How to restore white labels. Restoring Desktop Shortcuts in Windows

I often have to fix various curious breakdowns and malfunctions for users. One of these is a complaint that the shortcuts on the Windows desktop have fallen off. The word "fly" here means that they do not open the programs that they are supposed to, but run any one application - a notepad, a web browser, some editor or player. In this case, you just need to return associations to shortcuts (that is, files with the .lnk extension) after they have been changed either by the user himself or by one of his programs.
In this tutorial, I want to look at two main ways that will help you restore program shortcuts in Windows 10 on the desktop and in the Start menu.

Restoring shortcut association via command line

Right-click on the "Start" button to open the context menu:

Find and select " Command line(Administrator)" to launch the Windows 10 console with administrative rights that allow you to make changes to the OS configuration:

Now enter the command: assoc.lnk=lnkfile and press the "Enter" key for the command to work.
In Windows 10, the assoc system utility allows you to change the associations of shortcuts and other files. By the way, it is often used by various computer pranksters and novice virus writers.

How to return shortcuts to the desktop through the registry

The second way to return shortcut associations to Windows 10 is to edit the system registry. It is suitable if for some reason you do not have access to the command line operating system.
To open the registry editor, press the key combination Win + R and enter the command regedit. Press the "OK" button and the editor window appears in front of us:

In it you need to open a branch:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.lnk

It will contain several folders, including the folder UserChoice. It must be completely removed. After that, close the editor window and restart the computer. After Windows 10 starts, all lnk file associations should be restored!

How to download msvcp100.dll for Windows 10 if the system…

How to restore icons on your desktop?

Master's response:

The disappearance of icons on the desktop can be caused by several reasons: a system crash or the operation of malicious software. Also, the user in the process of working with the computer, there is a need to restore previously deleted icons. This can be easily done using the "Task Manager", which is called upon any computer failure.

To do this, you will need a little: a computer, as well as a working mouse and keyboard.

Before you take decisive action, in order to restore the icons, try a few simple steps. Right-click on an empty spot on the desktop and wait for the context menu to appear.

If you suddenly accidentally deleted an icon, then in order to restore it, you must select "Cancel deletion" in the menu that appears. Also, you can go to the basket and restore all the icons you need. To do this, select all the icons you need, call the context menu by pressing the right mouse button and selecting the "Restore" item.

If you have lost all the shortcuts, icons and files on the desktop, and only the background image remains, then this is most likely caused by the failure of the Explorer.exe process, which is responsible for displaying them. To restore this process, you must launch the "Task Manager" by simultaneously pressing the Ctrl, Alt and Delete keys. Go to the Applications tab and click on the New Task button. Enter Explorer.exe in the box and click OK.

If the problem appeared after you downloaded and installed any software, then you need to use the system backup function (return to the state a few days earlier). To do this, launch the "Task Manager" and run a new msconfig task. Next, simply run System Restore and specify a restore point - up to the moment the suspected program was installed. Click on the "OK" button and restart your computer. This method can also help if there is nothing left on the desktop except the background image.

Often, when the Start menu or desktop icons disappear, deleting some files helps. Call "Task Manager" and run a new regedit task again. Next, go to Hkey_Local_Machine/Software/Microsoft/WindowsNT/CurrentVersion/Image File Execution Options and delete the explorer.exe and iexplorer.exe files. After that, restart your computer. This method should help you restore icons.

When you start a portable device, you saw the desktop completely clean, without a single element, you do not need to be upset and quickly start reinstalling the OS.

Probably, your friends simply decided to play a prank on you - then it will not be difficult to return the icons. But it is possible that the virus tried here - then it will take some time, although it is equally easy to correct the situation.

If this is a joke, then you will need the method below.

Method 1. Display the present icons on the display.

It is necessary to right-click on an unoccupied place on the desktop. A list will open in which you should select "arrange icons", then click on "Display desktop icons".

Icons may not recover instantly, but after a few seconds, depending on the processing power of the PC. If nothing has changed, you should proceed to the next methods. But before that, do not forget to check the hardware for malware, because as soon as you fix the errors and restart the system, everything can return to the previous view (without icons).

Method 2: Enable the explorer.exe option through the task manager.

The function of this process is to demonstrate all the components of the display. The launch algorithm looks like this:

If the PC indicates that this element is not detected, or the complication is not resolved due to restart, then the OS should be restored, and for this you need to use the following method.

Method 3. Rollback of the operating system.

The item does not have any difficulties in execution:

Use "Alt" + "Ctrl" + "Delete" again.
Go to a separate window, select the section "Applications" - "New task".
In the window that appears, click "Create a new task", then in the text line specify the path %SystemRoot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe. Click "OK". The System Restore window will appear on the screen.

If there are no available points, then, most likely, you have turned off the option to generate savepoints. Then you should try the following method.

Method 4. Correcting registry data.

If neither rolling back nor restarting the PC solved the dilemma, you will need to edit the system data:

If you can use the Internet, you can return the icons using the following method.

Method 5. Using the reg-pattern.

For this option, you need to follow these steps:

One of the suggested methods should help you solve the problem of missing desktop icons.

Every PC user, regardless of whether he is a novice or “experienced”, at least once in his life happened to become a “victim of theft” of shortcuts: you turn on the computer and find that the shortcuts, all or partially (for example, only My Computer or Recycle Bin), have disappeared from the desktop . There is no need to panic in such a situation. You can solve this problem quite easily. Who will help just restarting the computer, and who needs to apply more "tough" measures, up to reinstalling the operating system. We hope it doesn't come to that. So, first, let's determine what exactly is missing.

Partially missing shortcuts from the desktop in Windows XP

If the My Computer or Recycle Bin icon has disappeared, then I will give you this advice: right-click on an empty space on the desktop, a context menu will appear. For Windows XP, select "Properties" from the list, then go to the "Desktop" tab, and then click on the "Desktop Customization" button. Check the boxes next to which the label you want is indicated.

Partially missing desktop shortcuts in Windows Vista/7

Click on an empty spot on the desktop to open the context menu, select the line "Personalization" from the list, then click in the left column "Change desktop icons", and mark the shortcuts necessary to display on the desktop of your computer.

All shortcuts are gone, and only Task Manager works

If all shortcuts from the desktop have disappeared, then first check the “machine” for viruses, perhaps this disappearance is the result of exposure to a malicious object. If you have free time and desire, you can check your PC for viruses using several antivirus programs, because. nothing is perfect, it happens that Nod32 "passes" some viruses, but Kaspersky does not, and vice versa. One thing, antivirus programs must be installed one by one, after removing the previous one. For the correct operation of your PC, it should NOT have two antivirus programs installed at the same time. If the treatment does not help, follow the tips below.
This article provides ways to solve this problem according to the hierarchy, from the banal to the more radical.

So first check if there is a checkmark next to the item that is responsible for displaying shortcuts on the desktop of your computer. To do this, you need to call the context menu, i.e. right-click on an empty space on the desktop. Next, select "Arrange icons" (for Windows XP / 7) or "View" (for Windows Vista) from the list that appears, and then click on the line "Display desktop icons" if there is no checkmark next to it. If the checkbox in the place described above is checked or the context menu cannot be called, then we do the following.

Launch Task Manager, to do this, simultaneously hold down the Ctrl and Alt, and Delete buttons on the keyboard. If you have an operating system such as Windows Vista or Windows 7 on your computer, then with a combination of buttons Ctrl+Alt+Del, a blue-green background with a list usually appears, from which you need to select the line "Task Manager".

After the Task Manager opens, you must click on the "New Task ..." button in the "Applications" tab. In the window that appears, enter the regedit command and click OK. The Registry Editor window appears.

I want to warn you right away, if you click in the wrong place or not what you need, you can “screw up” the system and then you will definitely have to reinstall it. Therefore, do all the operations I have described slowly. To help you with pictures, which show everything in some detail. So, sigh...let's go :)

In the left field of the registry editor window, by clicking on the triangular markers, open in turn such folders HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion. Next, select the Winlogon folder and now click on it itself. A list will appear in the right field. See what value is assigned to the parameter named Shell. Should be in value opposite to Shell it is registered explorer.exe.

If this is not the case, then we assign the desired value to Shell by double-clicking on the Shell parameter with the left mouse button. Next, in the "Value" column, write explorer.exe and click on the "OK" button. We restart the computer.

If from the very beginning the value of the Shell parameter was explorer.exe or these actions did not help solve the problem, you need to find the Image File Execution Options folder in the left field of the registry editor. It is located here: KEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options. Click on it. If the explorer.exe subkey is present in the right field of the registry editor, delete it. How to delete? Click on this subsection with the right mouse button, and then "Delete". Happened? Are all labels in place? Then you did everything right.

Bringing back labels with AVZ

You can try to return the shortcuts to their place using the program AVZ. Download the program, be sure to update its database. Next, simultaneously hold down the CRTL + ALT + DEL buttons. In the Task Manager that appears, click the "New Task ..." button, enter avz.exe in the window that opens. From the program menu, click File/System Restore. Check the positions "9" - Remove system process debuggers and "16" - Restore the Explorer launch key, then click on the "Perform marked operations" button.

Restart your computer.

You may find this information useful:

Sometimes it happens when when you go to the computer desktop, you suddenly see that all the icons are missing on it. Let's find out what this may have a connection with, and in what ways the situation can be corrected.

Disappearing desktop icons can happen for very different reasons. First of all, it is quite possible that said function is deactivated manually standard means. Also, the problem can be caused by a malfunction in the explorer.exe process. Do not discount the possibility of a virus infection of the system.

Method 1: Recovery after physical removal of icons

First of all, let's consider such a banal option as the physical removal of icons. This situation can occur, for example, if you are not the only person who has access to this computer. Badges can be removed by a detractor just to annoy you, or just by accident.

To test this, try creating a new shortcut. Right click ( PKM) in place on the desktop. Select from the list "Create", then press "Label".

In the shortcut creation shell, click "Review…".

The file and folder browser tool will launch. Select any object in it. For our purposes, it doesn't matter which one. click OK.
Then press "Further".

In the next window, click "Ready".

If the shortcut is displayed, it means that all the icons that existed before have been physically removed. If the shortcut does not appear, then this means that the problem should be looked for elsewhere. Then try to solve the problem in the ways that are discussed below.

But is it possible to recover deleted shortcuts? It's not certain that it will work, but there is a chance. Call a shell "Run" typing Win+R. Enter:
shell:RecycleBinFolder

click OK.

A window opens "Baskets". If you see missing labels there, then consider yourself lucky. The fact is that with a standard deletion, the files are not completely deleted, but are initially sent to "Basket". If, in addition to icons, "Basket" there are other elements, then select the ones you need by clicking on them with the left mouse button ( paintwork) and at the same time holding ctrl. If in "Basket" only objects to be restored are located, then you can select all the contents by clicking Ctrl+A. After that click PKM by selection. Choose from the menu "Reestablish".

The icons will return to the desktop.

But what if "Basket" turned out to be empty? Unfortunately, this means that the objects have been completely removed. Of course, you can try to restore by using special utilities. But it will be like firing a cannon at sparrows and will take a lot of time. It will be faster to manually re-create frequently used shortcuts.

Method 2: Enable icon display in the standard way

The display of icons on the desktop can be disabled manually. It can be done by another user as a joke, by young children, or even by you by mistake. Correcting this situation is the easiest.

Method 3: Starting the explorer.exe process

Icons on the desktop may also disappear due to the fact that the explorer.exe process is not running on the PC. The specified process is responsible for the work "Windows Explorer", that is, for the graphical display of almost all elements of the system, except for wallpapers, including desktop shortcuts. The main sign that the reason for the lack of icons lies precisely in the disabling of explorer.exe is that the monitor will also be missing "Task bar" and other controls.

Disabling this process can occur for many reasons: system failures, incorrect interaction with third-party software, virus penetration. We will consider how to activate explorer.exe again so that the icons return to their original place.

Method 4: Fixing the system registry

If using the previous method it was not possible to activate explorer.exe, or if it disappeared again after restarting the computer, then the problem of missing icons may be due to problems in the registry. Let's see how we can fix them.

Since manipulations with entries in the system registry will be described below, we strongly recommend that before proceeding with specific actions, create an OS restore point or its backup copy.

To go to "Registry Editor" apply combination Win+R to call the tool "Run". Enter:
click OK or Enter.

A shell called "Registry Editor", in which it will be necessary to perform a series of manipulations. To navigate through the registry keys, use the tree-like navigation menu, which is located on the left side of the editor window. If the list of registry keys is not visible, then click on the name "A computer". A list of the main registry keys opens. Go by name "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE". Next click SOFTWARE.

A very large list of sections opens. It needs to find the name Microsoft and click on it.

Again, a long list of sections opens. Find in it "WindowsNT" and click on it. Continue by name "CurrentVersion" and Image File Execution Options.

The large list of subsections opens again. Look for subsections in it with the name iexplorer.exe or explorer.exe. The fact is that these subsections should not be here. If you find both or one of them, then these subsections should be deleted. To do this, click on the name PKM. From the drop-down list, select "Delete".

After that, a dialog box appears asking you if you really want to delete the selected subsection with all its contents. Click "Yes".

If only one of the above subsections is present in the registry, then for the changes to take effect, you can immediately restart the computer, after saving all unsaved documents in open programs. If the second unwanted subsection is also present in the list, then in this case, first delete it, and only then reboot.
If the steps taken did not help or you did not find the unwanted sections that were discussed above, then in this case you need to check one more registry subkey - "Winlogon". It is in the section "CurrentVersion". We have already talked about how to get there. So, select the name of the subsection "Winlogon". After that, go to the right main part of the window, where the string parameters of the selected section are located. Look for a string parameter Shell. If you do not find it, then with a high degree of probability we can say that this is the cause of the problem. Click on any free space on the right side of the shell PKM. In the list that appears, click "Create". Select from the additional list "String Parameter".

In the generated object instead of the name "New setting..." drive in Shell and click Enter. Then you need to make a change in the properties of the string parameter. Double click on the name paintwork.

Shell starts "Changing a String Parameter". Enter in the field "Meaning" record explorer.exe. Then press Enter or OK.

After that, in the list of parameters of the registry key "Winlogon" string parameter should be displayed Shell. In field "Meaning" will stand explorer.exe. If so, then you can restart your PC.

But there are cases when the string parameter exists in the right place, but the field "Meaning" is empty or corresponds to a name other than explorer.exe. In this case, the following steps are required.

Method 5: Antivirus Scan

If these solutions do not help, then there is a possibility that the computer is infected with viruses. In this case, you need to scan the system with an anti-virus utility. For example, you can use the Dr.Web CureIt program, which has proven itself very well in such cases. It is recommended to scan not from a theoretically infected computer, but from another machine. Or use a bootable flash drive for this purpose. This is due to the fact that when performing an operation from under an already infected system, it is highly likely that the antivirus will not be able to detect the threat.

During the scanning procedure and in case of detection of malicious code, follow the recommendations given by the anti-virus utility in the dialog box. After the virus removal is complete, you may need to activate the explorer.exe process through "Task Manager" and "Registry Editor" in the ways discussed above.

Method 6: Roll back to a restore point or reinstall the OS

If none of the methods discussed above helped, then you can try to roll back to the last system restore point. An important condition is the presence of such a restore point at the time when the icons were displayed normally on the desktop. If a restore point was not created during this period, then it will not work to solve the problem this way.

If you still did not find a suitable restore point on your computer or rolling back to it did not help solve the problem, then in this case the most radical way out of the situation remains in reserve - reinstalling the operating system. But this step should be approached only when all other possibilities have been tested and have not yielded the expected result.

As you can see from this tutorial, there are quite a few different reasons why desktop icons might disappear. Each cause, of course, has its own way of solving the problem. For example, if the display of icons was disabled in the settings in the standard way, then no manipulations with the processes in "Task Manager" you will not be helped to return the labels to their place. Therefore, first of all, you need to establish the cause of the problem, and only then deal with its solution. It is recommended to search for causes and perform recovery manipulations in the exact order that is presented in this article. Do not immediately reinstall the system or roll it back, because the solution can be very simple.