Thread: Can't click any desktop shortcuts

I recently bought a new pc, with Vista Home Premium and its been brilliant, everything working as it should, until a few days ago. I don't know what happened, for some reason I can't click any of the shortcuts on the desktop and its irritating!

I have to open all programs via the start menu, which still works fine. Also when I click the 'show desktop' button at the bottom it doesn't work either so I have to manually minimize all open windows.

When I put my mouse pointer over the desktop shortcuts nothing happens at all. They dont highlight and I can't right or left click them. Its like they are not even there even though I can see them. The Gadget strip on the right still works fine.

I'm not sure what other info to give....In the 30 min period when the problem occured I signed into MSN Messenger and couldn't click the check mail tab. Around the same time I was faffing around with a mic trying to get it to work. Thats probably just coincidence though.

I've scanned computer, no virus.

There's probably a really simple solution to this problem, but I'm a complete novice when it comes to computers! Any suggestions would be great, no matter how obvious!!

Thank you =]

Open task manager (ctrl+alt+delete) or right click task bar and select from dropdown menu. Stop explorer.exe on the processes tab then on the
applications tab click 'new task', type- explorer.exe -and click 'ok' to
restart it . Check if your desktop icons now work. If so have you added new software or drivers lately. Might be interfering with the way Windows is loading.

Ah brilliant, I tried that and it worked, thank you so much!! All seems to be back to normal now =]