[Richelle]

Why is it that now, when i want to double click on a shortcut icon on my
desktop, i can't, and the only way to open the program is by right clicking
on it, and browse for the program to run it?
is it something to do with spyware?
please help me solve the problem

[Alan Edwards]

In what operating system?
(This is not a Windows Update problem)

If Win9x, then try this:
I will give you a fix for the usual lnkfile problem
Make a file from the lines below called Link.reg and doubleclick it.
You can use Notepad to create it from this message. Don't retype it as
an error might occur. Copy it.
Ensure that REGEDIT4 is the first line and that your mail/newsreader
does not add a space to the end of any line.
Ensure the last line is blank.

You will need to restart Windows after this fix to see the effect.

----------Link.reg ----below this line
REGEDIT4

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk]
@="lnkfile"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellNew]
"Command"="rundll32.exe AppWiz.Cpl,NewLinkHere %1"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile]
@="Shortcut"
"EditFlags"=hex:01,00,00,00
"IsShortcut"=""
"NeverShowExt"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\CLSID]
@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\IconHandler]
@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\DropHandler]
@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}]
@=""

--------(end of link.reg-----
Note:
If you have the IE4 desktop update installed, or if you are using
Windows 98, then that line in the reg file should have a %2, not a %1.

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellNew]
"Command"="C:\\WINDOWS\\rundll32.exe AppWiz.Cpl,NewLinkHere %2"

If XP, try here:
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm

....Alan

--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.windowsupdate, "Richelle"
<Richelle@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>Why is it that now, when i want to double click on a shortcut icon on my
>desktop, i can't, and the only way to open the program is by right clicking
>on it, and browse for the program to run it?
>is it something to do with spyware?
>please help me solve the problem