How do I fix changing my desktop shortcut icons...?

That's the system32 folder that you have opened, not the shell.dll file.Don't copy nd paste anything. Just do what i said earlier. Click Change Icon and then Click the Browse button and navigate to C:\Windows\System32\shell.dll

If you close the window showing that file then next time you hit the change icon that same dll file should open. But only if you hit the same icon on the desktop each time. Different types of icons will show different files in that box. Try all your icons to see what I mean.

Happy now we have that problem resolved. The next stage is to look at the free and commercially available icons and creating your own custom icons. Would you like to continue?

OK Will post more later. Am off my PC till this evening. (GMT)

Back again for a short spell. We will look at the easy par which is creating an icon but first you might like to look at this:
change icons using resource hacker.
That i how the new icon is imported into your system. Not as you wil see for the faint hearted. Have a look and see if you are happy to give it a go. DONT FORGET TO SAVE A BACK UP OF THE 'imageres.dll' file first. Personally I would create a system back up image first with Macrium Reflect of whatever you choose as your image back up system.

judechar said:

Thanks ! I will give it a try.

OK But please do not skip creating a back up. This is most important!