How do I restore my desktop icon?

·         Tips 1 to 7: Managing Your Start Screen in Windows 8

·         The Complete Guide To Pinning Everything To The Windows 8 Start Screen
http://www.7tutorials.com/complete-guide-pinning-everything-windows-8-start-screen

·         Create Custom Windows 8 Start Screen Tiles For Programs, Folders & More

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9236188/10_Windows_8_tips_tricks_and_hacks?taxonomyId=125&pageNumber=5

Here are links to a few apps I’ve found that automate DIY tile creation. I’ve played with them briefly and generally like them, within their limits. I am not associated with any of these companies.

http://pocketnow.com/2012/10/16/how-to-make-your-own-windows-8-tiles

This link describes how to use a program called OblyTile to create Tiles with custom images. I did a quick test and it is very easy to use.

The program requires 2 sizes of PNG image files to create square and rectangular Tiles.  You can use the default Windows 8 Paint program to SAVE AS current JPG files into the 2 required PNG file sizes

Note:    do not add quotes around path names that have spaces. The applet will do this for you. If you do you will get a VB error.

http://apps.microsoft.com/webpdp/en-US/app/126b30ef-8e5a-4c45-ae49-8252c49f10af

This free Windows 8 Store app allows you to create a grid of tiles from any picture. You can associate web pages with each tile of the grid. I was not able to “convince” it into launching files on the computer.

http://www.ghacks.net/2012/10/04/start-screen-pinner-pin-anything-to-windows-8s-start-page/

http://winaero.com/comment.php?comment.news.140

With Pin to 8 you will able:

·         to pin ANY file regardless of its type;

·         to pin ANY folder;

·         to pin drive;

·         to pin Control Panel items, all them including some hidden like God Mode/All Tasks, Network Connections;

·         to pin Libraries;

·         to pin Shell Objects like Run command, "Show Desktop", Window Switcher;

·         to pin any folders or files with drag and drop. Drop them on application window.

http://www.ghacks.net/2012/11/19/tile-a-file-add-any-file-to-the-windows-8-start-screen/

This app allows you to navigate to pick a file on your system and give it a display name. You can choose which size tile you want to use. Much faster than the manual method I described. I didn’t see a method of customizing the image displayed.