Here are some really awesome post-reformat problems!! (persistent AOL shortcut)
 

Fuck this is annoying. After a lengthy reformat and reinstall last night, every time I restart my computer that damn Free AOL and Unlimited Internet shortcut appears on my desktop and in my favorites menu:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/eea76/aolshit.gif


Where do I go to disable this shit?

Looks like you already got owned by some annoying Adware.

Use Ad-aware and/or Spybot S&D to get rid of it. And don't use IE next time.

Are you kidding me.
And I made sure to get Firefox as soon as possible (though the shortcut icons still say IE).

Sorry I was assuming things. I did a quick research on the matter and it seems the icon and shortcut are included in a standard fresh installation of Windows (unconfirmed). It should be possible to get rid of these by booting into safe mode and deleting them with an administrator account.

Alright.
And then back to my question: where do I go to delete this? Simply deleting the shortcuts in safe mode won't take care of it, will it?

Actually, it should. Either that or these shortcuts are created via autostart. I really have no clue where they're coming from, so I still advise the Ad-aware and Spybot scanning as well.

Question: Did you install AIM? Cause AIM adds all those links.

No. This shit was was on my desktop the very second I started Windows for the first time.

All those shortcuts normally are a link to c:\program files\AOD\

And the only way I've seen them installed is by installing AIM.

>_>;;

Well.
Looks like the problem has gone away. I didn't do anything... the shortcuts just stopped appearing. Fuckin' Windows.
Thanks for your assistance.

There is a folder in documents and settings called \all users\
this folder is used primarily for programs that need to give access to multiple users ( after those accounts have been created .. if it is to be done at account creation only those shortcuts would reside in \default user\"

so browse on in to c:\documents and settings\all users\desktop and see if the icons are there. If they are delete them.

Oh that AOL On Desktop crap appears in more places than that.

Desktop
Start Menu
Favorites
Links
Programs Menu

...I think that's it...