deleting icons but they keep returning

Somehow 4 new icons have shown up on my desktop. i believe they came from aol. i keep deleting them, but they keep coming back, any ideas on how to get rid of them?

 

Can you do a system restore to a point in time before the problem started?

Have you run any spyware removal software like Ad-aware or Spybot to get rid of bad stuff?

Where do the ICONs point you?

 

Check your registry and delete all instances of those icons.

 

Hello ik0106,

*i believe they came from aol.*

First, you should find out whether they did come from aol. What are these icons? What do they do?

Right click on them and > properties. Are they shortcuts? - if they are, there will be a "Shortcut" tab. If they are, follow the path back to the folder/file they are shortcuts to. If they are legitimate programs and you don't want them, see if the programs are in the Add/Remove applet. If so, uninstall them.

Regards - Charles

 

the property is saying they are web documents, they are not listed in the add/remove applet. it says its in the documents/settings folder, but i can't find them there either

 

Hi ik0106,

If you haven't down so yet, download SpyBot and Ad-Aware and update them both before scanning:

http://tomcoyote.org/SPYBOT/ !download and tutorial

http://www.lavasoft.de/software/adaware/

Regards - Charles

 

Hi ik0106,

*it says its in the documents/settings folder, but i can't find them there either*

If that path includes Local Settings, Local settings is a "Hidden Folder ". To see it, bring up the drive > tools > folder options > View tab > under hidden files and folders, tick the "show hidden file and folders ".

If you haven't done so, in Tools > internet options > advanced tab: scroll down to and tick the box for Empty Temporary Internet folder when Browser is closed.

Regards - Charles

 

Check out MS config start up to see if something is loading at boot to cause these icons to reappear.

Start>Run>msconfig>start up tab

Johanna