Solved Desktop Icon Displays Wrong

[murray2552]

I have a pretty simple issue, but its bugging me..
I just got a new PC with windows 7 and got everything up and running fine, but the only problem is my Windows Live Mail desktop icon is replaced with a broken link or unrecognized file icon. The program functions fine, and if I right click on the shortcut and go to change icon, the right icon is displayed there.. but it doesn't appear on the shortcut. Same deal in my Programs folder and pinned to the taskbar. I attached screenshots to show what I mean (the desktop shortcut is under the open window).

Any quick fixes or does anyone know where the icon image is located so I can switch it to something else, then back to its default image?

 

[IownAmoneyPit]

I have a pretty simple issue, but its bugging me..
I just got a new PC with windows 7 and got everything up and running fine, but the only problem is my Windows Live Mail desktop icon is replaced with a broken link or unrecognized file icon. The program functions fine, and if I right click on the shortcut and go to change icon, the right icon is displayed there.. but it doesn't appear on the shortcut. Same deal in my Programs folder and pinned to the taskbar. I attached screenshots to show what I mean (the desktop shortcut is under the open window).

Any quick fixes or does anyone know where the icon image is located so I can switch it to something else, then back to its default image?

You could try this tutorial Icon Cache - Rebuild first and if that doesn't work post back as others may have other ideas.

 

[Brink]

Hello Murary, and welcome to Seven Forums.

If the above doesn't help, then try going through the steps completely to change the icon to the correct default icon about 2 to 3 times to see if that may toggle the default icon to display again.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[davehc]

Quick fix could be to make another shortcut.
go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Live\Mail, right click wlmail.exe and pin it to the taskbar and also to the start menu.
That must work, but if it doesnt, right click and drag and drop (copy - do not Move!)

 

[murray2552]

Thanks guys, but the problem is that the icon within my programs file is also displaying the wrong image. That second image I attached is the icon within programs(x86)... I'll try this icon cache thing and get back to you guys.

If I knew where I could find the icon image, I could re-link it, but I can't find it anywhere.

 

[murray2552]

I didn't realize that was going to be such an easy process or I would've done it before the first response. Clearing the cache worked perfectly- Thanks!

 

[Brink]

I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted Murray.

 

[maplelady]

This happened to me with win 7 pro - I followed your instructions to Programs - windows live - mail - to the next you mentioned and dragged icon to desk top and it worked and I added to task bar - thank you so much... I like WinXP better and Outlook Express as I could create neat emails and send pictures better. I dislike the changes year after year - why not just improve what we have and stop Microsoft from being greedy. It fries your brain always changing - I suppose they know that. I found this post 565 days later by asking the question to Google.

 

[chris2u]

I recently had the problem similar to murray2552 where most of my desktop Icons were overshadowed by the unrecognized file icon, but you could still see the real icon behind it.
In icon properties, the icon would display OK....Removing and remaking the shortcut did no good,, neither did deleting and remaking the icon cache....Even a System Restore was of no avail

Then I found this very old topic that probably applied to Windows 98 or at least XP !...But it did the trick !

From Control Panel, select "Display"....There are three sizes of display you can have...Select "Larger"(or a different one than you have) and "Apply"....It will get you to log off and then when you log back on, hopefully, you icons will be larger but all good..
You can then go back to "Display" and set thing back how you wish..."Apply" and log off/on and all should be well..
It was hard to find this solution, so thought I would post it here as it could prove of benefit..
And this topic got found fairly easily in a Google search for the problem