid/616/qid/715909

Let me know!

sublime1-ga

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Clarification of Question by crispytown-ga on 11 May 2004 17:05 PDT

Okay so latest update. No there apparently are no viruses on my
computer. And Sublime1 the tek-tip did not work. Thanks for the effort
though. I went to windows update and installed a few updates. Now it
did not help on the desktop shortcuts, but it now allows me to open
microsoft office programs from the start menu where as I couldn't. so
I am still accessing programs from the start menu and choosing run.
Another little problem is that for some reason my office startup
shortcut bar will not start either. this is something that has been
happening but I did not realize it at first because of the other
issues.

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Request for Question Clarification by sublime1-ga on 12 May 2004 16:24 PDT

crispytown...

Following up with tweaker-ga's suggestion, I went ahead
and created a reg file for you which will restore the
link associations in the Windows 2000 registry:
http://68.15.21.151/uploads/researchers/linkfix.reg

Just right-click on the link, and download it to a 
location where you can find it. Then either double-click
on it, or right-click and select 'Merge'. This will
enter all the registry values noted on the JSI tip
page given by tweaker-ga. Don't forget to reboot
afterwards.

If you want to be absolutely safe you can backup your
registry first, but I have no reason to believe that
the JSI page is in error. It's been up a long time, and 
would have received feedback and correction long ago.

Let me know if this does the trick!

sublime1-ga

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Clarification of Question by crispytown-ga on 14 May 2004 08:47 PDT

sublime1
     Thank you for the file. I did everything and merged the file.
Well still nothing. This is really starting to irk me. I really have
no idea what is wrong. I thought that last fix was it. Till next time.

crispytown

Hi crispytown,

I think you should scan for virus/adware first, just to be sure.

HouseCall (very thorough online virus scan):
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

Adaware (update before running):
http://www.spychecker.com/program/adaware.html

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Here is one idea I found:
Tip #17: Desktop Icon Corruption:
There is a hidden file in the WINNT directory called ShellIconCache
that contains copies of all of the icons for desktop objects.  The
purpose of this is to speed desktop refreshes, but occasionally it can
become corrupted and the icons don't display properly on the desktop. 
To fix this problem, simply delete the file, and reboot (or log
off/on).
http://windows.about.com/library/tips/bltip017.htm

Regards,
hummer

try going into MY COMPUTER and dragging a diff shortcut from there

try downloading tweak ui, there is an option to rebuild all icons. try this.

well i tried scanning.  no dice
i tried tip #17. notta
dragging a new shortcut. never
tweak ui. i had hope then lost it.

I thank all of you for your help and I know that we will crack this soon.

crispytown

Try fixing the .LNK associations in the registry:
http://www.jsiinc.com/SUBH/TIP3500/rh3540.htm

Tweaker-
    This link looks very promising, but for some reason I can't do
what the fix says to do. Or I just don't understand how to do it.

crispytown

crispytown-ga,
Please also check the location of the icon in the Target box is same
as where you run the program from Start/Run.