dead desktop icons

My icons inexplicably die, and are immune to clicking and dragging. However, the identical apps open easily from the start menu. I purged spyware and adware as suggested in another post, but the problem remains. Help!!

You're pc just isn't locking/freezing up is it??
My pc locks up a lot which in tern kills my icons..

If you right click an icon, and select propeties, does it show the correct path?
If so, it looks like maybe your .lnk associate has been lost. You can get this back through some very extensive registry editing. But I have attached a .reg file which may help.
Unzip it and run it. You may need to restart the computer so that the registry can be read again.
As you have read so many time, it is wise to make a backup of your reg, before commiting any changes. If you do not know how to do this:
Type regedit in the Start.
Left click, in order to select the whole reg, Computer (At the top)
Open "File" and choose "Export"

Choose a suitable location and give the saved file a suitable name.
When and if you have problems, with any editing you do, always follow this procedure. Choose import, instead of export and the registry is restored to its stae before alterations.

Thanks. In trying your suggestions, i restarted and was surprised that the icons worked (properiies and all) - for a short while. Then they bogged down again. Does this tell us anything?