Multiple copies of the "Computer" icon incrementally appear on my desktop

I recently moved to Windows7 x64, and I have this weird issue where as time goes on more and more copies of the "Computer" icon appear on my desktop.

Here's an example, where my icon count is up to 4.

enter image description here

If I try to delete one of them, it deletes all of them. But, every time I restart the computer it goes back to only one icon.

I have searched on Google and on Microsoft's website, and I can't find any help.

Any ideas why this happens or how it can be fixed (without re-installing Windows).

Moe

Posted 2011-10-25T19:04:51.000

Reputation: 306

3Does it do this if you log in as another user? Do you have any mapped drives? Are you running any Windows 'tweaker' type programs? – Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 – 2011-10-25T19:11:41.040

I never use it as another user, so I wouldn't know (it doesn't happen immedaitely, so it would take me forever to figure that out). I have 1 mapped network drive. I am not running any tweaker programs. – Moe – 2011-10-25T20:48:35.777

Answers

I see this "problem" all the time at work on many different computers running Windows 7. I personally thinks it's a bug that hasn't been addressed my MS but it's mostly just a cosmetic problem. To remove these phantom Computer icons simply right-click on the desktop and choose Refresh and they will go away leaving you with 1 copy. The problem is they will appear again so you'll need to repeat the procedure.

bigWaveDave

Posted 2011-10-25T19:04:51.000

Reputation: 66

Your system may be pulling up both profiles! What I mean is, it may be pulling up your profile from the //x86/... folder, as well as your now default, Windows 64-bit, C://... Users/Yourname/.../Desktop... folder. Have you ensured that only one Users folder exits? Is there only one folder for your named profile?

That's what comes to mind first... the "without re-stalling Windows" solution. Hoping it's not something more serious.

Oscar

Posted 2011-10-25T19:04:51.000

Reputation: 19

What "//x86/" folder are you referring to? I have no idea what you mean by this. Also, there is no Computer shortcut in C:\Users\MyUsername\Desktop". I think the Computer icon is a special icon that doesn't refer to a shortcut on disk. (e.g. that's why there's no 'shortcut' arrow on the icon like there is on shortcuts) – Moe – 2011-10-31T20:40:08.033