Expert: Saed Shawwa - 10/29/2009

Question
desktop icons disappeared will not permit putting shortcuts on desktop to replace them

Answer
Hello Clem how are you doing

it could be a virus or a setting that was set by mistake so lets try the easy stuff first

try to do the following

right click on your desktop then choose "arrange icon by" and then choose " show desktop icons"  
if it has a check mark next to it , click it to disable it,  then go back again to it and reclick it to enable it

other thing is right click on desktop , and choose properties, display properties dialog will show up , click on desktop tab and the top and then click on "customize desktop" then click on "web" tab and uncheck the box that says " Lock Desktop icons" if its checked.

and under webpages make sure there is nothing checked in the list " if there was a list"

let me know how it goes

take care and have a nice day