icons are cloning themselves on my desktop

[cristecs]

I created a folder to moved some files to and it has started cloning itself.  The folder itself isn't cloning but the icon looks like a blank notepad with copy 450 and so on underneath it.  When I delete the icons, send them to the recycle bin and empty, the empty space on my desktop is filled up with more cloned icons with a higher copy number.  I apologize if I posted this in the wrong forum.  I've never seen this before and wasn't sure what topic it would fall under.  Thank You for any help!

[billrich]

Cristecs,

The only time I have seen such an exponential increase in icons and/or files is when the user uses the drag and drop method of moving files.

Backup and start over.

Remove the files ( if you still have a copy of the files  in the original folder ) in the new folder and remove the folder.

Always use a copy procedure and not a move procedure. We can delete the original files when the copy to the new folder is correct.


Use the window copy method or the DOS copy method.

Copying files via the Task Pane
http://www.geekgirls.com/absolute_beginners_06.htm

To copy a file using the Task Pane, the process is identical to moving a file except you select the Copy This File option in the Task Pane instead of the Move This File.

For beginners, it’s often a good idea to copy files rather than move them. That way, if something goes amiss you still have the original file in its original location. Once you’re sure the new file is safely tucked away in the new location, you can always delete the original.

The process for copying and moving multiple files is the same as for copying and moving single files, except that you must select all the files you wish to copy/move. The easiest way to do that is to hold down the Ctrl key while clicking each file you wish to copy or move. If you accidentally select a file, you can unselect it by keeping the Ctrl key depressed while clicking it once more. Once you’ve selected all the files, you can release the Ctrl key, then click the Copy The Selected Items or Move The Selected Items task in the Task Pane.

The Dos copy is much easier and safer.

copy  c:\oldfolder\*.txt   c:\newfolder\ 

The above will copy all text files ending with .txt form the oldfolder to the newfolder.

Good Luck