Deleting Desktop Icons

When they repaired my OS, they added items like 'favorites', my personal name/files, and documents to my desktop. How do I remove the icons but still keep the programs? I've searched everywhere I can think of but I'm not seeing anything to help. I dare not lose those files so I haven't tried anything.

Using Dell Vista 64-bit Windows and Word 2010.

 

Right click on desktop, then click Personalize, then when the window pops up, click on Change Desktop icons. You can also do it from Control Panel, by clicking on Personalization.

 

Thanks. I'll give it a shot.

 

Unfortunately, neither worked.

I need to remove the icons to make it harder for my hacker to find my stuff. I know where to find items and I don't want to offer them to him on a plate.

 

Right click the icon and select Delete.
it will move the icon to the recycle bin, to be removed when you want to but will NOT effect the programs.
dave

 

Scary! Are you sure, Dave?

When I deleted an icon, it started showing me the number of items being deleted. I got scared and I cancelled the delete. I dare not lose any of the items stored because I have a court case looming and I need to keep the evidence safe.

 

What do you mean by ' my Hacker' ?
If you have malware on your computer, deleting icons will not stop it.
I think you need to explain a little more clearly what problems you are having and what symptoms you have.

 

I have proof of a hacker on email and 99.9% certain he gets into my computer. Things like firewalls and AV systems are turned off, not something I would ever do. There are times when I go to open my email and am told it's already open and running. This has been going on for several months and resulted in my OS having to be re-installed. I've been through all this on MG. I know who the hacker is and one of the proxy names he is using. According to the new law in Canada, what he is doing is identity theft and carries a lengthy prison sentence. My IPS, police and lawyer are aware of this and they are keeping records. Tim at MG has seen one of the documents he issued.

This is not in my imagination!

Right now, with the icons shown on desktop, he has no trouble accessing all areas of my computer.

 

Could suggest something, but it would get me banned from here.

 

Taking the proper security measures for one's computer is important. But it seems to me that trying to defeat/deter a true hacker by removing the icons from the desktop is some what of a futile exercise.

If some one has local(direct, hands on) access to the computer, they could(for example) easily use their own boot disk to circumvent most deterrent efforts. If some one were to "hack" via remote, they would quite probably by pass the desktop all together, in which case, what ever was done with the desktop icons would be rendered irrelevant.

If you believe your machine is compromised, the best thing to do is follow the steps in the READ & RUN ME FIRST Malware Removal Guide and then post the requested logs in the Malware Removal forum. You may have done this already, I didn't look.

If / when the computer is declared "clean" and you still believe it is being "hacked", you could take it to a security expert and pay to have it inspected. Should anything be found at that point, it would seem the only recourse is to have the ISP and the proper authorities handle the situation.

 

Thanks, you're making a lot of sense. I don't know how the hacker is getting in because I am the only one with legal access to this computer, but what you say is very possible. I'm not the only one having problems with him; three others I 'spoke' to on Gmail have also had to take their PCs in for repair. I dare not use my IPS mail to contact them so I am restricted in my ability to contact friends and family. The hacker has been sending me emails from various places like banks, probably hoping I'll click on the links, but so far I've recognized and deleted them without opening.

I believe I tried the Read and Run me program a while back but I was unable to post a log. Since then, my OS has been re-installed so it might work now. I'll give it a shot. I don't think I have any malware problems because I run a couple of scans daily, but who knows. An added check is worthwhile.

Thanks again for your help and suggestions.

 

I tried READ & RUN ME but I had trouble following the instructions. It looked as if my OS set up was different from what Chase said to go to. The programs I was told to download proved to be far too expensive.

Other scans I've run don't show any malware or viruses present. Uniblue came up with over 500 registry errors, corrected 15 free, and demanded to be paid before it would do more. It then offered a free download if I would buy a different program. I had no interest in the programs offered so I declined.

I am starting a new thread on the changes made to my computer while it was shut down overnight.

 

There were different instructions. One I remember said to open Control Panel and click on General. I couldn't see it. Another said to click on Add & Remove but I couldn't find it.

I downloaded Uniblue but was asked to pay. From a MG download page I saw a reference to Reimage. I believe that was the other program that ran a scan and asked me to pay to correct items.

The only different thing I did last night before I closed down was to download Opera browser. I tried to use it and found it confusing. I deleted it this morning and downloaded Avant a few minutes ago. I haven't tried it yet to see if it will import Favorites from IE. If it doesn't, they are on my PC but I'll have to upload them one by one.

Before I close at night, I always run CCleaner and Comodo System Cleaner. I'm not at all technical but I try to keep my PC clean.

 

What! Let me recheck because I spent a lot of time on it last night.

Reimage was on an MG page when I downloaded Opera. I went back and gave it a shot so it probably isn't part of the READ & Run.

I'll come back when I've tried it again.

 

You're right. What I did was click on the link shown here: http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=35407

It turned out to be a Uniblue Registry Booster which claimed over 500 registry errors but wanted paid to correct them. No mention of cash was made until after I'd downloaded and run a scan.

Checking READ & RUN again.

 

It looks as though you worked your way through to the How to Protect yourself from malware! thread, where there is a link for downloading Opera. That would indicate you've completed the "Vista and Win 7 Malware Removal/Cleaning Procedure", but I don't see a post(by you) in the Malware Removal forum with the requested logs that should have been created if you completed the cleaning procedure.

In trying to determine if your computer is compromised or not, it is imperative that you follow the steps(carefully, step by step) in the posts of the READ & RUN ME FIRST instructions. Then start a new thread in the Malware Removal forum attaching the logs to your post. Once those logs are created, no changes should be made to the computer, unless instructed to do so in the Malware Removal forum. The logs reflect the current state(operational condition) of the computer. If you were to make a change the logs would no longer be acurate.

HOW TO: Attach Items To Your Post

 

Yes. I'm easily misled and thought everything on an MG page was "good". I've since deleted both programs because I hate programs that lie about being free and then say there is a charge. I boot them as soon as I find out.

 

That was the problem earlier - I couldn't download a log. I tried several times yesterday to complete the R&R program. Each time, when I arrived at Change User Control my PC froze and warning signs popped up. I lost count of the number of times I re-booted my PC. At 5:30, I gave up and closed down.

I had difficulty following several of the instructions. I clicked in and out of R&R to follow other directions, as told. The link to Bleeping Computer had me downloading SZ. I already have programs that check for things so I booted it again because nothing told me it was better than the programs I had. That meant two restarts and that takes time. Disabling Windows Essentials put me at risk and I rebooted three times before it would allow me to activate the program. Changes that are being made to my computer are not my doing.

I feel I might as well quit and let the hacker have at it.

 

Many thanks for making it simpler for this dunce.

SZ's name was something SafeZilla or SoftZilla that occupied most of the screen at Bleeping Computer. It's gone now.

SAS - Super Anti Spyware?

MBAM - Got it installed

Combofix - Thought I had it. Will download.

MGTools - Thought I had it. I believe I downloaded it but something conflicted. It might be where I was told to disable user control and my PC spazzed out. Will try it again.

RootRepeal - will try to download.

I'll be back. I hope it will be with good news.

 

SAS, yes SUPERAntiSpyware.

 

Sorry, no good news.

Combofix rang bells and Panda refused it three times, classing it as dangerous. I disabled Panda and Windows Essentials and it downloaded. When I rebooted, Panda denied the program again.

MGTools was also refused. I disabled all security and my computer froze. I had to shut off power and restart. It would not start in Safe Mode. I started Normally and walked away to get coffee. Came back and Windows (I think) was doing a complete scan, replacing missing files. When Windows started, I was at risk. Windows Essentials would not allow me to turn it on and I had to reboot three times before I could access it and turn it on.

This is almost another day spent trying to sort out this mess. Three other computers I was in touch with via Gmail have also gone down, one in Canada, one in the UK, and one in Japan. One had purchased Bully and installed it but it didn't save him.

It may be hard for others to believe we all have a hacker who first came in via Gmail, but there you have it. How else could everything on my computer change overnight even though all my scans come through clean?

Although I will keep SAS and delete other spyware programs, I am considering deleting everything else downloaded since my OS was re-installed. I see no other option but to let the hacker do what he likes while I get on with more important matters.

Thank you all for your help, but the hacker is one step ahead of you every time because he can see everything that's happening on my computer and email.