# shortcuts don't work in Windows 10



## slaterish (Jul 30, 2015)

Just installed Windows 10 - totally successful BUT: no shortcuts/links work in start menu, desktop or taskbar except for links to modern UI apps. Even weirder - shortcuts work if palced in saem directory as the target file/exe but not if then moved elsewhere, like desktop. And even weirder - right clicking a short cut and selecting open or run as administrator don't work, but selecting 'run with graphics card' does work...

I've tried every conceivable setting and nothing works. going crazy. This is installed on a Dell laptop.

Please help....

don


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## Ent (Apr 11, 2009)

Well, I agree that it's weird. 
I'm as new to Windows 10 as you are, but let me see if I can work something out.

First of all, let's see whether the shortcuts themselves make sense. Please right click on a shortcut which doesn't work, go to Properties, and have a look at the Target and Start In boxes. What's there?

Second, let's just check the default path is still intact.
With any luck the run box will still work, so please try this. 
Press Windows + R to bring up the run box. 
Type *cmd* and press enter. 
In the command window, type *echo %path%
*Pay attention to the spaces and percentage signs. 
To copy the result into a reply, right click in window and click "Mark" Then click and drag over the text you want to select and press Enter.


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## slaterish (Jul 30, 2015)

Hi 

Was off grid for a few days so just saw your very helpful reply!

The shortcuts seem to have correct paths for both target and start in. Though are they supposed to be in " "? I'm unable to remove them in any case.

cmd works. I wasn't sure what to put in the %path% so below are a few alternatives.

Any ideas....???

C:\Users\Don>echo %path%
C:\Program Files (x86)\NVIDIA Corporation\PhysX\Common;C:\Program Files (x86)\In
tel\iCLS Client\;C:\Program Files\Intel\iCLS Client\;C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WIND
OWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Prog
ram Files (x86)\Windows Live\Shared;C:\Program Files\Dell\Dell Data Protection\T
SS\bin\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Acronis\SnapAPI\;C:\Program Files (x
86)\Pinnacle\Shared Files\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Pinnacle\Shared Files\Filter\;
C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\DAL;C:\Program File
s\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\IPT;C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\I
ntel(R) Management Engine Components\DAL;C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel(R) M
anagement Engine Components\IPT;C:\Program Files (x86)\Skype\Phone\;C:\Program F
iles (x86)\Calibre2\;C:\Program Files\Intel\WiFi\bin\;C:\Program Files\Common Fi
les\Intel\WirelessCommon\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Scapple;C:\Program Files\Intel\
WiFi\bin\;C:\Program Files\Common Files\Intel\WirelessCommon\

C:\Users\Don>echo %C:\Program Files (x86)\EndNote X7\EndNote.exe%
%C:\Program Files (x86)\EndNote X7\EndNote.exe%

C:\Users\Don>echo %"C:\Program Files (x86)\EndNote X7\EndNote.exe"%
%"C:\Program Files (x86)\EndNote X7\EndNote.exe"%


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## Ent (Apr 11, 2009)

Those both look irritatingly normal. Yes, quotes are expected. They deal with the problems you would get otherwise if there were spaces in the file path.

I've attached a zipped registry file containing the default handling for .lnk files from my own Windows 10 machine.

If that doesn't sort it out, do programs run successfully from the command line?
(That is, if you just typed in *"C:\Program Files (x86)\EndNote X7\EndNote.exe"* would it start the program?)


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## slaterish (Jul 30, 2015)

Yup - this is a weird one. Even weirder because no one else seems to be reporting this problem! Usually we all find the same bugs at once....

Yes programmes run successfully from the cmd line - no problem. Again even weirder: the same shortcut that won't run when I click on it on the desktop *will* run when I click on it in a file manager....

*However* - I just discovered that if I click "open file locatiokn" from the shortcut on the start menu, I get the following error message: The file doesn't have a program associated with it for performing this action. Please install a program, or if one is already installed, create an association in the Default Programs control panel.'

This is fairly weird - again, .lnk files do open successfully from everywhere except desktop, start and taskbar; and endnote is clearly set as a default progreamm....


the zip file you sent - what can I do with that? I'm fairly techie, but not sure where to start with this....

thanks again!

Don


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## Ent (Apr 11, 2009)

Just download the zip file and extract the reg file from inside.
Double click it and confirm through the prompts to merge the default keys into the registry.


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