I have double shortcut icons on my desktop screen. I accidently deleted the Desktop folder in C:/Windows/Desktop. I put it back, but ever since my icons have doubled, with the exception of My Computer, My Documents, Internet Explorer, and Recycle Bin. I have since learned that the shortcut icons are showing in both C:/Windows/Desktop and C:/Windows/All Users/Desktop. If you delete them out of the All Users/Desktop folder, they will both go off of the desktop screen. If you delete one of them off of your desktop screen, the other one will be gone when you reboot. You can't delete both of them, one will delete and the other tells you that you can't. I have tried several things to fix this, with no luck. I do hope someone out there has a solution to this problem.

Delete them all and recreate them?

Nope. I've tried that too. It still puts the icon in the Windows/Desktop folder and in the Windows/All Users/Desktop folder. Therefore doubling them.

You don't have single click activated and double clicking to make the icons are you?

This is a weird one; took me weeks to figure it out, and I must have visited 8 help fora, emailed back and forth to a dozen helpful folk, even went to "ExpertCity.com"..(man! is that an oxymoronic name!) all to no avail...lots of people advised reinstalling the o/s, formatting the drive, etc., but I just knew the fix was easier, and I'd be damned if I was going to re and re the browser (I.E. 5.5), since the download was interminable, and took two attempts to succesfully install. In my case, my five-year-old had deleted the C:\windows\desktop folder while in explorer.. K, to the problem: first of all, explore 'my computer', you'll notice that above everything is an icon entitled Desktop, right? Well, believe it or not, this is NOT the same as either C:windows\desktop OR C:\windows\all users\desktop!!! But, and this is the kicker, you MUST HAVE ALL THREE folders (really two folders and a thingamajiggie Desktop thingie (which, it turns out, is a tailored-to-each-user desktop)). Inside C:\windows\all users\desktop there should be whatever your desktop has on it except 'recycle bin', 'my computer', 'network neighborhood', and you browser icon (say the big 'E")..and inside this folder is one named "Start Menu"; inside this is one named "Programs", which is composed of a bunch of shortcuts (which pop up upon hitting the start button or windows key)........... Now inside C:windows\desktop (another folder) it doesn't matter (!) what's in there; it just has to exist for some reason which I've yet to fathom, but trust me it does. Reading back on what I've typed, I'm sorry to say it seems confusing, and I have to assure you that once grasped this rebuilding of the folder hiearchical relationships is astoundingly simple. So, have a look at a similar o/s in explorer, see where yours differs, and adjust accordingly. Remember that C:\windows\desktop can be empty, but must exist, and C:\windows\all users\desktop should contain items (non-system) which are on the desktop. The Icon-linked Desktop(notice the capitalization) will contain your desktop items (i.e. files, folders, shortcuts) AND the recycle bin, My Computer, Browser etc.... Whew! I hope this is of use; feel free to email me re this if problem continues... tommymoore@mybc.com good luck, tm.

Whew!! I accidently found a solution to this problem!! I have my computer set up for a password to enter, keeps nosy husbands out. I didn't enter a password and just entered through. I noticed that the icons were not doubled then. So I deleted myself as a user and started a new user profile for myself, thus clearing up the double icons!!!! I have to put in passwords on websites again, but no big deal. Thanks everyone for all of your help.