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

[judechar]

When I select a shortcut icon and go to change it by right clicking on it, then clicking on properties,and then in web document, I click on change icon and on some of the icons I only get five icons to pick from and not the usual larger amount of icons.

This is the address shown for the five icons shown for the five icons.

C:\Windows\System32\url.dll ................................. Only five icons

And on some shortcuts, I get the normal amount of icons
　
%SystemRoot%\system32\SHELL32.dll................ This one has all the icons which is normal.

Please help. Thank you.

 

[mitchell65]

Hi and welcome to the Forum. It depends which icons you wish to change! What type of shortcut is it, a web site or a program or perhaps a shortcut to a folder or file?

 

[judechar]

They are icons going to web sites.

 

[mitchell65]

Right click the ion, then Properties, click "Change icon" If you don't see a choice of icons then browse to C:\Windows\System32\imageres.dll or C:\Windows\System32\shell32.dll
You can also create new icons if you wish. Let me know if you would like the procedure!

 

[judechar]

when I go to %SystemRoot%\system32\SHELL32.dll this give me a lot of folders and some icons. How do I return the right click to return to normal with the usual large amount of icons..? And yes, I would appreciate your offer to show me how to add new icons.

 

[mitchell65]

Sorry I am confused. In the icons window you only get images of icons. It can't show folders in that window. Could you post a screenshot of what you are seeing and say what type of icon you are right clicking. Is it a web page shortcut or what? You should be seeing this:

 

[derekimo]

These may be of assistance as well,

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/53402-shortcut-change-icon.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/60274-internet-website-shortcut-create.html

 

[judechar]

Here is what I get.

555 is the five icons

666 is the regular icon group.

 

[mitchell65]

But you have not browsed to the correct folder in the 555 screenshot. It is not showing the shell32.dll file but url.dll. Just browse to folder i said and the icons will appear!

I can get that too if i use the "url.dll" file like this:

 

[judechar]

Here is what I get when I paste that url in .

 

[mitchell65]

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

 

[judechar]

Thank you. That works but is it possible to have that come up when I again click the "change icon" button ;so that, I won't have to keep scrolling all the time to find that file?

 

[mitchell65]

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.

 

[judechar]

That is the answer. In all my years on the computer, I was never aware of this. Thank you so much for your help. I really appreciate your time.. Charlie

 

[mitchell65]

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?

 

[judechar]

I would love to continue as you suggest and once again, "Thank You" for your kindness.

 

[mitchell65]

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

 

[mitchell65]

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]

Thanks ! I will give it a try.

 

[mitchell65]

Thanks ! I will give it a try.

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