shortcuts

Hello all! I am having a problem with my shortcuts. For some reason, when I open them I go to my printer! Does anyone of you computer savy folks have a clue as to why this happens? (appeared suddenly) Thanks!

 

interesting, I personally haven't hear anything like this before.
Being other than a virus or a computer prank.....hmm.
Please give more info, say you double-click on a shortcut on your Desktop, then what happens up? Does print setup page come up? Does it start printing or printers panel open up? Give more details if you can....

 

You got it! I double click on a desktop shortcut and am directed to my print status (ready) (preferences) (find printer) whatever you want to call it, page comes up. It doesn't print but maybe it would if I hit "print". I haven't tried it.

 

All the shortcuts doing this?

Ok, try this, right-click on a shortcut that is experiencing this problem and then 'Properties' and on the 'Shortcut' tab, examine the:
Target, Start in and Shortcut key values...
Does 'Target' point to the appropriate executable?
Start in points the the applicable folder where the executable resides?
Does Shortcut Key have any value in it (should be blank)?

Also try creating a new shortcut and examine its properties too.
let me know...

 

OK, I right click on shortcut then "Properties" and it opens only to "General" and doesn't show Target, etc. I tried with a new shortcut and same result.

 

Hmm. no 'Shortcut' tab at all? Sounds like you were right-clicking on a system folder on the desktop....do you see the shortcut arrow on any of these so-called 'shortcuts'?
When you try creating a new shortcut of a file (right-click on the file and hold the button, drag and let go when it is on desktop and choose the 'create shortcuts here' or right-click on a file and from the list choosing 'Send to > 'Desktop (create shortcut)' option?

 

The shortcut arrow is there. To get a desktop shortcut I right click on a web page then click on "create shortcut" and get a thing that says "a shortcut will be placed on your desktop." I click "OK" and that's it. Shortcut is on desktop. (Well, the icon anyway......)

 

Oh....now comes out the truth (just kidding), so I am guessing you are using IE, you open a page and right-click on the page when it is loaded then choose the 'create shortcut' option, afterwards get the prompt that reads "a shortcut to the current page will be placed on desktop" or something similar....this would create a 'Internet shortcut' that would create the shortcut with the .url extension....this is not the standard shortcut to a file on your local drive, does the problem occur with the standard shortcuts as well if not...
I wonder if your 'File Type' configuration for .url extension is associated with the Print function somehow:

Start (> Settings if using Classic Start menu) > Control Panel > Folder Options > File Types (tab)
then on top the list window click on 'Files Types" to re-sort the entries in alphabetic order and then look for 'Internet Shortcut' (might be more than one).
High-lite each found entry (but most importantly the one referring to URL) and check to see what the value 'opens with' is set to, it should be the default browser, if not click on 'Advanced' button, under "Actions" select the browser and then click on 'Set Default' button then OK then CLOSE and try it...

 

LOL! OK......NOW.......to try and explain......I did all that you said up until "High-lite each found entry (did this) (but most importantly the one referring to URL) and check to see what the value 'opens with' (see this but...) is set to, (....can't see this) it should be the default browser, if not click on 'Advanced' button, (did this) under "Actions" select the browser (HUH?) and then click on 'Set Default' (see this but not available to click on) button then OK then CLOSE and try it..." SO......If you can understand any of this at all.......now what?

 

Download and run the two spyware programs below and see if that helps:

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download506.html Install, click Check for Updates now and get any updates, then exit.

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download2471.html Install, do the search for updates now and get any updates, then exit.

Steve

 

Got those already but thanks for the suggestion. Guess I'll just live with the problem for awhile. And to Turcoloco thanks for your help/time. ttfn

 

Lynn2, Giving up already? Ya just started!

1) When did this start happening?

2) What OS do you run (including service pack version)?

3) TweakUI is a free program. It has an option to rebuild your desktop shortcut icons, and is worth a try.

4) Tedious as it is, a safe mode antivirus or antispyware check may give better detection.

5) Are your antivirus and antispyware definitions up to date?

Don't give up yet. It could be alot of things. But I bet if we go through possible fixes, slowly but surely, somebody here can help figure this out.

 

Yeah? I just figured y'all were sick of me by now! I did find the BIG and NASTY "AltNet" finally. I can't seem to get rid of it even in safe mode!

 

Sorry Lynn, kinda lost track of this thread until now...ok, I am glad you at least figured out that the cause was a malicious software (malware)...go through the stickies posted on the 'Spyware Specific' section...Safe Mode should give you the ultimate control since it doesnt allow services and programs to start unlike the normal mode....it loads the bare minimum device drivers needed and that is it...if you can't remove it then I am going to assume you are not doing the right things..
Follow the stickies please....if you have any questions on this we could all provide more help ( but PhilliePhan or Chaslang will be all over it since it is their speciality).
No one is sick of anyone....we all are sick of spyware that is about it.
Either way DO NOT GIVE UP please.