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Other => Viruses and worms => Topic started by: ricmo119 on April 07, 2020, 05:59:29 PM

Title: Desktop Icons disappear when clicked
Post by: ricmo119 on April 07, 2020, 05:59:29 PM
When I click any desktop icon, a message says "object can not be found". After I close the message, the icon disappears from the desktop. Second symptom, in File Explorer, I click a drive and try to open a folder, a message says "Confirm Deletion of Folder". I have scanned with Avast and Malwarebytes, both found no problems. I connected a brand new computer, setup Win 10 and restored my files. After a few minutes, the same problem appeared on the new machine. I then scanned my External Storage Drive, and both programs found no problems. I then deleted all my files and reformatted the External Drive. I scanned the new machine and both programs found no problems, but the symptoms are still there. Any thoughts or help would be appreciated, as at this point I am perplexed. My only other thought is that the Router may be infected. Thanks. ( I attached a pic of the error message )
Title: Re: Desktop Icons disappear when clicked
Post by: rocksteady on April 08, 2020, 04:43:12 PM
See you have Windows 10, but what feature version?

What happens if you right click the icon/shortcut.
>Properties
>Open file location

Does the icon (shortcut) point to the correct location?

Can you still open any program OK from Start Menu?
If that is OK drag that item from Start Menu to the desktop and see if it still works.



Title: Re: Desktop Icons disappear when clicked
Post by: ricmo119 on April 11, 2020, 05:51:59 PM
Thanks for the response.  I don't have the Win 10 Version, because the PC is at a remote location. The old PC was up to date, but the new PC is refurbished, so the Win 10 version is older. -- I didn't mention that the symptoms are intermittent. At times, the Icons behave normally. Programs open normally and I am able to replace the Icons that were Deleted. -- The start menu items work fine and I'm able to navigate to my user's Desktop folder. All of the short cuts are present and they point to the correct locations. Then, without warning, the symptoms reappear and Icons start disappearing again. Once, the deleted Icons appeared in the Recycle Bin, but mostly they are just gone. But when the symptoms are gone, I'm able to replace them. BTW -- Restarting the PC removes the symptoms are everything is back to normal. But they soon return.
-- It's perplexing because it's Intermittent, the symptoms disappear when the PC is restarted and the exact same symptoms appeared on the new PC. I checked with FIOS, they said "it can not be our Modem/Router" and refused to replace it. I'm debating whether to buy my own Modem. Also, I've been working with PC's for almost 40 years. Long before Windows was just a glimmer in Bill Gates' eyes. I have never seen anything like this before. -- Thanks again.