Desktop icons broken in windows 7

Hi on my mums laptop running windows 7 ultimate the desktop icons are showing as normal but there is a small white box with a blue bar at the top appearing in the bottom left hand corner of all icons other than my computer icon. I have tried two rebuild icon cache tools and fix broken shortcuts using advanced windows care but none of these worked. I also deleted an icon and replaced it with a new one and still the same. I done a quick scan with both malware bytes and super anti-spyware thinking it could be malware but scans all clear. I also ran microsoft fix it tool and it detected no problems.I am unsure what my mum has done to cause this any help appreciated. thanks!

Sounds like the Shortcut arrow. See here, see if it helps: How to Change, Remove, or Restore the Shortcut Arrow Overlay Icon in Windows

Normally, all icons that are links have the arrow. You must have done something at some time in the past to remove them and now for some reason whatever you did has been undone.

thanks! your a star it was a program called enhance7seven or something that messed it up. that tool you pointed me to worked a treat

Good, glad I could help.