Desktop Icon Restores its self after deletion

I have a simple configuration question. I want to remove the desktop icon. I like the tray icon and don’t need/want the desktop icon cluttering up my desktop space but it restores it self after each update and when the system restarts. I have deleted the desktop icon multiple times (have a bout 4 currently floating in my trash bin). I have checked the settings but there are only options for the tray icon which i like. I’m not sure if there is another configuration option available and i did not want to go poking around the registry if i did not have to. Is there something I’m missing (I feel that getting a desktop icon to go away should not be this hard…) or is there a reason im not aware of that the icon keeps coming back?

Specs:
recently re-imaged XP64
avast! 7.0.1474

Thanks!

The icon is restored only if a program update/repair is executed. Is it coming back each boot?

Yes after each boot.

Repair avast!: 1. Control Panel -> Add/Remove programs -> avast! 2. Click on 'Repair'. 3. Follow instructions. 4. Reboot.

Or make an installation from scratch.