Disabling the automated Maintenance Process

By default, Windows 7 automatically runs a system maintenance troubleshooter on regular basis to help prevent computer problems. It’s a proactive approach to clean up unused files and shortcuts, and perform other maintenance tasks. However, when users create shortcuts on their desktops that link to network shares, removable drives and other files and folders may end up deleted by this automated process.

To disable the automated computer maintenance process, go to Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Troubleshooting and click Change settings on the left, and set the Computer Maintenance to Off. Remember that you will be disabling all automated system maintenance tasks! A quick way to arrive to this setting, is by typing Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Troubleshooting in the Control Panel’s address bar.

Recommendation: If you would like to keep the routine computer maintenance process on and prevent it from deleting your desktop shortcuts you can move all your shortcuts to a folder on your desktop.