Remove Control Panel Icon on Desktop (Win xp Home)

How do I remove the Control Panel Icon that was installed on my desktop by Win XP Home?
It doesn't seem to serve any useful purpose. The OS does not allow me to delete it from a right-click menu and left-clicking on it just creates another shortcut icon to the control panel on my desktop. I pretty sure that the solution is probably something so simple that I am overlooking it in my confusion.Help!

Thank you.

 

Try dragging it to and dropping it in the Recycle Bin. If that doesn't work, try selecting it and then pressing the delete key on the keyboard.

 

If that doesn't work, take a look at the picture below.

 

I'm sitting here wondering why you would have a "Control Panel" icon on your desktop in the first place. In the startmenu, yes. In the "My compter" list, yes and yes to a few other places where this would be available but the only time I have known a "control panel" icon to be on the desktop was if it was put there by the user themself either using a tweaker or one of the other various ways this can be manually done. In any case, it would be a shortcut and certainly right-click-deletable. The description of a "left click only duplicates the icon" also confuses me. Left click for myself highlights a folder. Double left click opens or runs the file. A left_click_drag however can produce a shortcut. Is this what you meant...?????

I've got a little idle time on my hands which, as you can see, also makes for an idle mind. The above should be considered as myself "thinking outloud ". You may ignore if you wish, I was just a bit puzzled by several aspects of your description of the problem. but

 

Yeah, what's that all about? I don't have one of those icons either and never did. Now I'll have to make one just out of sheer envy.

 

I just create a couple of them using two diff. methods.

1.) Drag it from the Explorer listing, which creates a link.

2.) Drag it from the Start menu listing, which creates a shortcut.

Both were easily deleted so we haven't learned much there.

EDIT: And further useless info:

You can right click any item in Control Panel and select "Create Shortcut" and it will place a Shortcut on your Desktop for that item.

 

right click on your desktop and choose properties then choose the Desktop tab then click the Customize Desktop button then click the Clean Desktop Now button