Windows 7 taskbar creating double Google Chrome icons

I started having profile errors with Chrome on Sunday. I uninstalled and reinstalled Chrome but that didn't solve the problem. I managed to get rid of it by deleting the user and creating a new user. Then Chrome started launching a second icon from the taskbar. I've unpinned it/repinned it, pinned it to the taskbar from the Start menu and it still keeps doing it.

Any help would be appreciated,

I don't know if it will solve this problem, but generally I've found installed chrome has issues. What I did is unpack a chromium snapshot under a user folder. I use C:\Utils for small utilities that don't need to be installed. Not being under Program Files the Windows system doesn't mess with the folder. But that's an aside. If you get the chrome-win32.zip file instead of installer, then unzip it to a new folder while the old chrome is still installed on your system, it should automatically pick up your bookmarks and settings.

Once you have it running correctly, remove the installed chrome.

If you try any of the chromium snap shots, the bleeding edge new versions, it's a good idea to back up your AppData\Local\Chromium folder as well as the folder that has the exe(the one you unzipped into.) That way if you get a bug you can just copy the saved folder contents back over. I keep a save folder for each chromium major version number I try such as 21.x 22.x etc..

It sounds complicated but I've been running chromium from snap shot zip files for over a year. It's just as stable as the production version unless you encounter a big bug. I keep the zip files with the version and build embedded in the name. If I have to go back to a known working version and my backup folders got hosed I can just unzip.

If you have LastPass and use bookmark sync the only thing you might lose is extention updates(but even those should be good if your back up folder scheme is kept current.)

I'm using 21.0.1156.0 chromium snap shot now. I've been running it since the end of May 2012. It's nice and solid.

edit: you don't have to use a snap shot. You can get chrome-win32.zip download from major sites like Softpedia. But if you want to try the newest you can get snap shots here:

Chromium Snapshots

I've just found an easy fix from Superuser.com. Please check the steps here : Google Chrome pinned to Windows 7 taskbar not opening under pinned icon - Super User
1. Start Google Chrome (this creates a "new" Chrome taskbar icon)
2. Right click on the "new" icon and select "Pin this program to taskbar"
3. Go to: C:\Users\YourUserName\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar
4. You will see the two pinned "Google Chrome.lnk" here. Delete the "Google Chrome.lnk"
5. Make "Google Chrome (1).lnk" readonly: Right Click -> Properties -> General tab -> tick Read-only -> Click OK

@ketcapli nice fix. Although I still think it's a good idea to avoid installed chrome due to other issues. But I haven't kept up on stable google chrome. I've been using chromium since it side-steps many problems and privacy issues. Although if you use google search privacy is likely hosed right then anyway.

Go to: C:\Users\YourUserName\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar
Rename Google Chrome (2) to Google Chrome (1)

Done!!

This solved the 2 icon problem for me..

I used Search on the Start Menu to look for chrome.lnk

It showed two chrome icons in the results, and I deleted them both.

I then used the Search box again to search for chrome.exe

It brought up a Windows Explorer window with the Chrome icon next to the word Internet.

I double clicked that and it ran Chrome. When I exited, the single Chrome icon was back in place in my Taskbar. Fixed!

No idea how or what I did, but the end justified the means... Hope it helps somebody else!

Delete double Chrome icons on task bar

Minor clarification to posting by keithg.

Click on Start Menu, and enter chrome.lnk in the search box.
Two Chrome listings will appear.

Right click on each chrome listing and select delete.

Enter Chrome in the Search box and click on it to open Chrome.

Right Click on the single Chrome icon now in the task bar and Click on "Pin to task bar."

Now only a single Chrome icon will appear when Chrome is opened.