It's possible the "real" desktop Recycle Bin icons have been hidden. Right-click on your desktop and select Properties. Then click the Desktop tab. Now click "Customize Desktop". Click General tab and select "Recycle Bin (full)" and click "Restore Default," Repeat for "Recycle Bin (empty). Click OK back to desktop. Reboot and see if the new Recycle Bin icon works now.

If not, maybe this will help. Go to Kellys Korner here and copy/paste the entire contents including all blank lines into Notepad. Save the file on your desktop as "recycle.reg". Be sure to put "   " around the file name so Notepad doesn't add .txt to the name. Now close all open apps and Windows. Double-click on recycle.reg and accept the offer to modify the Registry. Reboot when it's done and test the Recycle Bin again.

Ron

I worked both procedures without success.  In the second procedures the registry editor confirms that recycle.reg has been successfully entered into the registry.

I just put another shortcut on the Desktop from the Recycle programs file.  This one is labelled Shortcut to recyclebin.  However, when I click to activate it I get the "active content that could access your computer" challenge.  I did not go ahead with approval because I don't really know what this is.  The file address is:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Dell\Dell Dock\Shortcuts\Shortcut to recyclebin

Might this be what I am looking for?

See if there's any help from  Microsoft here: How do I make the Recycle Bin appear on my desktop in Windows Vista or XP?

There's a Fix It button on that page which may or may not do exactly what Kelly's Korner recycle.reg did, but may be worth a try.

Since this is a new system, and should be under warranty, you probably want to call Dell Tech Support. They'll likely tell you to run PC Restore to reset the hard drive to exactly the way they shipped it. That may solve the problem, but you'll need to back up all your personal files first (don't forget email address book and browser favorites lists). Any software and updates you installed will have to be reinstalled after running PC Restore.

Ron

Glad it's fixed now.

I'm curious to know what the "fix" program you ran is called. If you can think of the name of the program or find the name of the file you downloaded, or maybe the web page where you got it, it could be useful to help other people fix XP problems.

Ron

RoHe

Tech rep on line chat got it fixed.  Did not use PC restore but downloaded a program called something "fix".  It took nearly an hour.;  Still don't know what the problem was.  Registry was involved.  But now it is working.  Thanks for your help

Response to RoHe

I have the conversation log from the incident which Dell sent by email.  But alas, the "fix" program was run after the Dell  Rep took control of my computer. At that point the "log" came to an end.  It's like reading a book with the last chapter missing.

The "fix" link popped up while she was working and she punched on it quickly before I got the name fixed in my head.  I do not know that it was the "fix" program that did the trick.  She continued to work for quite a while after the "fix" episode so I don't know that the "fix" was really the fix. 

I made an effort to get back in touch this AM.  But the Dell Support defenses are just too much for me.  They don't  want to talk to anybody until you have been completely classified and channeled. 

In any case you did point me in the right direction for which I thank you.

Not to worry. I thought if you had the file name handy, it might be useful to have.  But thanks for trying to help. Always glad to hear that a problem has been fixed.

Hope you enjoy the new machine from here on. :emotion-21:

Ron