1. What username do you have logged in? (Click the Start button and note
the name at the top of the menu that appears).
2. Select Start then Control Panel; if you see "Pick a category", select
Appearance and Themes, then Display; if you do not see "Pick a category",
double-click Display; click the Desktop tab, then Customize Desktop... at the
bottom of that window; then make sure all the icons you want on your desktop
are selected.
The reason for step one is to make sure that you're logged in as the same
user that initially configured the system; if you are not, disregard step two
and sign back in as the original user. All your settings should still be
intact (probably under Administrator after an initial setup), so check that
first and post back if neither step works.
