Can't Delete Two Icons From Desktop, Any Suggestions!
Hello. I am a Vista Ultimate user and seeking for some help from you all guys. There were two shortcut icons on my desktop associated with two different files which were saved in my D drive. . I deleted those two files couple of days ago but since then I am trying to delete their shortcut icons from the desktop but every time it gives me an error message saying:
“Could not find this item
This is no longer located in the c:\[Directory Structure That Points to my Desktop Here]. Verify the item's location and try again.”
As per troubleshooting I tried restarting the pc several times, tried creating two text files with the exact same filenames and extensions and it doesn't ask me to overwrite, instead it creates two new files. Any idea how can I delete those icons? And more than that what is problem with those icons?
Re: Can't Delete Two Icons From Desktop, Any Suggestions!
Many times possibly your desktop wont refresh automatically and hence such icons remain visible. These are actually called as Ghost Icons. When you manually refresh the desktop, they disappears. Hence try to press F5 icon and see if they are gone.
Re: Can't Delete Two Icons From Desktop, Any Suggestions!
I appreciate your help Stel but i guess you dint read my post properly. I have already mentioned that i am trying to delete those files since past two daya and have already restarted my computer several times. Dont you thing restarting the system refreshes the desktop? Anyways, i have tried your suggesting (refreshing F5) but that dint helped either.
Any other idea please?
Re: Can't Delete Two Icons From Desktop, Any Suggestions!
Show the hidden and system files. Look on your desktop for a 'desktop.ini' file look at it should be simple for the desktopon mine:
[.ShellClassInfo]
LocalizedResourceName=@%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll,-21769
IconResource=%SystemRoot%\system32\imageres.dll,-183
Also check the /users/public/public desktop for possible items
Re: Can't Delete Two Icons From Desktop, Any Suggestions!
try the following in the command prompt
del “\\?\%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\[copy and paste your annoying file name]”
hope it works.
Re: Can't Delete Two Icons From Desktop, Any Suggestions!
I had same problem but mine was the Contacts folder.
I right-clicked and clicked Create Shortcut. The Contacts folder disappeared and a Shortcut to Contacts popped up on the top left. I could then delete that.
Hope it works for someone else too.
Re: Can't Delete Two Icons From Desktop, Any Suggestions!
Had the same problem, a file with no extension, which could not be found (by vista) and thus deleted. Tried a lot of things, was planning to reinstall windows, but was saved the trouble by using "unlocker". Could not delete the file directly, but it did work on the folder the file was in. Hope this helps.
Re: Can't Delete Two Icons From Desktop, Any Suggestions!
I have been through such problem in past and here is what helped me to get rid of the same permanently:
- Right click the file which you can't delete.
- Create a zip of the file.
- Now right click and delete the problem file or shortcut.
- Right click and delete zip of problem file.
- Empty Recycle bin.
Re: Can't Delete Two Icons From Desktop, Any Suggestions!
Okay I fought with my pc when I put 2nd life on my computer then decided I din't like it so I rmoved it from my pc but was left with the icon on my desktop. I tried over and over to remove it then decided to right click on it and where it says send to......compressed file and boom it disappeared
Re: Can't Delete Two Icons From Desktop, Any Suggestions!
I am sure it is does not disappear, it might have been converted to zip archive. The method is good of compressing the file and then deleting. But it is a matter of concern why you are not able to delete it normally. I had faced a issue when I was not able to move a folder to recycle bin. Later on I found that it is because of virus who had changed by file permission.