Windows 7 network icons disappear from desktop

View by is located in the top right corner of the Control Panel. Need more help? Expand your skills. Get new features first. Was this information helpful? Yes No. Thank you! Any more feedback? The more you tell us the more we can help. Can you help us improve? With regards to why only some disappear, are the ones that are disappearing created on the local profile and the ones that stay part of the "all users" profile? If this is the case it might indicate a virus or malware that can only access the local profile.

I would hope that all users are running a limited user account, that way generally a virus can only infect the local account and will not gain admin privileges. The most common manifestation of video card failure is the system tray icons disappearing But you missed my standpoint. Always check hardware first. While there are many good options here from the various responses, a process of elimination is how to troubleshoot properly, and that being said you start this process with hardware checks.

Once ruled out, then look at Malware and other software related possibilities. I've seen this issue in Win7 as well, and it was always network shortcuts. Disabling desktop cleanup fixed this issue for me. Could be a desktop cleanup wizard, something configured to hide and store unused desktop icons. I turned off "computer maintenance" so if the problem continues after that I will let you guys know. Thanks for the help! I think Huskrfan is correct here. The Windows 7 system maintenance will go out and remove "broken" shortcuts on the desktop.

However I have seen it remove working shortcuts a countless number of times. Simply disabling this "feature" takes care of the issue. Had this happen to a user at my place of work.

Thanks for your feedback. Jerry Perkinson. Scenario: Desktop shortcut icons pointing t network resources disappear after system maintenance views them as broken and deletes them.

Early workarounds: As part of my job, I deploy new machines. Early fix: After reading far too many questions and many many answers over several months, I had been using the hack to take ownership of a few files and removing them to achieve what I wanted. Microsoft fix: Then I found that Microsoft came out with a fix. Microsoft fix seems to have stopped working: Most recently, when I try to apply the hotfix, I get the message that the hotfixes do not apply to my operating system, or version or something similar.

Some workarounds I have seen suggested that won't really work for me and why as people seem to not understand : These are not for me, they are for the technical, but not computer-technical end users whom I support.

This thread is locked. You can follow the question or vote as helpful, but you cannot reply to this thread. I have the same question 7. Report abuse. Details required :. Cancel Submit. Ganesh Achar B. Monday, February 8, PM. Tuesday, February 9, AM. Thanks fixed my missing icon issue. Friday, February 12, AM.

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. Test it, please let me know and spread the news Sunday, February 21, PM.

Well I just found this problem while Googling it and I have been experiencing the exact same problem. Because I didn't realize it but I was searching for free burning software last night and someone recommended that to me. Yeah, none of my icons show up on the desktop even though they are checked under personalize to show all of them.

Plus I'm missing my regular icons. Oh, also I noticed you can't click, drag and select the desktop with that translucent rectangle that shows up obviousally i'm not really missing that but just thought I would tell you about it. Infrarecorder is apparently only for up to Vista, and not on Win 7. So I guess I can't complain there. Well I would have to say that Infrarecorder IS the cause That's the real question. Monday, February 22, PM.

I sent an email to the creator of infrarecorder and got a reply back he will fix this Tuesday, February 23, AM. My desktop icon's weren't affected, and nothing was unchecked. Friday, April 16, AM. TO ALL! If you have vanishing desktop icons specially when they are renamed do the following : 1. Proposed as answer by edgurr Wednesday, June 30, PM.

Friday, April 23, PM. This worked for me. Thanks a lot! Sunday, June 20, PM. That did not work. Create a new shortcut to desktop. That one can be renamed without losing it. Wednesday, June 30, PM. Tuesday, July 6, PM. Thanks, toadstool That explained it for me, and validated dissappear's suggestion of April Tuesday, July 13, PM. Thursday, July 15, PM. Thanks man I just had the same problem, and this fixed it.

Why the heck would this option disable itself? Friday, July 16, AM. Hope this helps someone else! Computer worked fine all day until I turned it back on next day! Got it working fine now tho! It's all fixed so hope it helps you! Monday, August 9, AM. Welldone Nogeffdam, I would never have suspected Infarecorder..

Nice one. Tuesday, August 31, AM. This is for shortcuts that delete when directed to a network address "i razor wrote on March 1, , pm The removal of shortcuts is caused by a cleanup task in Windows 7 that is planned to run on sunday at 1 o'clock AM. Monday, October 18, PM. Tell me about this. Even more annoying is getting calls for help from some my relatives almost daily about this problem since I'm labeled the "computer guy".

Tuesday, October 19, PM. This guy came up with a. I hate computers, That's why I'm in I. Friday, October 22, PM. Thanks, Novak I was having this problem and several other very odd things going on in Windows Explorer.

Friday, October 29, PM. Sunday, April 3, AM. This made it worse - I was only missing the Outlook icon and now all the Office icons are missing. Friday, April 8, AM. What made what worse?

Your post doesn't detail what you actually did. See my post above for a solution that does work for me. Thanks Luiz creating the refreshicons. Monday, May 30, PM. You are a genius!! Totally worked. I need to keep you on speed dial. Monday, August 15, PM. Tuesday, September 27, PM.

I had this problem a while ago and I found 1 post only that fixed it!!! Restart computer. The icons are still there!!! Its fixed! Let me know if this was the same problem you had, and if it worked 4 u?!!! Yay - spread the word. Wednesday, September 28, AM. Tuesday, October 25, AM. Can you tell me where exactly are those settings?

Wednesday, November 16, PM. Bee1, I have had sim.