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Author Topic: Unwanted desktop shortcuts  (Read 5691 times)

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Jimbo

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Unwanted desktop shortcuts
« on: December 30, 2004, 11:16:05 AM »
Working away today minding my own and boom about 6 desktop short cuts appeared, stuff like casino , poker, travel etc. i tried to delete, bin and move them, no affect what so ever. These short cuts are not moveable. Had a look elsewhere and cannot see a way of doing anything else xcept a sys restore. Any ideas anyone? Thanks in anticipation . Jimbo Oh! Xp system and the shortcuts I think are from IE.
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robertmillar

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Re: Unwanted desktop shortcuts
« Reply #1 on: December 30, 2004, 11:41:05 AM »
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Jim Whamond

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Re: Unwanted desktop shortcutsThanks, I have trie.
« Reply #2 on: December 30, 2004, 01:36:17 PM »
Thanks  I have tried running shredder and it gave an all clear. I now have a bar across the bottom of the page that will not close or move showing music, travel etc. Its annoying that some one can put stuff on my desk top that interferes with my work etc. Can I get rid of IE? and use another browser? all the trouble seems to be from IE. Thanks again.
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robertmillar

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Re: Unwanted desktop shortcuts
« Reply #3 on: December 30, 2004, 01:50:42 PM »
You can use another browser such as Mozilla Firefox or Opera, but you will need IE for the Windows Updates.

Going back to recent system restore point would probably be the easiest and quickest option.
« Last Edit: December 30, 2004, 01:52:30 PM by robertmillar »
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Jim Whamond

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Re: Unwanted desktop shortcuts
« Reply #4 on: December 30, 2004, 01:53:50 PM »
Thankyou for your prompt reply, I will take your advice, hopefully I will figure out a fix in a reasonably short time. Regards Jim.
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dl65

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    Re: Unwanted desktop shortcuts
    « Reply #5 on: December 31, 2004, 12:24:59 AM »
    Jimbo......I would try and remove the icons without using system restore just to be on the safe side. Go into your control panel / Add or remove programs....... see if there's any new additions in there that you didn't download ......if there are delete them .....I dont think they came from Micro Soft .  The other thing you could try is reboot into safe mode and see if you can delete them from there . If they are only shortcuts then there must be a small app lurking somewhere in your pc .....right click on the icons and select properties.....that may lead you to were they are hiding .
    As robertmillar suggested ....using another browser really isnt fixing the problem........because you do need IE.
    let us know how you make out .

    dl65  ::)
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    merlin_2

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    Re: Unwanted desktop shortcuts
    « Reply #6 on: December 31, 2004, 03:03:58 PM »
    run spysweeper?
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    Pete_Atkin

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    Re: Unwanted desktop shortcuts
    « Reply #7 on: January 02, 2005, 04:23:56 AM »
    I have sucessfully removed similar icons. Go to http://lop.com They have removal instructions on what to remove via the control panel, and if that doesn't work (as in my case) they have an uninstaller that can be downloaded. When I ran it I was told that there were only remaining bits of the original installation left and was given the opportunity to remove them. As a bonus it also removed the unwanted popup that always came up and sat on the top of my home page.
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    dratul



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      Re: Unwanted desktop shortcuts
      « Reply #8 on: January 02, 2005, 07:18:04 AM »
      run Desktop Cleanup wizard.
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      dr. atul

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      Re: Unwanted desktop shortcuts
      « Reply #9 on: January 02, 2005, 08:54:49 AM »
      You need to get a firewall..... If you already have one, then you need to turn-up the security setting... A firewall will block access to the programs, so they can not be installed on your computer...

      [glb]Flame[/glb]
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      Jimbo

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      Re: Unwanted desktop shortcutsJimboJ
      « Reply #10 on: January 03, 2005, 09:55:48 AM »
      Thankyou all for your assistance. I have tried to look at this problem in a little more depth now. It appears that my search bar has a search in it that I did not put there this directs the search to the web and these annoying shortcuts appear. Now the search is gobbdlygook (spellcheck!) and I cannot find it anywhere else. I have tried right clicking on the icons but these I fear are not made to be in any way changed. Properties do not appear  and to that effect nothing else will appear. Attempting to move or delete them has no effect what so ever. I have at present removed them by a sys restore but do agree its not what I want to keep doing. I have moved to Mozilla and removed bad search bar request and replaced with my mozilla home page. set my cookies higher and have sat back and waited, two days now and they have not reappeared. Whist I am happy with this I would like to know if a repair is effected and how. The only thing I can think of at the moment is this: my computer does not always go into sleep mode as it is supposed to and I can be a little impatient at it waking up. The firewall has not kicked in before my request to go on line is accepted so I could be unprotected for a little while. thats my slant on it all, I may be talking abosulute rubbish to the knowledgeable amoung you but it is as it appears. Thank you for all your repllies. Regards Jimbo
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      dl65

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        Re: Unwanted desktop shortcuts
        « Reply #11 on: January 03, 2005, 03:46:17 PM »
        Jimbo......By any chance is your search bar ( the one that has a search bar in it ) Google .......?

        let us know

        dl65  ::)
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        Jimbo

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        Re: Unwanted desktop shortcutsjIMBO
        « Reply #12 on: January 04, 2005, 12:14:23 PM »
        Quote
        Jimbo......By any chance is your search bar ( the one that has a search bar in it ) Google .......?

        let us know

        dl65  ::)

        Yes it has been, I have now put the default to Mozilla Home .Why do you ask??? Regards Jimbo
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        dl65

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          Re: Unwanted desktop shortcuts
          « Reply #13 on: January 04, 2005, 12:48:59 PM »
           Jimbo.......This could well be your problem......
          Google worm targets AOL, Yahoo
          news.com.com -- Days after Google acted to thwart the Santy worm, security firms warned that variants have begun to spread using both Google and other search engines.

          I came accross this the other day.

          dl65  ???

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