W7 Iconcache doesn't exist, won't rebuild, no start menu, need help

My desktop started having icon issues, so I did a little reading up and saw that it could help by deleting the iconcache.db file. I did so, and now my icons are completely gone. I can still see the text under the icons and can still access the programs, however they are running slower than normal.

Also, on a related note, nothing happens when I click the start menu button.

I am running Windows 7 Home Pro 64 bit. I have tried all the fixes to no avail, even launched in safe mode. Here is my video explaining my issue.

Thanks All!

Icon cache issue - YouTube

Tried both methods just now, neither worked.

After rebuilding the Icon Cache, re-delete it again, then log off and log back on.

If you ran the "Icon Cache - Rebuild" tutorial, can you go back into where you deleted your original iconcache.db file, and see if it was "rebuilt"? - yes, i can. it isnt.


It should be here: C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Local\IconCache.db it isnt


Scroll all the way down to where the individual files start, it is listed alphabetically.

Remember to go into Folder options to "unhide" it first, because it is a hidden system file. - unhidden

If it is check to make sure the Default program that associates with .ico files is Windows Photo Viewer. How to is shown here: Default Programs - Associate a File Type or Protocol it was, they still wont show

If they still will not show, the next thing to try would be to create a new user account because the one you have now may be corrupt: User Account - Create
Make it the same level as the one you have been using either Standard or Administrator.
Once you switch users; shown in step 8, use that new account to see if your icons have returned.

If everything looks okay then you can go back in to User Account - Delete, and delete the user account you were having problems with.

Remember to go back into Folder options to "hide" those system files. I created a new user account, same thing happened on the other account



After rebuilding the Icon Cache, re-delete it again, then log off and log back on.

It doesnt show up to delete in the first place

You can also force Windows to rebuild the proper iconcache.db by itself, without running the well-documented command-prompt series of commands.

If you change your color-depth on Display properties and re-boot, Windows will automatically rebuild iconcache.db (either replacing the one that exists, or creating one if none exists).

So you do it twice in succession:

(1) Right-click on desktop, select Screen Resolution, click "Advanced Settings", and then select the tab for your particular video driver which shows the "Colors" item. For my ATI video driver it is on the "Monitor" tab.

Click on the drop-down for colors and select "high color (16bit)". Ok your way out, and re-boot.

(2) After re-boot, repeat the process. This time change the colors back to the way they originally were by selecting "true color (32bit)". Again, ok your way out and re-boot.


This should force the creation of iconcache.db and icons for all of your objects and shortcuts.

I realize this post is pretty old, but wanted to let anyone with the same problem know that changing the color from high color back to true color worked for me. It was an easy-peasy fix :)

Thank you so much, dsperber!

Here I am over a year after venusc posted a "thank you" to dsperber, to also post a thank you!

I thought I'd tried everything to get my iconcache to rebuild, but nothing worked. Then I found this post and voila, my icons are back

The minute I selected High Color the icons appeared. So I canceled instead of "Keep These Settings", and the icons are still here. No multiple setting attempts, no reboots, no logoff. Sweet!

Thank you very much dsperber!!! I was going crazy over this one!!!