Desktop applications not found.

[Megan]

I'm hoping Chris or someone can help me out please.
My desktop applications don't work. When I click on my icons it says, application not found. How may restore them?

[Chris]

The icons on your desktop are shortcuts. It sounds like the actual location of the applications was moved, so those are now pointing to the wrong place. Did you move them, upgrade your operating system, or install any new programs recently?

[Megan]

The icons on your desktop are shortcuts. It sounds like the actual location of the applications was moved, so those are now pointing to the wrong place. Did you move them, upgrade your operating system, or install any new programs recently?

Yes, I think you are right, the location of the applications have been moved.
It happend after my husband downloaded firefox to view something or other, then I unistalled firefox and components, it was after this action that I discovered my desktop applications can't be found. I save my favourites on the desktop.
I don't know if I need to re install firefox then uninstall again. I'm at a loss really.

I tried systems restore, but that didn't work.

Thanks.

[Chris]

Wait, do these icons launch various programs, or do they launch a web browser and take you to a specific website?

[Megan]

Wait, do these icons launch various programs, or do they launch a web browser and take you to a specific website?

Yes, the icons I have are short cuts to this site and various other websites I visit. all of the icons wont open, I get the message 'not found' when I click on them.

[Chris]

What browser were you using before Firefox was installed?

[Megan]

What browser were you using before Firefox was installed?

Internet Explorer 9 on Windows 7

[Chris]

Can you find both where they used to be (by editing one of the shortcuts) and where they are now (maybe by using the Windows search function)?

[Megan]

The icons I use still show on the desktop, but don't work when I click on them.
I don't know how to edit a short cut or find where they used to be, I 'm not quite clear about what you mean Chris.

[Chris]

Right-click one of the icons and on the menu you get, select "Properties". From there you should see a field called "Target" or something similar. This is where the shortcut is pointing. You have to make sure this is pointing to the right thing.

[Megan]

Right-click one of the icons and on the menu you get, select "Properties". From there you should see a field called "Target" or something similar. This is where the shortcut is pointing. You have to make sure this is pointing to the right thing.

Thanks Chris, good news, It is now all working ok.
I wonder if by installing firefox it cancelled my Internet Explorer as my default browser?


Many thanks for helping me out.

[haydnguy]

Thanks Chris, good news, It is now all working ok.
I wonder if by installing firefox it cancelled my Internet Explorer as my defualt browser?


Many thanks for helping me out.

BTW, Megan, I recently downloaded the Beta for Internet Explorer 10 and for the life of me could not tell any difference than IE9. Given, I'm using it on Windows 7 and there probably are some things "behind the scenes" but if anyone knows of any new features on the Windows 7 version, I would love to know.

I think browser usage is a matter of taste these days. There all fast and reasonably secure. The last time I had trouble with a browser was actually Chrome. It would frequently freeze on me and I had to go to task manager to kill it. This last update seemed to correct it.

[Megan]

BTW, Megan, I recently downloaded the Beta for Internet Explorer 10 and for the life of me could not tell any difference than IE9. Given, I'm using it on Windows 7 and there probably are some things "behind the scenes" but if anyone knows of any new features on the Windows 7 version, I would love to know.

I think browser usage is a matter of taste these days. There all fast and reasonably secure. The last time I had trouble with a browser was actually Chrome. It would frequently freeze on me and I had to go to task manager to kill it. This last update seemed to correct it.

That's interesting Haydnguy, I recently upgraded from Internet Explorer 7 to 9 and am not too happy with it really. I had IE 7 for ages and it kept me logged in to sites that I frequent, so that I didn't have to keep logging in each time. Now since I upgraded to IE 9 , I get logged out when I leave the website I visited, I think you may be right, I was wondering about IE 10, but if there is no difference I shan't bother.
I wish there was a way to stay logged in all the time on sites that we use most.

[Sorrano]

Also, you might find your favorites in Windows Explorer (in Windows 7 you can find it at the top just above libraries, as well as under C:\Users\<name of your login account>\Favorites. In Windows XP it should be under documents and settings on the C drive in a sub folder under your user login account. (Hope that makes some sense!) If they are removed from the desktop they should still be in those locations.

[Chris]

Thanks Chris, good news, It is now all working ok.
I wonder if by installing firefox it cancelled my Internet Explorer as my default browser?


Many thanks for helping me out.

Yes, that's likely. I'm glad it's all working for you now.

By the way, there is certainly some setting in your version of Internet Explorer that will allow you to stay logged in. Check your security settings. Maybe cookies.