Hi all, can anyone help

Just got home and noticed all my icons on the desktop except Word and Excel documents have changed themselves to what looks like a flat sheet of paper with the corner turned over and three coloured icons in the middle. If i click on them then the application opens ok. Wot has happened and how do i fix it. Please help

That is what Windows usually displays when there is no application associated with a certain file type. Which icons does it do this with?

Try this:

Right click the Desktop and go to Properties. Click the Desktop Tab. At the bottom click Customise Desktop and then in the middle click the Restore Default button. Then click Ok and see if this has solved the problem.

Since you have Xp have you tried using a restore point in system restore.

pick a restore point when your system had no problems and see if that works, it saved my bacon more than once.

Start > Run > type: %systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe

pick the option > Restore my computer to an earlier time.

Click on the restore point and Windows will take you back when everything worked right.

Good luck