Icons do not Display After Moving Programs to Other Partition

Hello users of Windows Seven Forums! I am User!

I am having a problem which I actually caused myself, and now do not know how to fix.

I will write the short version and the long version.

SHORT VERSION:
What Happened: New PC with HDD and SSD. Windows on SSD. HDD with multiple partitions, later wanted it to be only one. made nw partition, and copy-pasted everything there, including the programs and games.
Consequences: They all work propperly, but icons don't display. Instead, most programs have a white paper icon. Not just those which I moved, also the ones on SSD. Also, when new prog. is installed the also have wrong icon.
How I tried to fix this: I tried properties>change icon.. way, didn't work; tried reinstalling the programs; did something with task manager to clear icon cache (I think); and also tried cleaning/repairing the registry with TuneUp Utilities. Nothing worked.

For details, please read the
LONG VERSION

What happened:
I built myself a computer with an SSD and an HDD in it. On the SSD I got my Windows (7) installed, and on the HDD I made several partitions ('Media', 'Programs', 'Games', 'Stuff'). I also installed some often-used programs on the SSD, but most went to the HDD. Then, I realized that I often have to copy-paste/move files from one partition to another, and since they are separate partitions this takes more time. So, I decided to make one partition for the whole HDD and make folders inside of it for my Media, Games, etc. And so I did, I created a new H:/ partition, moved everything to the appropriate place, removed old partitions, and expanded this one to the whole HDD. How I moved programs: copy-paste. Yes, I just copied the whole 'Program Files' to the new partition. I read somewhere that programs do not hav0+e problems with this, but later realized that whoever wrote that was mistaking.

Consequences:
All the programs and Games that I moved work perfectly, but the icons don't.
Most of my programs now display a 'blank white paper' icon. Not only the ones I copy-pasted, but also some which were on the SSD and stayed there the whole time. ALSO, not only the programs which I installed before the moving, but also now when I install any program, anywhere, it has a blank paper icon.

Like this (Desktop):



Also in Start Menu:


All papers! It's so annoying!

What I noticed afterwards is, that even on the install folder where the original .exe files of these programs are, even the .exe themselves have this paper icon:




How I tried to fix this:
#1:
The first thing I did was right click >Properties>'Shortcut' Tab>Change Icon...
I get this:



The first icon is the default one that should be displayed, so I click on it and click OK. But, the icon on the Desktop/StartMenu/InstallFolder (tried everywhere) still stays the paper icon. The other icons work, but not the first one, the default one.

#2:
I tried reinstalling the program, changing the icon afterwards in the properties, but still nothing.

#3:
I tried something with ending explorer.exe in task manager then giving some command to delete icon cache or something.. I'm not sure; I found it on another forum.

#4:
I tried using TuneUp Utilities to clean/fix my registry, as someone on another forum suggested me to do. I did so, and there was even a special option to fix 'icons not displaying properly', but unfortunately even this did not work for me.

-- Then I started trying the most dumb things, just in case.. like running as admin, running in different compatibility modes..

Help me:
This has been going on for a few months already, and I just couldn't find any solution; and neither could anyone who tried to help me. This is the first time I explain in full detail what the problem is.
What I thought of is that I could reinstall my Windows, and then reinstall all the programs too (which would be a real pain in the butt, because I have a lot of stuff).
But then, a previous problem would motivate me to spend time on reinstalling Windows, and that problem is:
when the guys in the shop were building my comp. they did a messy job. I found a 100MB piece called 'System Reserved' - on my HDD - and Windows is installed on the SSD!
The description of this little 'partition' says: 'Healthy (System, Active, Primary Partition)'. This does not cause any problems, people say, and I only cannot remove my HDD now. But it would be better if it was together with othe Windows stuff on the SSD. But this is not the main problem now.

So please, super please, try to help me solve this, because this is really annoying, especially when I open the wrong program on the Taskbar..

HUGE thanks to anyone who solves this, or at least helps a little bit.

-User

I Am User said:

#4:
I tried using TuneUp Utilities to clean/fix my registry, as someone on another forum suggested me to do. I did so, and there was even a special option to fix 'icons not displaying properly', but unfortunately even this did not work for me.

Oh shoot, I was gonna suggest this.

First off, kudos on a well-formatted post/question. Appreciate your tl;dr as well. :)

I used to rebuild icon cache with IconTweaker all the time. It's an old program, but see if you can get something from it. Good luck!

Unfortunately..

AddRAM said:

Icon Cache - Rebuild

But you may have to start re installing the programs to get your icons to show up properly.

That is after you un install them and remove every folder and registry setting left behind.

Did that, and cleaned registry, and reinstalled.. no fix

---

kathy025 said:

IconTweaker

It's 'not available for my version of windows'.. perhaps that thing's too old?
Thanks for trying to help tho.

badger906 said:

firstly follow the destructions on this page Thumbnail Cache - Clear and Reset

if that doesnt work, click start>all programs then right click command prompt and click run as administrator.

[...]

Tried both, but nope.. thanks

----

I also tried this: Default File Type Associations - Restore

paper icons only appear for .exe files and .zip files. I see all other icons, e.g. .txt lined papers, folder icons, the little image icons beside images, etc.
.. and some rare .exe-s display their icons properly.. (chrome, notepad, my computer..)

hmm.. only the system stuff that comes with the PC is right.. but then, chrome was installed later and it still displays its icon -- everything else that is installed separately has paper icons...

I cleaned/fixed my registry twice already, but nothing.
Also, apparently clearing and rebuilding icon cache doesn't help..
Now I'm defragmenting my HDD with TuneUp utilities. I'll see if this helps (don't know why it would).

Thanks to all for replying, and please give more suggestions.. if you have any.
Rep to everyone :)

Should I do a Repair Install?
This: Repair Install

Could this be a problem if I have retail OEM Windows?

Just found this:

BatchIconExtractor:
Batch Icon Extractor - Free download and software reviews - CNET Download.com

It is a way to half-fix my problem. It extracts .ico icon files from a .exe file, which one can then use later in properties>change icon.

But like this I have to change the icon manually for every shortcut I make.

Still, the original .exe files in the installation folder of the program stays a white paper and this I cannot change manually in properties.

... thinking: if I can extract the .ico files from the .exe-s and then use them, it means they exist and work/are not corrupt or whatever! So why can't the shortcuts/.exe-s just use them while they are inside the .exe??

There must be some setting that .exe files use the icons inside themselves.

Last 2 posts are by me.. is anyone else there? Please help