Pat, you can create a shortcut to EXPLORER this way: On your Desktop, right-click on an empty area. In the pop-up menu, click on NEW and then SHORTCUT. In the little box titled: "Type the location of the item," enter the following information in one line: C:\windows\explorer.exe /n,/e,C: There has to be a space between explorer.exe and the slash mark before the n. Pay close attention to the different directions of the slash marks. Click on NEXT. Accept Explorer.exe as the shortcut name or shorten it just plain "Explorer" depending on your preference. Click on FINISH. You will now have your Desktop icon back. If you have WINDOWS in a different folder on your computer, just change the above location address to match the one on your computer. From then on, open EXPLORER by using the Shortcut. Lance -----Original Message----- From: PatCassdy@aol.com [mailto:PatCassdy@aol.com] Sent: Tuesday, 19 July 2005 11:40 PM To: SENIOR-NEWBIE-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [SR-NEWBIE] make shortcut for windows explorer In Windows XP you have to go through My Computer to get to Explorer. At one time a helper set it to a shortcut (without asking me) and that is what I have used since windows came out. After a hd format it is not a shortcut. I have tried the usual way to make a desktop shortcut but it doesn't work. Any ideas? Pat