The Glitch - A Friend in Computing

The Glitch was conceived during 2004, and started out simply as a site to assist people with computer problems. Today the site has grown considerably and has become a one-stop shop for many aspects of modern computing and communication


FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS


Windows 7

 
Q. What is this Windows 7 ?
A. Windows 7 is Microsoft's  replacement for Windows Vista. Windows 7 builds on Vista's strengths and corrects many of it's weaknesses. Many people feel that Windows 7 is the product Windows Vista should have been when it was first released!
 

Q. Why the name Windows 7 ?
A. The 7 in Windows 7, is the version number of Microsoft's new operating system. This is how Microsoft used to name is operating systems (Windows 3.0, Windows 3.11 etc.), but more recent versions of Windows have had a specific name (Windows XP, Windows Vista).

Strictly speaking Windows 7's version number is 6.1, so the only other explanation of the 7 moniker is to consider only the Windows NT family editions:
 

Pure Windows
Versions Numbers
Windows NT
Family Versions Only
Version 1.x 1.0 NT 3.1
Version 2.x 2.0 NT 3.5
Version 3.x 3.0, NT 3.1, NT 3.5 NT 4.0
Version 4.x NT 4.0, 95, 98, ME 2000
Version 5.x 2000, XP XP
Version 6.x Vista, 7 Vista
Version 7.x - 7
 

Q. When can we expect to see Windows 7
A. Windows 7 will be available to purchase by the general public on the 22nd October 2009.

Corporate customers will be able to get their hands on Windows 7 on the 1st September 2009 a little earlier, but only via a Microsoft 'volume licensing' agreement.   

Take a look at my 'Operating Systems' page within my Software section for more details.
 

Q. Will I be able to Pre-order Windows 7 ?
A. Yes, from the 15th July 2009, you should be able to pre-order Windows 7 from a small number of suppliers.

As always 'The Glitch' will do the hard work for you and on or around the 15th of July I will place a pre-order link in the 'Windows 7' area of my 'Operating Systems' page (within my Software section).

Numbers will be limited, and pre-order pricing will only be offered until the 9th August 2009, but this date is pretty academic, as stocks will more than likely be depleted within the first couple of weeks of the offer going live!
 

Q. How can I pre-order a 64bit version of Windows 7 ?
A. Full retail and upgrade versions of Windows 7 will come with both 32-bit and a 64-bit versions in the box; so you will get a 64-bit Windows 7 installation disc by default!
 

Q. What are the main versions of Windows 7 ?
A. Windows 7 comes in a number of versions, but there are three main consumer editions:

Windows 7 Home Premium (main consumer version)
Windows 7 Professional (adds corporate networking and XP Mode)
Windows 7 Ultimate (adds additional file security etc.)
 

Q. What other versions of Windows 7 are there ?
A. The three main consumer editions above will be the only versions available to buy as 'stand alone' products in the UK, but there are three further versions of Windows 7:

Windows 7 Starter (a cut down version for netbooks etc.)
Windows 7 Home Basic (for emerging markets only)
Windows 7 Enterprise (only available via Microsoft's software assurance licensing)

So the only other version you are likely to see is the 'Starter' edition, and then only if you purchase something like a Netbook that has it installed as standard.
 

Q. How much will Windows 7 cost ?
A. The UK pricing of Windows 7 has become a little convoluted; it is to change a number of times between now and 2010. The table below should help make things a little clearer:

 

Product
Type
Initial
Pre-Order
Pricing
Lower cost
Full Retail
Pricing
Standard
Upgrade
Pricing
Standard
Full Retail
Pricing
Dates
Products
Available

15/07/09
to
09/08/09
 
10/08/09

to
01/09/09

01/09/09
and
On-going
01/09/09
and
On-going
Home Premium £49 £79 £79 £149*
Professional £99 £189 £189 £219*
Ultimate n/a £199 £199 £229*

* Revised 'Full Retail' pricing when upgrade versions available

Take a look at my 'Operating Systems' page within my Software section for more details.

 

Q. The pricing of Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate are very similar...why ?
A. The small price difference (just £10) between the Professional and Ultimate versions of Windows 7 does indicate that there are only minor differences between the two products. In fact there are only two relatively small additions; the Ultimate version of Windows 7 comes with 'BitLocker' security (for encrypting files) and support for additional 35 languages. Obviously if you really need these extras it is worth paying the extra £10.
 

Q. If I now purchase a new computer system with Windows Vista installed will I get a free, automatic upgrade to Windows 7 ?
A. All PC manufacturers should now begin to offer free 'upgrades' to Windows 7 on any Vista based systems that they sell between now and the general release date of Windows 7. (especially now that pricing and availability have been defined). But as with all these things, it would be best to contact the supplier first before making any assumptions.

NOTE: As a general guide, any computer purchased between 26 June 2009 and 31 January 2010, that has a qualifying edition of the Windows Vista installed, should  be eligible for Microsoft's Upgrade Option Program.

For more information:
https://windows7upgradeoption.com/Landing.aspx
 

Q. How can I find out if my current system and applications are compatible with Windows 7 before I go and buy it ?
A. Microsoft have recently released a 'Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor' tool that you can download and install on your current Windows installation; It will scan your system for potential problems.

Take a look at my 'Windows 7 Tools' page within my Software section for links to the 'Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor' tool.
 

Q. Can I perform an upgrade on my existing Windows installation using the 'Full Retail' version of Windows 7 ?
A. Yes, although the retail version of Windows 7 can install a fresh copy of Windows 7, it also gives you the option to create a folder called 'Windows.old' which it uses to place a copy of your old system, thus ensuring your old information is not overwritten.

Saying this I rarely recommend upgrading an existing Windows installation as it can be problematic to say the least. I am not saying it's not possible, but the results can vary wildly!

To get the very best from Windows 7, I highly recommend you install a completely 'clean' copy!
 

Q. What is the main different between the upgrade version and the full retail version of Windows 7?
A. You will need to already own a qualifying Windows operating system to be able to take advantage of the upgrade version of Windows 7, the full retail version does not require this prerequisite. Both versions can be used to install a clean copy of Windows 7, and both will perform an 'in place' upgrade, if you have Vista (see below).  

Q. What upgrade options will there be ?  
A. If you already have Windows Vista, the update editions of Windows 7 should allow you to perform an 'in place' upgrade. This means all your data, applications and their associated settings will be intact after the upgrade has completed.

Unfortunately Vista is one of the few Microsoft operating systems that is supported in this way, thus if you have Windows XP or 2000 then you will not be able to perform an 'in place' upgrade. This means you will need to back up all your data and settings before you install your Windows 7 upgrade!

Another option that is being suggested is to purchase a Windows Vista upgrade first, but this seems a little over the top to me!

One further option is to use Microsoft's "User State Migration Tool", but this tool maybe a little advanced for some users.

NOTE: If you have an operating system that is older then Windows 2000 you will not be able to apply an upgrade version of Windows 7, your only option is to purchase the full retail edition.
 

Q. What's this Windows 7 'Family Pack' all about?
A. The Windows 7 'Family Pack' is a multi-licence software package that allows you to install up to 3 versions of Windows 7 in the same household.

Microsoft have stated that the 'Family Pack' will only be produced in limited quantities, but there is still no firm date as to when they will become available in the UK.

It has been indicated that the Windows 7  'Family Pack' Home Premium Upgrade Edition will retail for around £150.
 

Q. What does Windows 7 E stand for ?
A. The 'E' in Windows 7 E simply stood for 'European'; the idea was that all versions of Windows 7 shipped in the EU would not come with an Internet Browser as standard, this would have ensured that Microsoft applied to the EC's anti-trust rulings.

But the 'E' version of Windows 7 will probably not see the light of day, due to a U-turn by Microsoft. They will now offer their customers a choice of Internet Browsers, rather than no Browser at all.

Latest information suggests that Microsoft will add this browser choice at a later time, via a 'Windows Update' update.
 

Q. Will Microsoft still honor my pre-order of Windows 7 E, even if that version is not released ?
A. Yes, all versions of Windows 7 E, that have been pre-ordered, will be honored by Microsoft. Windows 7 E orders will be replaced with a standard, full retail product.

Your pre-order will not be downgraded to an 'upgrade version' as some have suggested; there are many reasons why this will not happen, the biggest reason is that you did not order an upgrade edition in the first place!
 

Q. What's this Windows 7 'XP Mode' all about ?  
A. The Windows 7 'XP Mode' is very different to previous Windows operating system compatibility modes. The 'XP Mode' in Windows 7 is, in fact, a complete 'virtual' version of a Windows XP system. Thus, compatibility is said to be close to 100%, allowing you to confidently run older applications that would not normally work with Windows 7. One of the many advantages of Windows 7's special 'XP Mode' is the way that applications installed within the Virtual XP environment are able to run directly on Windows 7's desktop, giving the impression of seamless integration. The 'XP Mode' is a great feature to have and should guarantee that no software is left high and dry when moving to a Windows 7 system.

Only the 'Professional' and 'Ultimate' versions of Windows 7 have the 'XP Mode' option, so be careful which version you buy if you think you might need this feature.
 

Q. Do I need a more powerful computer to run Windows 7's 'XP Mode' ?
A. No not really, but there are a couple of prerequisites for Windows 7's 'XP Mode':

2GB of main memory
A CPU that supports VT (Virtualization Technology)
A BIOS that is VT aware

The installation of a virtual XP system will also take up additional hard drives space.

If you have an Intel processor based computer you can find out whether it supports 'VT' by using the Intel utility listed on my Benchmarking page.

You will also need to check that your BIOS is 'VT' compatible; look within the processor section for an option to enable 'VT'.
 

Q. What are the system requirements of Windows 7 ?
A. Microsoft's official list of minimum system requirements are as follows:

1GHz or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
1GB RAM (32-bit) / 2GB RAM (64-bit)
16GB available disk space (32-bit) / 20GB (64-bit)
DirectX 9 graphics processor with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver

Windows 7 is less system resource hungry than Vista, but I would still make sure your machine's capabilities are better than Microsoft's minimum specification!
 

Q. How much RAM can Windows 7 address ?
A. This question can be more easily answered by splitting up Windows 7 versions in to 32-bit and 64-bit editions:

32-Bit Editions:
All versions of Windows 7 (32-bit) address a maximum of 4GB of memory. This 4GB maximum is a limitation on many of Microsoft's 32-bit operating systems.

64-Bit Editions:
Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) can address up to 16GB
Windows 7 Professional or Ultimate (64-bit) can address up to 192GB
 

Q. Why can't I find 'Windows Mail' or any other form of Email client on Windows 7, how do I email people? 
A. To ensure Windows 7 is as trim and slick as possible Microsoft no longer installs an email client as standard. But all is not lost, as you can download 'Windows Live Mail' by following the menu item called 'Getting Started' and click 'Get Windows Live Essentials'  which takes you to:
http://download.live.com
This Microsoft site also gives you options to install a number of other useful additions to Windows 7.

Alternatively you could just setup an on-line or web-based email account, and not bother with an local email client the choice is yours!
 

Q. Where can I find a 64-bit Windows 7 driver for my HP LaserJet 1018/1020 Printer? 
A. HP will hopefully release an official driver for Windows 7 64-Bit, but currently, your best option is to download HP's 'Beta' driver that seems to work just fine!

For the HP LaserJet 1018:
http://www.hp.com/pond/ljbeta/software/lj1018-x64_beta.exe

For the HP LaserJet 1020:
http://www.hp.com/pond/ljbeta/software/lj1020-x64_beta.exe
 

Q. Why do I keep getting an unexpected error 0xC0000005 when I try to install Windows 7, it takes a long time to get to the point where it is expanding files and then errors after 100%?
A. The error code itself would suggest faulty memory is to blame, but could also suggest hard drive related issues or hardware driver problems.

Use a memory checker to scan and exercise your memory to ensure you do not have any memory issues.

The delays you're experiencing could be something simple, such as the hard drive you are installing Windows 7 on isn't the first drive/device being seen by the system. I would make sure that your system drive is always connected to the very first (primary) drive interface on the motherboard. (This may require moving hard drive connections on your motherboard)

I would also check all hard drives are completely error free, before you try installing again.

Finally, if you have more than one hard drive, you could simply isolate all other drives from your system while you install Windows 7 (thus removing any possibility of interference) and then reconnect them after the install has completed.
 

Q. I have a few minor problems with Windows 7, nothing severe, just irritating, what do I do?
A. The very first thing to remember is that Windows 7 is a brand new operating system, and although many will  experience perfect operation from Windows 7, there are no guarantees your individual experience will be flawless. Any minor, irritating issues with Windows 7 should be resolved quickly by Microsoft (keen to prove Windows 7 is very different to Vista) thus it is critical you configure and allow all Windows 7 updates to occur, this will ensure you get the latest bug fixes as quickly as possible, check for third party hardware driver updates too!

Windows 7 is a complex piece of software, it is highly unlikely that Microsoft will a achieve a 100% perfect experience for every PC user. Just consider the colossal number of combinations of software and hardware that exist today! Saying this, after being an early adopter of Windows 98, Windows XP and Windows Vista, I think Windows 7 is one of the most stable initial installs I have ever experienced.

All early adopters of a brand new OS should expect a few problems, it comes with the ground, if you don't like this idea, then wait a while and allow the operating system to mature, before you take the plunge!
 

Q. Is there anyway of making the new navigation pane in Windows Explorer look/feel more like the navigation pane in Windows XP?
A. I know what you mean, I think it is just the extra white space between the 'Library' and 'HomeGroup' lists that make it feel a little too different, but you can set an option which displays all the items together, which is much more like the older Windows XP explorer display:

Click the Windows 'Start' icon (bottom left)
Select 'Windows Explorer'
Now click the 'Organize' button/menu item
Select the option called 'Folder and search options'
On the 'General' tab look for the item called 'Navigation Pane'
Tick both the following options:
'Show all folders' and 'Automatically expand current folder'
Finally click 'OK'

Now the 'Library' and 'HomeGroup' folders are listed as part of the global folders display.
 

Q. Why does Windows 7 continue to access my hard drive, even when I am not doing anything?
A. The most likely reason for this behavior is Windows 7's indexing service, this will run in the background and provides content indexing, property caching and search results for files, e-mails etc. Sometimes when you add a lot of new content to your system (files, emails etc) the indexing service will require a little time to catch-up and this is why you get additional hard drive activity.

If you are adding new content a lot and find the resultant slow down, due to additional indexing, frustrating then you could turn the 'Windows Search' service off:

Click the Windows 'Start' icon (bottom left)
Select 'Control Panel' from the right-hand menu
If you are in the 'Category' view select the heading 'System & Security' and then select 'Administrative Tools'
If you are in the 'Icon' view simply select the 'Administrative Tools' icon
Now double-click 'Services'
Scroll down to the bottom and double-click 'Windows Search'
In the startup type select 'Disabled' from the drop down box of options
Click OK and close the 'Services' and 'Control Panel' windows

Another option is simply reduce what Windows 7 indexes:
Click the Windows 'Start' icon (bottom left)
Type 'Indexing' in the search box
Select 'Indexing Options' from the list
Now you can remove items/locations you do not wish to be indexed
 

Q. How do I share a printer in Windows 7?  
A. If you want to share a printer with other computers connected to your system you must first switch off 'Password Protected Sharing'. This is a security setting that only allows users with local accounts (that reside on your system) to gain access to shared printers and other resources.

To switch off 'Password Protected Sharing':
Click the Windows 'Start' icon (bottom left)
Select 'Control Panel' from the right-hand menu
If your current 'View By' (top right) is not 'Large Icons' change it now.
Now select the 'Network and Sharing Center' icon
In the right-hand column select 'Change advanced sharing settings'
Scroll down until you find the section 'Password Protected Sharing'
Click the option to Turn it Off
Click the 'Save Changes' button at the bottom of the page
 

Q. How do I add things to the 'SendTo' menu option?
A. This is done in a similar way to Windows Vista:

Click the Windows 'Start' icon (bottom left)
Enter 'shell:sendto' (without the quotes) within the 'start search' bar
A new window will appear showing the contents of the 'SendTo' folder
Now open 'Windows Explorer' and locate your new 'SendTo' item
(This could be a file, folder, program or even hard drive)
Now drag your item to the open 'SendTo' folder
Finally select 'Create Shortcut Here' when prompted
 

Q. Where have all the free games gone in Windows 7?
A. If you find Windows 7 does not seem to have any of the standard free games normally associated with Windows, it probably means your version of Windows 7 did not install them as standard; all you have to do is enable the 'Games' feature to make them available.

Click the Windows 'Start' icon (bottom left)
Select 'Control Panel' from the right-hand menu
If your current 'View By' (top right) is not 'Large Icons' change it now.
Click the item called 'Programs and Features'
In the left-hand column click 'Turn Windows features on and off'
Now simply select the box next to 'Games' and click 'OK'
After a small delay all of Windows 7's games should become available
 

Q. Why has 'Windows Updates' stopped working, it just sits there at 5% doing nothing?
A. This is a possible sign that you have corrupt file(s) in your Windows updates cache. The easiest way to resolve this is to delete the contents of your update cache.

First you will have to stop the Windows Update process:
Press the <CTRL><ALT><DELETE> keys all at the same time
Now select 'Start Task Manager' option
Within the 'Processes' Tab locate the 'Windows Update' process
It is called "wuauclt.exe"
Right-click the item and select 'End Process'
Finally close the Task Manager dialogue box (click the top-right, red X).

Now click 'START' and select 'Windows Explorer'
In the left-hand pane, double-click 'Computer'
Then double-click the 'C' Drive
Then double-click the directory 'Windows'
Then double-click the directory 'SoftwareDistribution'
Then double-click the directory 'Download'
Now delete the contents of this directory
(Don't delete the directory called 'Download' just the contents)

Now restart your system and Windows Updates should be working again!
 

Q. What is this 'Windows Flip 3D' option and how do I invoke it?
A. Windows Flip 3D is a rather nice 3D representation of all your currently open applications.

To invoke simply hold the <Left Windows Key> and then press <TAB>, while still holding down the left <Left Windows Key> press the <TAB> key to cycle through the open applications. Letting go of the <Left Windows Key> at any time will make the current viewed application active.

To make the Flip 3D persistent: hold the <Left Windows Key> and the <CTRL> key together and then press the <TAB> key. This option makes the Flip 3D stay on screen while you can cycle through the open applications using the standard <ARROW> keys or <TAB> key or even a  mouse scroll wheel if you have one. To select an application just click it with your mouse or press <ENTER>.

<ESC> at any time closes the persistent Flip 3D View.

NOTE: This should not be confused with the standard application view, which can be invoked using the <ALT> key rather than the <Left Windows Key>, but otherwise works in a very similar way to the above.
 

Q. Where has the 'Show Desktop' icon gone?
A. At first glance it would seem that the only way to get back to your desktop view in Windows 7 would be to right-click the task bar and select 'Show The Desktop' menu item.

But there is a almost invisible (very thin) button to the far right-hand side of the date/time box on the standard taskbar that takes you back to your Desktop with a single click. It has no icon or label, and only appears to signify the end of the taskbar, but it is in fact a quick way to return to your desktop view.

Show Desktop
NOTE: If you don't like the default behavior of giving you a preview of your Desktop when you move your mouse of this button, you can right-click it and un-tick the 'Peek at Desktop' option.

 

Q. Why has 'Windows Updates' and my Anti-virus software stopped updating, they both just sit there and do nothing?
A. Because updating activity has stopped for more than one application I would hazard a guess that some kind of firewall software is interfering with or blocking Windows 7 processes.

The only way to be absolutely sure that your firewall software is not to blame, is to uninstall it. If you restart your machine, and find everything is updating again, then you have a number of choices:

1. Download a new/latest version of your current firewall software and re-install it, you may well find that a fresh install of the software is all that was needed.

2. Download a difference firewall product, it maybe the product you are using has issues with Windows 7. Visit my Firewall page for some options.

3. Enable the standard Windows 7 firewall (via Control Panel); even though the firewall built-in to Windows is not particularly feature rich, it is better than nothing at all!
 

Q. I have just been presented with a 'Browser Ballot' screen where I selected Internet Explorer, but now the icon for Internet Explorer is blank, how do I get it back ?
A. This is a known irritation and a direct result of Microsoft's new 'Browser Ballot' selection process.

Like many others you have opted to continue to use Internet Explorer (IE), but now not only is the link to IE missing from the main start menu, but it's icon is missing on the link to IE within 'All Programs'.

Don't panic, as this can be resolved very quickly:

Simply right-click the link to IE within 'All Programs' and select 'Properties'.
Click the 'Shortcut' tab and click the 'Change Icon' button
You will see the icon for IE already highlighted, ignore this and select the other icon (often the third one down) that looks very similar, now click 'OK' and then 'OK' again.
Your IE icon should be back now.

Now right-click the link again and this time select 'Pin to Start Menu'.
Your link to IE should now also be back on your Start Menu.
 

Q. Every time I try to run one of my applications in Windows 7 it tells me I need 'Administrator Rights' to continue, what do I do ?  
A. This problem often occurs due to the additional security built into Windows 7, but it is frequently resolved by simply right-clicking the application's icon and selecting 'Run as Administrator' from the menu.
You will get a 'User Account Control' window appear asking about permission to allow an application to make changes to your computer, just select 'Yes'
 

User Account Control

 

Q. Can you update an OEM of Windows XP or Vista to Windows 7?  
A. The short answer to this question is yes, OEM packages have more to do with who provides support than actual eligibility of upgrade. So just about any version of Windows XP or Windows Vista (oem, upgrade or full retail) is eligible to upgrade to Windows 7. This does not automatically mean you will be able to perform an in-place upgrade as many combinations will require a fresh install; see the table below for a basic guide:
 
From/To

Windows 7 OEM

Windows 7 Upgrade

Windows 7 Full

XP OEM

Fresh Install

Fresh Install

Fresh Install

Vista OEM

In-Place Upgrade

In-Place Upgrade

In-Place Upgrade

XP Upgrade

Fresh Install

Fresh Install

Fresh Install

Vista Upgrade

In-Place Upgrade

In-Place Upgrade

In-Place Upgrade

XP Full

Fresh Install

Fresh Install

Fresh Install

Vista Full

In-Place Upgrade

In-Place Upgrade

In-Place Upgrade

 

One more thing to remember is any change between 32-bit or 64-bit will require a fresh install regardless of the operating system installed.

 

Q. Can you use a Windows 7 upgrade disc to perform a fresh install on a new hard drive?  
A. No, you can't use a Windows 7 upgrade disc to perform a fresh install on a new hard drive, the operating system you are upgrading from must be installed (and activated) first. One of the reasons for this is that no qualifying media is asked for during the installation of Windows 7, so only the currently installed operating system is used to check for upgrade eligibility - this is one of the down sides to using Windows 7 upgrade media!  

Q. Can I remove the image used in the background of the logon screen?  
A. Yes, to remove the image completely, open the registry editor and go to the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
Authentication\LogonUI\Background

Change the DWORD named OEMBackground to a value of 0
To enable again just set the same value to 1
 

Q. Why do some of my Shortcuts that I place on my Desktop keep disappearing? New Item
A. This behavior is due to the way the "System Maintenance Troubleshooter'' in Windows 7 regards certain types of shortcuts. If you have shortcuts to locations or devices which are not always available, they will be defined as 'broken'. If you have more than 4 of these 'broken' shortcuts Windows 7 will delete them all, during its (default) weekly "System Maintenance Troubleshooter'' schedule: 

This is a known issue with Windows 7 and there are a few options:

1. Make sure you have 4 or less 'broken' shortcuts on your desktop:
(Not the best solution in the world).

2. Disable the 'System Maintenance Troubleshooter':
(This does not seem to work in every case):

Click the Windows 'Start' icon (bottom left)
Select 'Control Panel' from the right-hand menu
In 'Category' view under 'System & Security' click 'Find and fix problems'
Now on the left-hand pane, select 'Change Settings'
Within the 'Computer Maintenance' section click the 'OFF' option
Finally Click OK and close the 'Troubleshooting' window

3. Delete the script that checks for broken shortcuts
(Good solution, but more involved)

Use Windows Explorer to browser to the following location:
C:\Windows\diagnostics\scheduled\Maintenance\
Right-click and select ‘Properties’ on the file named
'TS_BrokenShortcuts.ps1'
Click on to the ‘Security’ tab and select ‘Advanced’
Now click ‘Owner’ and then click ‘Edit’
Click your name/login and click ‘OK’ (an info box might pop up, just click OK) and ‘OK’ again.
Next click ‘Edit’ (towards the middle of the properties dialogue)
Now click ‘Add’  and enter your name/login (as above) and then tick the box under Allow ‘Modify’
Finally click ‘OK’ (an info box might pop up, just click OK) and ‘OK’ to finish

It is probably best to make a copy of the 'TS_BrokenShortcuts.ps1' file and place it in another location (just in case you get anything wrong).

Now double click the original file to evoke the text editor.
Delete all of the following lines of code from the file
(This should be lines 11 to 22):


[string]$list = ""
    Get-ChildItem -Path $path -filter *.lnk | Foreach-Object {
        $fullPath = ConvertTo-WQLPath $_.FullName
        $wmiLinkFile = Get-WmiObject -query "SELECT Name,Target,AccessMask FROM      Win32_ShortcutFile WHERE Name = '$fullPath'"
        if(-not(Test-ValidLink $wmiLinkFile) -and (Test-Delete $wmiLinkFile))
        {
            $list = AttachTo-List $list $wmiLinkFile.Name
        }
    }
return $list

Now click the 'File' menu and select 'save' and then click the 'File' menu and select 'Exit'.

 

Q. Why has an icon called 'Recent Places' suddenly appeared on my desktop and how do I delete it? New Item
A. This is an unusual issue, one that can be very quickly resolved by simply right-clicking on an empty space on your desktop and select the 'Refresh' option, the 'Recent Places' icon should then disappear!

This icon can sometimes appear on the desktop after accessing the 'Recent Places' link within Windows Explorer under the Favorites heading.
 

 
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