Cool;  you can also use google dns at: http://code.google.com/speed/public-dns/
Note: if you use services by your internet provider...like news groups or use local content, can stop working for days when local network changes occur.   in that case, i recommend keeping your secondary dns search ip to something your provider provides.

Lastly, i've stopped using spybot immunization on my slow machine at work.  i find myself removing a lot of programs i once thought would help.

Dude.   Works great.   i loaded the program and all of the icons came back.
Oh and those other two items...they were html web pages so the properties for those shortcuts could be where that '\' came from.
Thanks again.