It could be from a number of things for the icon cache from drive corruption of where the IconCache.db file is located at on the drive, to just simple corruption.
The shortcut could lose it's association if the source file was moved or deleted.
Great Fix!! Thanks
You would think that Microsoft would fix this problem?
Kevin
Hi Brink:
My application icons are not displaying their program icons on my desktop but rather a file folder icon super imposed on the program's icon.
This problem first became apparent when I was away from my computer for a week or so, came back and Microsoft had downloaded several "fixes" that would not all install. I suppose something was corrupted when I had to restart the computer and nothing appeared on the screen except the cursor. As a side note, and possibly the problem why attempts to repair the program (not Win 7) icons hasn't worked is I now have under "User Profiles" in the control panel the following profiles: "Account unknown 6.54 GB", "Default profile 1.54 MB" and "Larry-PC Administrator 2.25 GB."
I don't know where the Account Unknown profile came from but it is mentioned in case it could be the problem. When I boot up I seem to go into the "Larry-PC ADM" profile so..........
I have run SFC Scan.....no problems.
I have followed all the steps above in your responses and nothing works.
I have tried uninstalling some of the Apps and reinstalling them but the icons are still generic folders over the app provided icons.
I have tried the .ico file association download fix....no help.
I have tried changing the size of the icons...no help.
I have tried deleting the IconCache.db file using the batch program. My computer could not execute the line "Taskkill/IM......... but I have deleted the file using another suggestion (killed explorer.exe, deleted, restarted, etc) but it didn't work either.
As I said earlier, the Win 7 program Icons on the desktop, except for the Trash Icon on the main desktop (such as Hearts, Solitaire, etc) are also corrupted and can not be changed using the "change Icon" option under properties. All the icons in the Quick Launch section of my desktop are displaying properly, even the application icons that were moved into this section before my main desktop icons became corrupted and after the corruption.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated and eagerly attempted.
Last edited by PvtMatter; 05 Oct 2010 at 09:38. Reason: correct mistake
Hello PvtMatter,
It sounds like it may be the shortcut arrow overlay icon that has been changed by mistake. See if restoring the default shortcut arrow using Method Two in the tutorial below may be able to fix this for you.
Shortcut Arrow - Change, Remove, or Restore
If not, could you post a screenshot of this to see if it may reveal what the issue may be?
Hope this helps,
Shawn
Shawn: I tried the shortcut removal tool...nothing. I am attaching a screenshot.
Thanks
PvtMatter,
Let's see if doing a system restore using a restore point dated before this happened may be able to undo and fix this for you.
Do the shortcuts still work and open the programs?
Yes, I tried system restore...in fact several of them going back as much as two weeks.....no joy.
All the icons launch the programs. Did I mention I uninstalled some of the apps and reinstalled them only to have the same "file folder" icon show on the desktop?
I downloaded the fix, FXVISOR32 to my desktop and it shows as the correct icon. However when I extracted it (see my screenshot), it appears as all the other icons........a file folder or page. Additionally, if I move any of the icons to the quick launch bar at the bottom of the screen, the proper app icons shows there. When I move it back, it reverts. Also, if I change the size of the icons to 150%, I can see the original, i.e. Firefox, behind the page or folder icon. Next suggestion? I don't want to do a reinstall so................
As a test, create a new administrator account and see if they display that way in it as well to see if it may be a issue just in your user account or not.
Brink:
Do I delete the other users after I create a new user? I tried just adding another user. Now I can only get in in safe mode. I now have four userw. My other users are Larry-PC\ADM, the original, another user that cropped up recently called "Account unknown". "Default user", can't get into this one...computer says "The Sens service can not connect...please consult your system adm". and the last user I created I can only access in safe mode, Larry-PC\Larry Account. When my computer tries to boot normally, I get a screen with my original login info, Larry-PC\ADM which requests a password. I never assigned one and in the old days, would just hit enter and the computer would boot. Now it will not and states I have enterted an invalid password. I have to keep fiddling around to switch users to the new account I just created (still in safe mode) and the muddled desktop icons are still there just like in the screensho I sent.
So...do I delete all users and just create one new user?
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