I am working on a friend's machine, XP Pro, SP2. I have cleaned it and tuned it and 
run full virus and spyware scans, etc.

1) When I create a desktop shortcut, it does not have a black arrow indicating it 
is a shortcut. Curious? None of the pre-existing desktop shortcuts does either.
2) None of my desktop shortcuts works. Double-clicking does nothing. This includes 
those in the Quick Launch Tray, where single-clicking does nothing. Show Desktop 
works. 
3) I can right click on any desktop shortcut , get the menu, click on Open and that 
works fine.
4) This is a Presario 2100 laptop. I have tried the mousepad and two different USB 
mice.
4) The desktop icons' properties indicate they are shortcuts, and a Find Target takes 
me to the correct place.
5) The user has Admin privileges.
6) As a clue perhaps, or maybe unrelated, the Quick Launch Tray does not reappear 
after a reboot.
7) In Event Viewer, double-clicking on any item does nothing, so I can't even find 
clues there.

Any ideas?

Thanks a lot,

Tom

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

OOPS! Perhaps as important as anything I said in my post is that Start Menu items 
do not start when clicked!

Tom






On Thursday, May 8, 2008 at 9:26 am, Tom wrote:

>I am working on a friend's machine, XP Pro, SP2. I have cleaned it and tuned it 
and 

>run full virus and spyware scans, etc.

>

>1) When I create a desktop shortcut, it does not have a black arrow indicating it 

>is a shortcut. Curious? None of the pre-existing desktop shortcuts does either.

>2) None of my desktop shortcuts works. Double-clicking does nothing. This includes 

>those in the Quick Launch Tray, where single-clicking does nothing. Show Desktop 

>works. 

>3) I can right click on any desktop shortcut , get the menu, click on Open and that 

>works fine.

>4) This is a Presario 2100 laptop. I have tried the mousepad and two different USB 

>mice.

>4) The desktop icons' properties indicate they are shortcuts, and a Find Target 
takes 

>me to the correct place.

>5) The user has Admin privileges.

>6) As a clue perhaps, or maybe unrelated, the Quick Launch Tray does not reappear 

>after a reboot.

>7) In Event Viewer, double-clicking on any item does nothing, so I can't even find 

>clues there.

>

>Any ideas?

>

>Thanks a lot,

>

>Tom 

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

go into control panel -> mouse settings and change your double-click speed setting.. 
It is probably set super fast and you can't double click fast enough to make it take 
a "double click".  Then see if that takes care of anything..

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

I didnt see your second post until after my previous post, however, I still think 
this may be one problem that you are having, and is why you can't open the items 
in event viewer so check the double-click speed.

However, obviously this is not the entire problem. :)

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Thank you, I did as you suggested, but no luck. Also, Quick Launch Tray icons only 
need one click as do Start Menu items.

But thanks anyway.







On Thursday, May 8, 2008 at 10:12 am, appleoddity wrote:

>


>I didnt see your second post until after my previous post, however, I still think 

>this may be one problem that you are having, and is why you can't open the items 

>in event viewer so check the double-click speed.

>

>However, obviously this is not the entire problem. :)

>
 

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

The missing arrows are inconsequential, that is a registry tweak, albeit an inadvised 
one IMO. You said you scanned for malware, but didn't say if you found any. The double 
click speed is a bit of a stretch I think, possible, but unlikely. If you select 
a shortcut, and hit the enter key, it should also start, this would confirm or rule 
out the double click speed. Residuals from malware could also cause the symptoms.







On Thursday, May 8, 2008 at 9:40 am, Tom wrote:

>

>OOPS! Perhaps as important as anything I said in my post is that Start Menu items 

>do not start when clicked!

>

>Tom

>

> 

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Good point about selecting an icon and hitting ENTER. I did that and nothing happens, 
just as with the shortcuts.

I've been so thorough in cleaning this machine, that I even deleted all the logs 
from Spybot. I remember there were 63 problems found, but nothing that comes to mind, 
and nothing that caused me to think they were really bad. I also used AdAware and 
I installed and ran Windows Defender. Additionally, I ran a full virus scan with 
Norton, updated to the most recent live update.

Thank you.







On Thursday, May 8, 2008 at 10:21 am, Ricer46 wrote:

>The missing arrows are inconsequential, that is a registry tweak, albeit an inadvised 

>one IMO. You said you scanned for malware, but didn't say if you found any. The 
double 

>click speed is a bit of a stretch I think, possible, but unlikely. If you select 

>a shortcut, and hit the enter key, it should also start, this would confirm or rule 

>out the double click speed. Residuals from malware could also cause the symptoms.

>

>

> 

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Deleting the logs does nothing. 63 problems is a lot, of course it depends on what 
they are. Did that include any viruses? I would guess that the problem is a result 
of malware residuals.







On Thursday, May 8, 2008 at 10:40 am, Tom wrote:

>Good point about selecting an icon and hitting ENTER. I did that and nothing happens, 

>just as with the shortcuts.

>

>I've been so thorough in cleaning this machine, that I even deleted all the logs 

>from Spybot. I remember there were 63 problems found, but nothing that comes to 
mind, 

>and nothing that caused me to think they were really bad. I also used AdAware and 

>I installed and ran Windows Defender. Additionally, I ran a full virus scan with 

>Norton, updated to the most recent live update.

>

>Thank you.

>

>

> 

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Malware residuals is a new one on me. Do you recommend any tools that might clean 
this up or am I looking at a re-install?

Thanks,

Tom






On Thursday, May 8, 2008 at 10:54 am, Ricer46 wrote:

>Deleting the logs does nothing. 63 problems is a lot, of course it depends on what 

>they are. Did that include any viruses? I would guess that the problem is a result 

>of malware residuals.

>

>

> 

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Malware routinely makes changes to registry settings, etc.  Removing a virus does 
not remove those changes.  On top of that.. No matter how many virus scanners you 
run, a moderately infected computer will not be clean of viruses.

The first thing people can do when your computer is infected is begin compiling and 
dropping code onto your PC that is completely unique and will never be detected by 
malware scanners.  There has to be other methods to find this type of stuff.  Most 
likely your registry is damaged, or a key file is damaged in some way.

I can clean most computers effectively but some are just a big waste of time when 
you can reformat and have an optimally running machine in half the time.  Solve all 
your problems.  It is a good learning experience to try and figure out why it does 
what it does, but ultimately you'll get to fixing that problem, and you will possibly 
find another one.  So, where does it end? :) 

The choice really is yours.. Depending on your patience and tenacity I guess.. :)

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

A final act out of desperation: I am actually downloading SP3! So far it's been 75 
minutes and it looks like the install piece may be half done.

I really expected this to be a well-known problem with an easy solution. What could 
be causing this behavior (not mine, XP's!)?








On Thursday, May 8, 2008 at 1:04 pm, appleoddity wrote:

>


>Malware routinely makes changes to registry settings, etc.  Removing a virus does 

>not remove those changes.  On top of that.. No matter how many virus scanners you 

>run, a moderately infected computer will not be clean of viruses.

>

>The first thing people can do when your computer is infected is begin compiling 
and 

>dropping code onto your PC that is completely unique and will never be detected 
by 

>malware scanners.  There has to be other methods to find this type of stuff.  Most 

>likely your registry is damaged, or a key file is damaged in some way.

>

>I can clean most computers effectively but some are just a big waste of time when 

>you can reformat and have an optimally running machine in half the time.  Solve 
all 

>your problems.  It is a good learning experience to try and figure out why it does 

>what it does, but ultimately you'll get to fixing that problem, and you will possibly 

>find another one.  So, where does it end? :) 

>

>The choice really is yours.. Depending on your patience and tenacity I guess.. :)

>

>
 

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