Desktop icons and functions change after updates

I have this issue with updates somehow changing the way my desktop icons function and appear. I like to right click on the icon and then choose "Open" from the drop down rather than double clicking.

However, recently the icons are changing after updates run. The appearance of the icon changes and the "Open" functionality disappears. This only happens to Internet icons which I have created to go to URLs. I also lose the ability to create new icons which are Internet links. The name of the icon also changes to "Name.url".

To restore them to their former appearance and functionality I have to do a System Restore to before the update occurred. It seems to happen after Windows updates in the middle of the night or after I update SuperAntiSpyware. After the restore, everything appears and functions as it did prior to the update. If I undo the restore the appearance and functionality once again is changed to what I do not want.

I have attached two screenshots of my desktop before and after updates run.

Does anyone have any idea on how to stop this from happening?

Thanks,

J

 

The icons that now have the .url extension, select Open with (3rd item in the right click menu) and select Firefox. The icons should now show the same graphics as before.

It would seem that something is getting cleaning and your computer loses the file association between the shortcut and your choice of browser.

 

Tried that and it did something strange. I clicked on the "Open with" and selected Firefox from the list and associated it with the file using the "Always open with, etc." tickbox. I then got the attached screen in a Firefox window. The icon did change but not to what it was previously.

DETAIL:

 

I take it that we are out of ideas on this one, eh?

 

Problem Solved

The issue was being caused by Spybot S&D 2. Every time it would get updated it would fry my icons. I removed it for a while but needed it again and BAM! there it was again.

 

Thanks for the feedback. Since I do not run Spybot S&D, I couldn't figure the problem out.
I removed Spybot years ago. I run Malwarebytes and the passive Spyware Blaster in addition to my antivirus (depends on computer which av I run).