I can't open some icons from my desktop?

[Thomas00]

Hi, guys!

So, recently it seems that I've been unable to open certain icons on my desktop. I can open things like the Recycle Bin, my anti-virus software, Windows Movie Maker, things like that. But I can't open things like Steam, or various games that I've downloaded from Steam. I think it's got something to do with the fact that I've recently tried to uninstall a program I didn't use anymore (some software downloaded from the internet) and I guess I did something wrong because when it finished uninstalling it also changed the resolution on my screen drastically, and since then some things haven't been working. I mentioned that Windows Movie Maker opens, but each time I open it, I get a message that says "Sorry, Movie Maker can't start. Make sure your computer meets the minimum system requirements before trying to start Movie Maker again, and then try to update the driver for your video card if Movie Maker still doesn't start." That being said, earlier in the week I had a similar issue with a Steam game, it said something about not having enough space on my video card to be able to run the game. Now it just doesn't work. 

I have no idea what to do, guys, any ideas...?

Thanks!

EDIT: When I say I can't open many icons on my computer, I mean that I'll double click, I'll see the Loading Circle for half a second, and then nothing happens. In contrast, things like Movie Maker will at least give me a prompt and an icon on my taskbar, unlike the rest of them. 

[Photoray002 · Accepted solution]

Hello Thomas00

So you are saying you installed something from the internet, then uninstalled it but you dont know what it was?

Doing so altered your screen resolution, games wont start including Steam and programs like Movie maker wont open.

Theres no way of me knowing what you did. 

I can only recommend 2 things. 

1. Try reverting back to a previous system restore point.

or

2. Recover back to factory settings with HP recovery media. (Best but takes longer)

You will want to have any important files backed up to an external drive.

Also you will have to reinstall any third party programs you previously installed.

If you have not created your HP recovery media, you need to do so now if it will work well enough to do it.

http://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c01867124

Let me know if you have further questions or problems.

[Thomas00]

Hi!

Thank you so much for your answer. It wasn't that I installed something and then uninstalled something and didn't know what it was, it was just that I knew what I installed and I knew that I wanted to uninstall it but in the process of uninstalling it I suppose I accidentally uninstalled a bunch of other things too. I'm not exactly sure how, but not being very tech-savvy runs in my family (my sister recently did something similar and she claims she accidentally uninstalled the Internet). But I just did a System Restore on my computer, and it seems to have worked!! Thank you so much for helping me, I really appreciate it. 

Have a good day! Thank you again!!

-Tom

[Photoray002]

Your welcome and glad its working now.

I will still urge you to create your Recovery Media and store it in a safe place, in case of a future problem.

Creating Recovery (Windows 7)

Cheers.

[Thomas00]

Thanks!! I will.