FIX: Windows XP Desktop icons suddenly disappeared

I run Windows XP NT on a laptop - I think I recently synchronised folders by accident and after wards, only a few icons appeared on my desktop - all others had disappeared. I searched the web but nothing seemed to help - turns out they had been converted to Hidden Files. This fixed it for me:

Under XP :
1. Go to Control Panel -
2. Select Folder Options - click - View -
3. Select 'Show Hidden Files'

Once selected, my hidden desktop items appeared through they were slightly 'greyed out'. Once at that stage:

4. Right click on icon and select 'Properties'
5. under 'General' tap de-select 'Hidden' - then click 'Apply' then 'OK'

Do this for each greyed out folder. If another pane appears select
'Apply changes to this folder & subfolders and files.'

When you're done, go back to 'Control Panel- Folder Options -View', and select 'Do not show Hidden Files.'

 

Any relation between this and the current ITW malware which exploits MS shortcut links?