I've been reading around on this topic & find most content relevant to IE or desktop icons in response to requests for how to change/delete these icons.

Few others are about installations gone bad that change all icons to execute one thing or another.

What I'd like to know is, on what action(s) does Vista decide to change a directory icon to a shortcut icon & why?

Got a laptop with Vista Business (x32) pre-installed & I use it as little as possible because it's rediculously unintuitive.

Even doing a search on this icon behavior has taken more time reading than the knowledge is worth. I do not want to be an IT expert when I grow up. I shouldn't have to study as if I did just understand the daily events of my OS. ('nuf sniveling)

Any insight into what Vista is actually doing that makes directory icons change to shortcut icons so I can stop/reverse that action, would be gratefully received. It is not lost on me the enormity of knowlege on this forum & the vast amounts of time it took to acquire it.

Thank you kindly for your time & consideration.
Hoppy