Every 60 days, Windows XP checks the last accessed date on your desktop shortcuts and offers to remove the icons that have not been used in the last 60 days. If you let it remove the icons, they are moved to the C:\Documents and Settings\<UserName>\Desktop\Unused Desktop Shortcuts folder, so you can restore them. Windows XP creates a shortcut to this folder on your desktop.
To stop the Automatic Desktop Cleanup wizard from running every 60 days:
1. Right-click a blank area on your desktop and press Properties.
2. Select the Desktop tab.
3. Press the Customize Desktop button.
4. Clear the Run Desktop Cleanup Wizard every 60 days box on the General tab of the Desktop Items dialog.
5. Press OK, Apply, and OK.
NOTE: In the future, you can press the Clean Desktop Now button on the General tab of the Desktop Items dialog.
NOTE: See tip 5793.
