Difficulty with URL desktop shortcuts

davolente · Joined: Oct 04, 2003 Posts: 361 Location: Kent, UK

Having found an old posting in the Mozilla forums from some time ago with similar confusing symptoms, I'm led to believe that my problem may be Firefox based. I have posted there but not much in the way of response at the moment. Suddenly, website URL shortcuts that I had created on my desktop, (which had the Firefox icon, as you would expect), changed to the generic Windows one, as if there was no file association, and, strangely enough, when I clicked on them, it brought up a "select printer" dialogue window, which is totally baffling and something the other poster experienced! I have tried to re-create the shortcuts but I get an error when try to name them. I get: "unable to create shortcut" but, despite that, a generic icon with the name I gave it goes into the desktop folder with a value of zero. Other desktop shortcuts seem OK and I appear to be able to create others with no problem. I have tried dragging the icon from the left of the address bar to the desktop and that also changes to the generic appearance with the correct title but, again, when clicked on, it brings up the printer box again! I have tried a suggestion of making IE the default browser and then reverting back to Firefox but that doesn't work. Weird, I call it. Anyone else got a decent name or cure for it and is it anything to do with recent Firefox updates or my recent dabble with IE8?
Not the end of the world but annoying, to say the least! Sad

Baby_Tux · Joined: Mar 06, 2007 Posts: 1242

My hunch is that IE8 busted it - there is a report that the one you get in UPDATES is broken & to remove it (if you can) - May need to download & reinstall to get the uninstaller if not present.

You may also try installing tweakui (powertoys) & run the ICON REPAIR. I had a similar problem a good while back but it had nothing to do with printers. Just wouldn't take. I had to watch how I finished the shortcut. One way would error, the other would work. But right off hand I don't recall the steps & I'm one a LINUX box.

If this doesn't get it or someone else doesn't have a fix, we'll go from here.

drwho07 · Joined: Nov 29, 2007 Posts: 2238 Location: Central FL, USA

I have used Firefox almost exclusively since its inception.
I have made about forty desktop icons and put them into two folders that I have narrowed down to just the 'Name' column.
Then I have shortcuts to the two folders on my desktop....that keeps the clutter down and gives me instant access to this and other forums and sites that I visit on a regular basis. Through all this, I've never had any problems with my icons.

However, after having a serious problem with I.E.7 screwing up my O.E.6,
I UN-Installed I.E.7 and I've not allowed it to install again.

I.E.8? You gotta be kidding me! I'd rather have a virus. Twisted Evil

A Virus would probably cause less problems and is easier to get rid of. Wink

TRY, totally UN-Installing Firefox. Remove the folder in Program Files.
Reboot and then download and install FF 3.0.8 and allow it to take over the position of "Default Browser".

If you're a FF user, I.E.8 is redundant and could be removed!

Doublespace, ME, Vista and now I.E.8. Evil or Very Mad

When will MS get their act together? Question

Good Luck,
The Doctor Cool