broken desktop shortcuts

wellswater · 03-18-2008, 05:37 PM

Hello experts: I'm new to this forum and look forward to learning from you all. I would like to refer to a thread started by lowellc in Jan,'08 titled: "desktop shortcuts to websites are broken". I am faced with the same problem and I have noticed some similarities in our experiences and some differences; I'm pretty sure I can trace my problem back to some ill-advised changes to my internet browsing experience by doing the following (and I'll not bore you with the reasons for trying to fix something that wasn't broken): I am running XP Pro SP1.
1- downloaded and installed Firefox. seemed to swork OK but also seemed to slow reaction time down during web time.
2- un-installed Firefox, downloaded IE7 and tried to install. message announced that could not install due my PC running SP1.
3- assumed that I was back to running IE6 as I could successfully connect to and use the web and email, etc.
4- then later noticed that my desktop shortcuts no longer work and window pops up and tells me that there is no file associated with the shortcut and so on.
Have since tried several fixes posted from various forums and none work. My gut tells me that this is a problem created by Firefox. It seems to be a common link in all of the threads that I have read, 'tho none of them were using IE6. Since I tried to install IE7, I'm wondering if some fragments of IE7 and Firefox are screwing up my PC and if I could somehow find a way to get all traces of IE7 and Firefox out of my PC and install IE6 fresh.
I'm so sorry that I ever heard of Firefox and also that I tried to improve on a system that was functional.
Looking forward to being blessed with a solution.
Thanks in advance!

**Go The Power** · 03-18-2008, 11:57 PM

Hello and welcome to TSF

How come you havent updated to SP2 it is very important?

wellswater · 03-19-2008, 07:10 PM

To answer your question, this is an older PC, Gateway 4200 series, Pentium III 600 Mhz, which I purchased quite a while ago from a state agency with XP Pro SP1 loaded. I have been satisfied so far so never felt the need to upgrade. Why is this important and how does it apply to my problem?

**Go The Power** · 03-20-2008, 04:56 PM

It applys to the problem because some of the tools we may need to fix your problem only run on SP2, also you need to update to IE7.

SP1 has heaps of security holes and SP2 patches them up, there are bugs in SP1 that SP2 patches up.

wellswater · 03-21-2008, 07:00 AM

In the sales profession, there is an adage; "you don't ask, you don't get". thanks for your response. I'll get on that asap and then get back to you. Meantime, have a good Easter.

**Go The Power** · 03-21-2008, 04:32 PM

yea i will, hope you have a good one too.

03-18-2008, 05:37 PM	#1 (permalink)
wellswater Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 3 OS: windows XP pro	broken desktop shortcuts Hello experts: I'm new to this forum and look forward to learning from you all. I would like to refer to a thread started by lowellc in Jan,'08 titled: "desktop shortcuts to websites are broken". I am faced with the same problem and I have noticed some similarities in our experiences and some differences; I'm pretty sure I can trace my problem back to some ill-advised changes to my internet browsing experience by doing the following (and I'll not bore you with the reasons for trying to fix something that wasn't broken): I am running XP Pro SP1. 1- downloaded and installed Firefox. seemed to swork OK but also seemed to slow reaction time down during web time. 2- un-installed Firefox, downloaded IE7 and tried to install. message announced that could not install due my PC running SP1. 3- assumed that I was back to running IE6 as I could successfully connect to and use the web and email, etc. 4- then later noticed that my desktop shortcuts no longer work and window pops up and tells me that there is no file associated with the shortcut and so on. Have since tried several fixes posted from various forums and none work. My gut tells me that this is a problem created by Firefox. It seems to be a common link in all of the threads that I have read, 'tho none of them were using IE6. Since I tried to install IE7, I'm wondering if some fragments of IE7 and Firefox are screwing up my PC and if I could somehow find a way to get all traces of IE7 and Firefox out of my PC and install IE6 fresh. I'm so sorry that I ever heard of Firefox and also that I tried to improve on a system that was functional. Looking forward to being blessed with a solution. Thanks in advance!

03-18-2008, 11:57 PM	#2 (permalink)
Go The Power Moderator, Microsoft Support Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: South Australia Posts: 11,006 OS: Windows XP Home SP2 Blog Entries: 1	Re: broken desktop shortcuts Hello and welcome to TSF How come you havent updated to SP2 it is very important? __________________ Last edited by Go The Power; 03-19-2008 at 12:01 AM.

03-19-2008, 07:10 PM	#3 (permalink)
wellswater Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 3 OS: windows XP pro	Re: broken desktop shortcuts To answer your question, this is an older PC, Gateway 4200 series, Pentium III 600 Mhz, which I purchased quite a while ago from a state agency with XP Pro SP1 loaded. I have been satisfied so far so never felt the need to upgrade. Why is this important and how does it apply to my problem?

03-20-2008, 04:56 PM	#4 (permalink)
Go The Power Moderator, Microsoft Support Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: South Australia Posts: 11,006 OS: Windows XP Home SP2 Blog Entries: 1	Re: broken desktop shortcuts It applys to the problem because some of the tools we may need to fix your problem only run on SP2, also you need to update to IE7. SP1 has heaps of security holes and SP2 patches them up, there are bugs in SP1 that SP2 patches up. __________________

03-21-2008, 07:00 AM	#5 (permalink)
wellswater Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 3 OS: windows XP pro	Re: broken desktop shortcuts In the sales profession, there is an adage; "you don't ask, you don't get". thanks for your response. I'll get on that asap and then get back to you. Meantime, have a good Easter.

03-21-2008, 04:32 PM	#6 (permalink)
Go The Power Moderator, Microsoft Support Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: South Australia Posts: 11,006 OS: Windows XP Home SP2 Blog Entries: 1	Re: broken desktop shortcuts yea i will, hope you have a good one too. __________________