Windows 7: Help! - How do i restore default icons?

Please help!
Quite some time ago i tried out the Alienware theme and it changed all the folder & shortcut icons. I decided i didn't like it too much so i uninstalled it but the icons remain changed and were not reverted back to the default Windows ones.

I've just found this forum and have tried several suggestions in other posts like removing the icon cache etc, with no success. The only thing i managed to do successfully is to change the shortcut icon back to the default one by editing the windows registry and specifing the use of shell32.dll,29 in the Explorer\Shell Icons section (found this tip in the forum).

All the 'Folder type' icons still use the Alienware theme - Can someone please let me know how i can revert them back to the default type, even if i have to download an original file replacement (imageres.dll?) or even if someone can supply me with a list of entries i need to edit in the Registry (tedious, but i'm desperate).

Hello Rick, and welcome to Seven Forums.

You might see if running a SFC /SCANNOW command may be able to help since it will restore the default system files if any of them were modified for the theme. You may need to run it a few times though if it can't fix something at first.

If quite some time ago hasn't been to far back, then you could also do a system restore using a restore point dated before you installed the theme to undo it.

If all else fails and you have a retail copy of Windows 7, then you could do a repair install that should be able to fix it.

Thanks for the *very* quick reply.
It's been several months since i installed/removed the Alienware theme so System Restore is not an option.
I'm away for the weekend so i can't try running SFC /SCANNOW or Repair Install from my original Windows 7 DVD for a few days, but if i manage to find which solution fixes this, i'll post the results so other people may find this helpful if they do a search for "Restore Icons" or "Alienware" like i did.

Hello and welcome aboard , Rick

Alienware modded all your icons, and so thse are not present in your system any more . System restore or sfc /scannow should not work in such a situation . You do have three alternatives to apply.

1. Repair Install, as Shawn suggested .

2. Icons - Change Using Resource Hacker and Folder Icon - Change Default Icon . (You will need the default icons for this option. If you opt for it, I'd supply those to you)

3. Replace the Imageres.dll with the supplied (from my computer, 32 bit, as yours) one in imageres.rar ; follow the steps from 6 to 8 of the tutorial Folder Icon - Change Default Icon to know how to do the change and how to make the change effect.

In this situation, the easiest option for you is option 3 . Best of luck

Or you could try this icon pack installer. What it does is install back Win 7's default icons.

Remember to run it as administrator.

WooHoo! The Icons are fixed!

Many thanks to Brink, Arc, and D3ftOn3Z for their helpful suggestions.

For anybody else who's run into a similar problem and want's to know how i fixed it, I simply tried the easiest suggestion first which for me was Step 3 in Arcs' post, Download and replace the Imageres.dll file, delete the Icon Cache & Thumbnails files, then reboot the PC

...considering i checked out the icons inside Imageres.dll and found them to be modified by the Alienware theme, i was reasonably sure this was the file that needed replacing back to original. I was not sure if registry entries were modified also - it seems not as everything is back to normal by following the above steps.

- Thanks everyone.

That's nice Rick !! But frankly speaking, D3ft0n3Z's option was even easier, and I was not aware of that thing .

For the next time, if you install Alienware or Stardock Iconpackager once again , get back to the default icon profile before uninstalling it

Np, glad to help. Btw do make backups of original files if you're changing it manually.

That's a great solution there D3ftOn3Z.

I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted Rick.

Ayie's link made life with icons problem easier . I wish I could know coding
Everytime such things makes me feel I should know it .