Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

At start-up, almost all of my downloaded files, personal folders and many of
my desktop items appear to have been erased. For example, my IE icon is gone
but my Mozilla Firefox Icon is still there... I know computers crash from
time to time, but I am concerned I may have one of those nasty bugs you hear
about that infects your computer and erases your hard drive. Can anyone
point me in the right direction to restore the files and clean my computer to
prvevent this happening again?

Thanks

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

"gkr457" <gkr457@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:92C60394-39D7-4A3F-8EBD-077E51D8DD2D@microsoft.com...
> At start-up, almost all of my downloaded files, personal folders and many
> of
> my desktop items appear to have been erased. For example, my IE icon is
> gone
> but my Mozilla Firefox Icon is still there... I know computers crash from
> time to time, but I am concerned I may have one of those nasty bugs you
> hear
> about that infects your computer and erases your hard drive. Can anyone
> point me in the right direction to restore the files and clean my computer
> to
> prvevent this happening again?
>
> Thanks

Are the programs gone, or just the desktop icons? If it's the icons, it's
possible that the desktop cleanup program moved the ones you don't use to a
separate folder. Or it's possible that you're signed into a default profile,
perhaps because your profile got corrupted somehow.

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

If you do not have the icons/files in the "Unused Desktop Shortcuts" folder
on the desktop, scan your computer for virus and malware. Ensure that your
antivirus/anti-malware software is up-to-date.


"D.Currie" <dmbcurrie.nospam@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:38v9brF5snhdrU1@individual.net...
>
> "gkr457" <gkr457@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:92C60394-39D7-4A3F-8EBD-077E51D8DD2D@microsoft.com...
>> At start-up, almost all of my downloaded files, personal folders and many
>> of
>> my desktop items appear to have been erased. For example, my IE icon is
>> gone
>> but my Mozilla Firefox Icon is still there... I know computers crash from
>> time to time, but I am concerned I may have one of those nasty bugs you
>> hear
>> about that infects your computer and erases your hard drive. Can anyone
>> point me in the right direction to restore the files and clean my
>> computer to
>> prvevent this happening again?
>>
>> Thanks
>
> Are the programs gone, or just the desktop icons? If it's the icons, it's
> possible that the desktop cleanup program moved the ones you don't use to
> a separate folder. Or it's possible that you're signed into a default
> profile, perhaps because your profile got corrupted somehow.
>