Some Extra Large Icons appear Extra Small

This forum is really slow for login. Not just on my PC, but on the iMac and on a public library computer as well. And no, it's not "the infection." I finally made a new login on the Mac, finally it was working very quickly, BOOM, banned for multiple logins. However, my old account now somehow miraculously works. Is this some sort of Denial of Service attack? The other account ran so quickly! Might just be busy servers.

Anyhow, here's the ordeal.

I went back and ran the scanners they offered. Not once, or twice, but three times. I downloaded every scanner, ignoring the warnings about deleting my current anti-virus software (I get that now, some problem with multiple scanners slowing down the computer. Still, when a program asks to disable or delete anti-virus software, it's just not trustworthy.) I got multiple scans, some of them just blank logs, others having little things in them, like general cookies that I cleared with CCleaner or possibly unwanted programs that I did want (like JZip and WireShark.). Unfortunetely, they didn't detect much. Attached is one of the scans, which mostly has the AWDscanner's quarantined stuff in it. SUPERAntiSpyware picked up those cookies which I cleaned with CCleaner. ESET took forever to download its trial, but I ran it and I think it did catch three or four things and deleted them. I'll post the log when I find it. I ran all three Kaspersky scans, then I rescheduled the set of programs to run. Each scan did its thing, still I'm not seeing much. I did finally see some adware, boom, deleted.

Interestingly enough, I recognized one of the scans. I actually already own and use Malwarebytes, and it is one of the many programs that run according to schedule in my little morning cocktail. The other ones I looked up reviews for before I downloaded.

You must know how to use the customization tab to change the icon of any location, as you customize. I set the target to the real location where the icon is permanently saved.

You know how I was saying how much I love my icons? I made each one of them by hand locally using software, Greenfish Icon Editor Pro, and individually set the target in a real place on the computer where the icon is permanently saved. That took me three weeks. I've changed the folder and even remade some of the icons, doesn't make a difference. So definetely not this. By the way, thats 298 custom icons for those keeping track at home. I had to right-click, properties, change icon, find the path, and set the icon MORE than 300 times now. I had to delete 200 at an early stage and remake them. It's very ridiculous, and I just want to finish this so I can have a cool display case for when people come over. I have customized everything on the space I have partitioned for Windows 7 to be for gaming, even hooking up an amplifier to the computer with a $500 pair of headphones laying right beside it.

I've done deletion and recreation, even gone in and tested them. It must be a general problem, because when I shut down and start up the computer the icons which were rendered incorrectly switch. This is universal for all icons rendered in extra large size, except for system icons. Interestingly, the icons themselves display improperly, but don't match the broken icons in the folder full of shortcuts.

I've already done a ton of research and repairs in trying to figure out why they were breaking before I came here. This post (Multiple icons showing in smallest size when using Extra Large Icons) is the most relevent to my situation. However, the user who posted it eventually gave up and contacted Microsoft.

Attached is images of the folder where I did your test, Slartybart. The first image (The one with the icon of the Vortigaunt if you know what Half-Life is, otherwise it's the green icon) has a non-broken icon. The second I set the icon to a broken one (The one labeled 1916). It rendered just fine when I set, but when I restarted the computer it did not. Restarting the computer a few more times had it repaired temporarily.

I wonder if its a speed thing. When the computer starts, it renders all of its icons quickly. Maybe it runs out of time and thats why these icons are so small?

I'm at a loss. Any ideas?

Also, the attachment manager is completely blank. Guess I'll have to upload them later.

I gave it a shot. It organized my desktop alphabetically and changed the icons to all appear in the small size, but upon expanding them some remained small. I re-cleared the cache, still no effect. It doesn't look like it worked, thanks though. Any other ideas?

I will have to upload photos online and post links at a later time as well as try that method, but I might have figured out something.

I took the files which had broken icons at the time and I moved them out of the folder. Then, I selected every single videogame shortcut remaining and checked off read only. Then, I did the same for the icons, except leaving broken icons in there as they were needed for some of the working shortcuts to function. I then restarted the computer.

I've restarted it ten times now, as well as scanned multiple times, and so far the shortcuts set as read only seem to be still working. It might be too early to tell, but these preliminary findings are pretty cool!

Another thing I did was make the icon folder no longer hidden. Here are the paths:
C:\Users\Lok2\Desktop\Games
C:\Users\Lok2\Desktop\Games\Icons

I will restart and turn off the computer sixty more times, maybe it will work? I'll also add in the broken shortcuts and reset the icons, which will make them large, then make them read-only before restarting. I have more than thirty or so games sitting in an "unimplemented" folder I can test as well to confirm this theory.

Unfortunately, I have discovered something unsettling. Shutting down the computer doesn't change the icons, rebuilding the icon cache does. I was looking to fix the other icons, so I rebuilt the icon cache and restarted. Boom, icons set to read only were now rendering small again. The icons are still not fixed, and now more than fifty games are sitting in a folder waiting to be added.

I think I've tried everything. Should I give Microsoft a call?