Problem: I have strange file extensions at the end of my files. On My Desk top all the icons except My Computer and Recycle Bin have .lnk at the end of the name. My favorites in IE all have .url at the end. I have 2 drives on local disk C: in Documents and Settings all the files are effected by this problem but nothing else on the C. Nothing on F drive either. I don’t know what to do this is a brand new install the problem has been present from day 1. I have gone into folder options and selected Hide extensions for known file types. I don’t have any ideas can you help?

The extensions posted are nominal at all: .lnk marks icons pointing to local applications/documents; actually they are "links" (pointers to legacy DOS applications are .pif i.e. Program Information File). .url identifies icons pointing to web locations as they are Uniform Resource Locator(s). They show up in Explorer if not hidden by selecting the appropriate option in folder settings.