Did you look in the RECYCLE BIN ?

If you can still open everything  from inside the folder,  it sounds like you didn't actually lose anything at all - you just moved something and the shortcut couldn't find it anymore.  Right click on the one that works, click "Create Shortcut", and you can put a new shortcut back on your desktop.

Yes, I tried my recycle bin but I am so thorough, I empty my bin everyday. What the problem is I can't open my photoshop program with my shortcut. It comes up files lost. I only can open it through my documents. thanks for the reply

No that did not help.  Thank you! When I click the application to open a message comes up "cannot start the application due to missing file or files". Please re'install. When I go to my change/remove program I click change and it tells me I will lose my whole photoshop files if I wish to remove and re'install. The only thing I can do is download pics to a disc and go for it. I have tried everything else.

DO YOU THINK ANY OF THE "FILE RECOVERY" DOWNLOADS MAY HELP?

I have tried everything! I even tried to re'install and it won't let me. I am so lost. Haven't had my computer very long and self teaching is not easy! Any more suggestion? Thanks bunches!

I'm not an expert on Photoshop but as a rule when you delete/reinstall an application it does not affect the files/folders you created with that application, only the application itself.

All Programs - Accessories - Windows Explorer - click Search - follow instructions.

 

If the files are there Windows Explorer should find them.

Edit - wasn't paying attention - system restore obviously didn't work.....

ok, I tried the search before and only came up with part of the files. the problem is I cannot open the program itself without re'installing it. If I re'install, I lose all my photos and data. I can't download to a cd because I cannot open the program. CATCH 22! Any other suggestions? Thanks for the help!

1; You can burn your photos and data to a CD with ANY burning program. You don't need Photoshop to do it.

 

2; If you can access the photos and data, COPY them to somewhere else such as MY PICTURES or MY DOCUMENTS. They will be safe there.

Arthr is technically right, but I think the problem is exactly how to do that if all the photo files were imported directly into Photoshop, there are no copies anywhere else, and you're not sure exactly which folders and which conventions Photoshop uses to store data files. Some applications do weird things with data, like putting them in obscure folders with proprietary extensions.   I don't know what Photoshop does, which is why I'm recommending finding an experienced Photoshop user.

Since this sounds like a Photoshop problem, and not an XP problem, I think you might have better luck at  www.adobe.com. 

 

Or you could post again in the Other Software section here - just be sure to include your PC model, your version of Photoshop, and version of XP (home or professional).

 

I empathize with your frustration (everyone's been new at this at some point) - sometimes it's just a matter of finding the right place to get the answer....

You are never going to believe this. I un-install the photo program and re-install it and all my pictures are still there. Don't know how that happened but grateful it did. I downloaded all my pictures to cd's first. This was my first time in the forum and I just want to thank all you guys who stepped in there and tried to help this "first time user". It is nice to know there is personal help out there. I am sure I will meet up with you again. Thank you so much!

Good for you!  Guess I was being overly cautious, but since you knew exactly which files you needed to back up, it's all good.  And thanks for letting us know!