Peggy C

Hi there.
My HP dv9000 laptop has been running slow. I am fairly new to computers so my husband decided to run a disc clean-up and defrag. The defrag was dc'd before it was finished. Eversince, when I try to open an icon on my desktop a message says "application not found." eg. Google and Windows Live Home. They will open if I take them from my bookmarks though. When I make a new shortcut they still won't open. Itunes, my home page and other sites will open. Puzzled.
Any help would greatly be appreciated. Thanks a lot.

Nitrus

What is your default browser?

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On holiday for two weeks, so can't reply to threads right now, sorry.

Peggy C

mozilla firefox

Nitrus

Right, for purposes of this problem, we are going to set IE as your default browser.

To do that, follow this:

# Open the Control Panel and go to the Network & Internet, then click Internet Options.
# Click the Programs tab.
# Check the option Internet Explorer should check to see whether it is the default browser.
# Open Internet Explorer, and when prompted, set Internet Explorer as your default browser.
# Try and open a shortcut

Report back on what happens.

Dont worry, we will set your default browser back to Firefox afterwards.

Peggy C

Yes. Thank you. Could you give me an explanation as to why this happened?

Nitrus

At some point, IE was removed as default browser, and nothing was put in its place, so windows couldnt deal with the http:// shortcut, because it didnt know what to do with it.

Is everything working ok now?

Have you switched back to Firefox?

Peggy C

No I haven't switched back yet. Everything is working good. Thanks again.
Any advice on how to speed this computer up a bit? Seems that it takes longer than it should from page to page.

Nitrus

That's just Internet Explorer I reckon, use Firefox, but just dont set it as default for now.

Peggy C

I'm back to Firefox but not sure how to make it my default again.

Peggy C

Ok, I will leave it the way it is. Thanks again.

Nitrus

Goto Tools>Options>Advanced>General

Then at the bottom of the window is a button which says "Check Now" click that, and presto.

Peggy C

Now I remember. But if you think I should leave it the way it is for now to see if it runs faster, I will. Always learning.
Have a great day!

Peggy C

I'm back.
Sorry to keep harping on this but I changed back and made Firefox my default browser as before and again my shortcuts quit working. Is this right. Should they"only" work with IE as my default browser? I had them before my husband did a disc clean-up etc. and I'm positive Firefox was in the default setting. Any additional help would be appreciated.
Thank you in advance.

Nitrus

How did you create the shortcuts?

Peggy C

I checked my mail... Copperfield tickets were there and when I clicked to buy them a window came up saying "Locate Link Browser" showing all my files. Really confused now.
I changed back to IE as my default browser and everything works again. This is the strangest thing. ???

Peggy C

Dragged them to my tool bar as I don't like a cluttered desktop. My computer has been fine using it this way.

Peggy C

I see a problem. When I go to delete an icon that isn't working, it says do I want to delete this file...when i go to delete one that does work it days do I want to delete this shortcut. Hmm.

Peggy C

Hi again. I have made IE my default browser and have come to the conclusion that it must have been like this all along. Makes me wonder why I am using Firefox now. My husband says that it is a faster browser and I have always used it, even before I received my own laptop. I still don't understand why all of these problems started after a manual disc clean-up and defrag??
Thanks again for all your help. It is great to know that there is a support network out there for newbie like me. PC

Peggy C

I have made Mozilla my default browser again. Now everything is working fine there. Can't figure this computer out, but as long as is is up and running I'm good. Thanks