Icon Cache - Rebuild

How to Rebuild the Icon Cache in Windows​

   Information

If one or more of your icons are not displaying correctly, or that your icon cache is corrupted, then you might consider rebuilding the icon cache to reset and reload the icon images into the icon cache in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8.

   Note

This will not help with any of the following icon issues:

• A shortcut's icon that is not displayed properly due to the source of the shortcut being moved or deleted. You may need to recreate a new shortcut directly from the source (ex: program's exe) file to replace it instead.
• All icons for a specific file extension display the wrong icon. This may be due to setting the wrong association for what program to open the file extension instead. You can restore the default file extension's associations to fix this icon instead.

OPTION ONE

Automatically Rebuild the Icon Cache

1. Click/tap on the download button below to download the file below.
Rebuild_Icon_Cache.bat

Download


2. Save the file to your desktop, and run it.

3. Click/tap on Run when prompted.

4. Follow the instructions in the command prompt to rebuild the Icon Cache. (see screenshot below)

5. Restart your computer to generate a new IconCache.db file.

6. If the icons are still not displaying properly, then download and merge the ICO option in this tutorial for Windows 7 or Windows 8 to restore the default associations of .ico (icon) files.

OPTION TWO

To Manually Rebuild the Icon Cache using the Command Prompt

1. Close and save anything that you are working on. This command will kill explorer and restart the computer when completed.

2. Open a command prompt in Windows 7 or Windows 8.

3. In the command prompt, Copy and paste each command line below exactly as is one at a time and press enter after each command.
:warn:WARNING: The last command will restart the computer, so be sure to close and save anything that you are working on first.

• ie4uinit.exe -ClearIconCache
• taskkill /IM explorer.exe /F
• DEL "%localappdata%\IconCache.db" /A
• DEL "%localappdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\iconcache*" /A
• shutdown /r /f /t 00

4. The IconCache.db file has now been rebuilt.

5. If the icons are still not displaying properly, then download and merge the ICO option in this tutorial for Windows 7 or Windows 8 to restore the default associations of .ico (icon) files.

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Change the Icon Cache Size in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8
• How to Clear and Reset the Thumbnail Cache in Windows 7
• Restore Default Windows 7 File Extension Type Associations
• How to Change or Restore Default Windows 7 Desktop Icons
• How to Restore Windows 7 Default User Folder Icons
• How to Change the Default Icon of a File Extension in Windows 7
• How to Reset the Favorites Favicons in Vista and Windows 7

 

[VistaKing]

anton

See if you could download the legit Office 2007 from the link below

:ar: Office 2007 Direct Download Links

 

[anton]

I've just noticed that excel icons are blank too. The problem happens only with MS OFFICE icons

So, I have to find the DVD of the OFFICE 2007 ENTERPRISE in order to repair Office icons

 

[VistaKing]

Yes the link above has a legit Office 2007 Enterprise iso that you could use to do a repair . If you need to do a reinstall use the Product Key you have .

But knowing the Enterprise version that version isn't sold in stores so where Key would be a Question of where did you receive that .

 

[anton]

Since I took my laptop to my dealer, my dealer reinstalled everything. My dealer did that due to a hard disk problem. Actually my dealer, replaced my laptop's hard disk.

So, do you know the steps how to find out my Product Key? Also, can you advice me the steps how to use the legit Office 2007 Enterprise iso in order to do a repair?

Thanks a lot!

P.S. I have done a RECOVERY DISK since I took my computer to my dealer. When the dealer replace my computer's hard disk and delivered it to me, I prepared the RECOVERY DISK (consists three DVD disks which have been saved to DVD.iso format!) IF I RUN THE RECOVERY DISK THEN I WILL LOSE MY FILES, DOCS, NEW PROGRAMS, LIBRARIES, DESKTOP, ETC?

 

[Brink]

Anton,

You can download a trial version of Office 2007 Enterprise at the Microsoft link below. You would just need to activate it with your product key before the trial period runs out.
Microsoft Office Enterprise 2007
Usually you will have an option to back up your current files during a factory recovery. To be safe, I would recommend that you manually back up anything that you do not want to lose.

 

[anton]

Anton,

You can download a trial version of Office 2007 Enterprise at the Microsoft link below. You would just need to activate it with your product key before the trial period runs out.Microsoft Office Enterprise 2007
Usually you will have an option to back up your current files during a factory recovery. To be safe, I would recommend that you manually back up anything that you do not want to lose.

Τhanks for the update! Do you know how to search my computer and find out the product key of Office 2007 Enterprise?

and which is the proper trial Microsoft Office Enterprise 2007 to Choose and download from that link: http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/cat/categoryID.62684700

Thank you in advance!

 

[Brink]

You might see if the free program Magic Jelly Bean may be able to let you see what it is.

 

[anton]

You might see if the free program Magic Jelly Bean may be able to let you see what it is.

Great soft! Indeed MAGIC!!


Now I must find out which is the proper trial Microsoft Office Enterprise 2007 to Choose and download (which I cannot find the link) from here: http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/...oryID.62684700

 

[Brink]

Anton,

Check your PM inbox.

 

[anton]

Anton,

Check your PM inbox.

Thanks a million man !!!

 

[Brink]

You're welcome.

 

[anton]

You're welcome.

From now on, Ι will trust only http://www.sevenforums.com

 

[FirstKnight]

Option 2 worked like a charm, Thanks

 

[fooonair]

awesome. this worked and the missing program icons in the taskbar re-appeared even without a restart

 

[netmouse]

I restored icons by simply renaming the IconCache.db to include the word old and restarted my laptop.

 

[Brink]

Hello netmouse, and welcome to Seven Forums.

That would work as well, but now you have an unneeded backup copy of your old corrupted icon cache taking up space on the HDD.

 

[netmouse]

That would work as well, but now you have an unneeded backup copy of your old corrupted icon cache taking up space on the HDD.

Not a problem at all. The file is only 167 kb (so tiny) and you can delete it. Right?

 

[Brink]

Correct, or use Option One in the tutorial to have it all done for you automatically.

 

[Semicharm]

This was what I needed. However, there's no need to reboot the entire system. Running explorer.exe as the last step is all that's needed to reload the user shell.

 

[Brink]

Hello Semicharm,

Yeah, sometimes that's all that may be needed if you just needed to have the cache cleared instead of rebuilt. I just include restarting the PC to be safe since it is needed to have the new hidden IconCache.db file recreated.