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I created several icons on the desktops of 4 computers after clean installed the computers with Windows 7 Profession (either with 32 bit or 64 bit versions). After a few days, some of the desktop icons disappear. However, when I click on the Desktop toolbar at the bottom of the Windows desktop, the icons that disappeared from the desktop were still present and available in the Desktop toolbar listing. I saw many users have the similar problem on the Internet but no proper solution for the problem. Any suggestion for the fix.
Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.
There is an issue with an application called InfraRecorder, this is a CD\DVD recording software. When you install this software the Windows option to Show Desktop Icons is unselected. To Fix this just turn that option back on. To turn the option back on , do this:
I hope this helps.
Kevin
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Hi guys,
I found the cause of the misteriously disappearing Windows 7 desktop icons and the reason why Show desktop icons now and then gets unchecked.
It's INFRARECORDER !! Try for yourselves, when you start Infrarecorder and close it again, go have a look at "Show desktop icons", it is unchecked (but the icons are still there). Check it on again and start Infrarecorder.... it is unchecked again.
This Windows 7 "bug" is irritating me since the beginning and now I found the cause: It's Infrarecorder which is causing this problem.
Test it and please let me know and spread the news :-)
Good job Kevin!
I tried the same technic for Windows 7 Home Premium. It works!!!
Thank you..
There is a very easy way to bring back the icons. Open the task manager, go to processors. scroll down to explorer.exe and if there end the process and add a new one (explorer.exe). If not add the explorer.exe. It will bring back the icons. Please let me know if it helps.
I absolutely agree. This is a Windows 7 Bug and it is an unacceptable bug for people who work on lots of projects and need access to lots of files at any one given time of the day. I've resorted to a crutch where I'm copying the Icons I need from a folder consistently. Recently I've gotten into more projects than this is acceptable to deal with.
I can't tell you Microsoft how frustrated I am daily by this occurrence. It happens whenever my computer falls asleep. It also happens at random intervals while I am working. I'll close out of the application I'm working on to go to my desktop to find a file and like that, my desktop Icons (which are used daily) are gone. It keeps very old web links to websites on my desktop, but kills project folders from network drives. It seems the frequency of disappearance is increasing.
Why should a person put up with this in a piece of software? Why can't you fix your own software so that this doesn't happen and stop blaming it on another person's software. Should your core operating system be subject to someone else's software ruling desktop icons or was this a built in weakness you never saw coming?
I have checked the programs installed on this machine several times and there is no InfraRecorder or and CD/DVD software except Microsoft video recording software. Sick of this. Fed up. No fix. Thank you for your great service Microsoft Monopoly.
PS, why on a dual monitor desktop would a brand new Recycle Bin shortcut disappear as well? I mean maybe network drives would dissappear, but really - the trash too? Pathetic.
