Vista has hijacked my desktop!

So recently on my notebook, after downloading the new CCl while sandboxed, I couldn't recover the file to the desktop which is the norm. I eventually just ran the file. I posted a shot of the "You need permission to perform this action" text box on the Sandboxie forum, thinking something had changed in Sandboxie and tzuk asked "what happens if I try to make a new folder?" Well I got the same message. So I started searching and this message is a common problem for many file and folder functions, e.g. opening, deleting, etc. Even though I have administrator privileges and have UAC (apparently it has nothing to do with it) disabled. I ran a cmd prompt that allows me to log on strictly as adm but that competely messes up the desktop with all kinds of icons of programs I only occasionally use and missing all my normal icons. I've tried all kinds of fixes to no avail. I really had never gotten into the "I hate Vista" frame of mind but I'm there now!