Repair Shortcuts

Introduction

The Windows operating system provides an excellent feature called shortcuts. Shortcuts are separate "links" to files and documents stored in other places on your system. Your Windows Start Menu is comprised of shortcuts pointing to various files elsewhere on your hard drives. Double clicking (or otherwise invoking) a shortcut automatically opens its corresponding application or document.

Sometimes, the "targets" of these shortcuts are moved or deleted, leaving the shortcut pointing to a file or location that no longer exists. These orphaned shortcuts can be confusing when they don't operate properly and can clutter your system as unnecessary or defunct debris. XP Tools provides you with a convenient way to deal with these orphaned files by scanning your system for them, and then optionally looking for the files to which they are supposed to link. If the previously linked file still exists on your system, you can automatically update the shortcut with the new information, or, you can choose to permanently remove broken shortcuts that are no longer necessary.

Screen Shots

How to Use

1. Where to look for invalid shortcuts:
   • Scan for invalid/broken shortcuts from Start Menu or Desktop
   • Scan for hard-disk drives specified
2. Scanning for invalid shortcuts:

   To begin scanning for invalid shortcuts click the "Scan" button. Shortcuts that are found to be invalid will be displayed in the lower area of the screen which provides the following information:

   • Name: This column provides you with the name assigned to the shortcut when it was created.
   • Target: The target is the file that the shortcut will attempt to launch when it is run.
   • Location: Location is the physical place on the hard drive where the shortcut file is kept.
   • Link Description: Link description is the description information that is optionally included with the shortcut when it is created.
3. Fix shortcut:

   If you come across such a link that you know the file it points to, you can fix this. Select the link, click "Fix As" button or right click and click on the "Fix As" option. Then browse and show the path to that file and XP Tools will fix the broken link for you.

4. Remove shortcuts:

   Select the Remove button to remove displayed shortcuts and files in accordance to your specified removal options:

   • Removing selected shortcuts: To select a single shortcut for removal, select it in the file list. To select multiple shortcuts for removal, hold down the Ctrl or Shift keys while selecting each entry.
   • Removing all shortcuts: Remove all displayed shortcuts and files.