OT: Lost my Desktop Icons
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Thread: OT: Lost my Desktop Icons

  1. #1

    OT: Lost my Desktop Icons

    Yesterday afternoon, while attempting to get my screens out of hibernation (which was unsuccessful) then trying to get the system to reboot (also unsuccessful). I finally pulled the plug (literally) and then plugged it back in to get it to restart. Apparently it didn't like that because then it wouldn't boot up and went into a repair mode, which after 20 minutes, was also unsuccessful. It allowed me only one option. . .click "Finish" and the computer shut down automatically. I let it stand for a few minutes then hit the power button. It gave no signs that there was ever anything wrong and started normally, however once it loaded windows, I was left with what you see in the screenshot. . .most icons are gone.

    I attempted to go back to the original program and attempted to reset the shortcuts but all I got was more of the same. . .a shortcut with this default icon in place. I tried going into "properties" and reloading the icon that way, but that doesn't work either. Has anyone else run into anything like this? The computer seems none the worse for wear, all systems seem to running just fine and the shortcuts function as they should. Thing is, if you look closely at the icons, the original icon is there, it's just covered up by the default icon.

    USAF Retired, 301st Fighter Wing, Carswell AFB, Texas
    My SOH Uploads: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...erid=83&sort=d

    Current System Specs:
    FSX/Accel | Windows10 64bit
    Motherboard: MSI760GM-E51(MS-7596)
    CPU: 3.9GHz AMD FX-4300 Quad-Core | RAM: 16GB DDR3 1333
    GPU: NVidia GTX 970 (4GB GDDR5)

  2. #2
    Windows 10 by any chance?

    You'll need to learn to 'enjoy' mandatory updates....
    Think Russian Roulette.....the gun is at your computer's head....Microsoft has the trigger and is about to sneeze...;p

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by Jafo View Post
    Windows 10 by any chance?

    You'll need to learn to 'enjoy' mandatory updates....
    Think Russian Roulette.....the gun is at your computer's head....Microsoft has the trigger and is about to sneeze...;p
    Where did falcon mention anything about an update causing this? I update Windows 10 regularly without problems (but I opt not to have driver updates). I'm still convinced that most problems stem from upgrading to Windows 10 from an earlier version rather than doing a clean install.

    falcon, have you tried refreshing the icon cache? See http://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/5...dows-10-a.html for more info - I've assumed that it's Windows 10. If not, just Google icon cache rebuild or refresh for your Windows version.

  4. #4
    If Windows 10 updates haven't bitten you on the bum....the word to remember is 'yet'.

    I have Win 10 on 5 machines. 1 out of 5 was entirely without issue updating to 10. 1 out of 5 was entirely without issue updating to the AU. Needless to say these were not the same machine....or in other words....by the time you HAVE TO HAVE AU the kill-rate is 5 out of 5.
    2 systems [laptops] not only failed the AU they also locked themselves with self-created BIOS passwords and essentially lost their HD. One managed to get past the logon...and no further....the other attempted 'self repair' ad nauseam.
    An end-user should not have to disassemble his laptop to short CMOS jumpers because Microsoft borked an update.
    Both were entirely 'cured' by a total reformat/install...with new media [I only hope if it isn't AU yet it won't frag them again when it's added.

    Once upon a time computer 'issues' were caused by Eye-Dee-10-Tee errors....now Microsoft does it for you.

    Life was easier with punch cards back in the 60's....

    ....and I can crash any OS presented to me...but with 10 I just sit back and wait - hands-free. Yes...it's theoretically a brilliant OS...but it is managed by morons at Redmond.

    5 will get you 10 issues with the Shell will be the result of 'mandatory' updates....and the word is that staying with 7 [a perfectly acceptable OS] won't save you....'mandatory' is the brave new world....

  5. #5
    As Jafo and Vortex have suggested, it could be a software problem. But if I was having that much trouble getting my machine to boot,
    my suspicion would be that the boot drive was going. Your description of trying to get your PC to boot sure sounds like my brother's
    laptop before his hard drive died.

    If you haven't already done so, if there's anything important stored on the drive, I would recommend backing it up to a different drive
    while you can still get at it, and not turning off your PC until it was done. Just to be on the safe side.

    Just what I would do anyway.

    Thanks - Rob

  6. #6
    Thanks guys, but this isn't Win10. I tried that a long time ago and had so many problems with it I reverted back to Win7 and haven't bothered with 10 anymore. I'll look into the icon cache suggestion.
    USAF Retired, 301st Fighter Wing, Carswell AFB, Texas
    My SOH Uploads: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...erid=83&sort=d

    Current System Specs:
    FSX/Accel | Windows10 64bit
    Motherboard: MSI760GM-E51(MS-7596)
    CPU: 3.9GHz AMD FX-4300 Quad-Core | RAM: 16GB DDR3 1333
    GPU: NVidia GTX 970 (4GB GDDR5)

  7. #7
    SOH-CM-2017 gradyhappyg's Avatar
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    Have you tried resetting the icons in safe mode?

  8. #8

    Lost icons

    Quote Originally Posted by falcon409 View Post
    Thanks guys, but this isn't Win10. I tried that a long time ago and had so many problems with it I reverted back to Win7 and haven't bothered with 10 anymore. I'll look into the icon cache suggestion.

    Hit the start button, in the line (bottom) of Start type the line below (changing Pop to your name) the resfresh (right click) on Desktop -clear area- away from Icons. If that doesn't reload your Icons > Shutdown and restart. I am using Windoze 7 you have to find IconCache.db - usually in this area. good luck!

    delete "C:\Users\"Username without quotes" no spaces\AppData\Local\IconCache.db" <modify name="">

    Hooraw</modify>

  9. #9

    Lost icons

    Quote Originally Posted by falcon409 View Post
    Thanks guys, but this isn't Win10. I tried that a long time ago and had so many problems with it I reverted back to Win7 and haven't bothered with 10 anymore. I'll look into the icon cache suggestion.

    Hit the start button, in the line (bottom) of Start type the line below Hit the refresh (right click) on Desktop -clear area- away from Icons. If that doesn't reload your Icons > Shutdown and restart. You have to delete the IconCache.db file

    delete "C:\Users\"Username without quotes" no spaces\AppData\Local\IconCache.db"

    Hooraw (Moderator> couldn't delete the previous message reply) *this is the correct one

  10. #10
    I have tried doing the icon cache delete and refresh. Initially that did not work so I shut down the computer and restarted. That also did not correct the problem. I have also noted that it appears to be only the short cut icons that are missing. Any icons that refer to a program specific to the desktop are fine. So it appears that any self starting programs or folders that I have placed on the desktop to use as work folders are not affected.
    USAF Retired, 301st Fighter Wing, Carswell AFB, Texas
    My SOH Uploads: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...erid=83&sort=d

    Current System Specs:
    FSX/Accel | Windows10 64bit
    Motherboard: MSI760GM-E51(MS-7596)
    CPU: 3.9GHz AMD FX-4300 Quad-Core | RAM: 16GB DDR3 1333
    GPU: NVidia GTX 970 (4GB GDDR5)

  11. #11
    Good to see that reverting to Windows 7 from 10 has had the desired effect.
    Regards,
    Nick

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by falcon409 View Post
    Thanks guys, but this isn't Win10. I tried that a long time ago and had so many problems with it I reverted back to Win7 and haven't bothered with 10 anymore. I'll look into the icon cache suggestion.
    Quote Originally Posted by ncooper View Post
    Good to see that reverting to Windows 7 from 10 has had the desired effect.

    Er, shome mistake, shurely? The prob is in Win7...
    Tom
    __________________________________________________ ___________________________________________
    Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Proverbs 4:7



  13. #13
    Exactly.
    The long version....
    He has reverted to Windows 7 because he couldn't make Windows 10 work.
    Now Windows 7 is giving him problems.
    This does seem a little ironic, to me only perhaps.
    Regards,
    Nick

  14. #14
    Falcon409,
    There is a little freeware desktop icon program called DesktopOK which, among other things, remembers the locations of the icons on the desktop. I use 3 monitors and switch the location of my desktop between them as needed. DesktopOK has rescued me a number of times when things have gotten messed up for one reason or another. Whether DesktopOK would have 'worked' in your case, I don't know.

    http://download.cnet.com/DesktopOK/3000-2072_4-10912853.html

    Al

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by ark1320 View Post
    Falcon409,
    There is a little freeware desktop icon program called DesktopOK which, among other things, remembers the locations of the icons on the desktop. I use 3 monitors and switch the location of my desktop between them as needed. DesktopOK has rescued me a number of times when things have gotten messed up for one reason or another. Whether DesktopOK would have 'worked' in your case, I don't know.

    http://download.cnet.com/DesktopOK/3000-2072_4-10912853.html

    Al
    Brilliant link! Thanks for it, I also have 3 screens and it's a real pain when the icons get smooged onto one screen.

  16. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by ncooper View Post
    Exactly.
    The long version....
    He has reverted to Windows 7 because he couldn't make Windows 10 work.
    Now Windows 7 is giving him problems.
    This does seem a little ironic, to me only perhaps.
    It's apparent that some are reveling in the fact that I reverted to Win7 after trying Win10 and now this has happened. This has nothing to do with the fact that I decided to go back to Win7, that short lived look at Win10 was over a year ago and Win7 has proven to be a very stable platform (before and after). This problem was caused by my bumbling attempt to revive the computer from Hibernation Mode, forgetting (briefly) that I had turned off the monitors and therefore hitting various keystrokes to get a response, when, if the screens had been on, I could have averted this problem in all likelihood.

    Here is part of a post from this thread that some probably didn't even read:
    "I have also noted that it appears to be only the short cut icons that are missing. Any icons that refer to a program specific to the desktop are fine. So it appears that any self starting programs or folders that I have placed on the desktop to use as work folders are not affected."

    I also tried a system restore to an early point a few days ago, but that also didn't have any affect. I'm thinking of trying a "Repair" if all else fails.
    USAF Retired, 301st Fighter Wing, Carswell AFB, Texas
    My SOH Uploads: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...erid=83&sort=d

    Current System Specs:
    FSX/Accel | Windows10 64bit
    Motherboard: MSI760GM-E51(MS-7596)
    CPU: 3.9GHz AMD FX-4300 Quad-Core | RAM: 16GB DDR3 1333
    GPU: NVidia GTX 970 (4GB GDDR5)

  17. #17
    Can you still create proper looking new icons from the files with the blanked out ones? If so, although there's a lot, it might be easier
    just to go through and re-do the icons one by one, instead of doing a system restore that may or may not fix them.

    Just a thought.

    Thanks - Rob

  18. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by RobM View Post
    Can you still create proper looking new icons from the files with the blanked out ones? If so, although there's a lot, it might be easier
    just to go through and re-do the icons one by one, instead of doing a system restore that may or may not fix them.

    Just a thought.

    Thanks - Rob
    That doesn't work either. That was one of the first things I tried. If I right click on the file and click send to desktop as shortcut it just gives me a duplicate of what I already have (a correct shortcut icon, overlayed with the default icon). Also, the restore did nothing, repair did nothing and now if I really want the desktop to look correct I only have the last option which is a Win7 reinstall. Thing is, all the shortcuts work. It hasn't done anything to their usability.
    USAF Retired, 301st Fighter Wing, Carswell AFB, Texas
    My SOH Uploads: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...erid=83&sort=d

    Current System Specs:
    FSX/Accel | Windows10 64bit
    Motherboard: MSI760GM-E51(MS-7596)
    CPU: 3.9GHz AMD FX-4300 Quad-Core | RAM: 16GB DDR3 1333
    GPU: NVidia GTX 970 (4GB GDDR5)

  19. #19
    Do you use CCleaner?

    You might let it scan the registry for errors as this is probably where the problem is.

    cheers,
    Lane

  20. #20
    OK....what you're suffering from is a corrupted iconcache database.
    You will need to hunt it down and simply delete it. Windows will re-create it for you....
    C:\Users\ yourlogon\AppData\Local\iconcache.db

    That "should" fix your problem [but being Windows nothing is guaranteed]...

    Any shell enhancements can interfere with the drawing of the desktop...as part of their function....or disfunction, depending on success/competence. If the GUI enhancements are from Stardock you would be OK, but there are others out there which are not properly supported and are frequently broken by...good old Windows Updates...

  21. #21
    Quote Originally Posted by Jafo View Post
    OK....what you're suffering from is a corrupted iconcache database.
    You will need to hunt it down and simply delete it. Windows will re-create it for you....
    C:\Users\ yourlogon\AppData\Local\iconcache.db

    That "should" fix your problem [but being Windows nothing is guaranteed]...

    Any shell enhancements can interfere with the drawing of the desktop...as part of their function....or disfunction, depending on success/competence. If the GUI enhancements are from Stardock you would be OK, but there are others out there which are not properly supported and are frequently broken by...good old Windows Updates...
    See post #10
    USAF Retired, 301st Fighter Wing, Carswell AFB, Texas
    My SOH Uploads: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...erid=83&sort=d

    Current System Specs:
    FSX/Accel | Windows10 64bit
    Motherboard: MSI760GM-E51(MS-7596)
    CPU: 3.9GHz AMD FX-4300 Quad-Core | RAM: 16GB DDR3 1333
    GPU: NVidia GTX 970 (4GB GDDR5)

  22. #22
    OK....try killing your shell and reloading....
    Ctrl-shift-esc ....and load Task Manager....look for 'explorer.exe' in the Processes tab ...click on 'end process'.....
    ...then click on File...new task [run] and type in 'explorer,exe' [without quotes]
    ...see if it helps.

  23. #23
    Sorry, but none of the suggestions has had any affect. To be clear, the Icons aren't really gone, as you can see in this enlargement of my early screenshot.



    . . .they are hidden behind a second "default" icon. I can't see any other way to correct this other than to do a re-installation of Win7 at this point.
    USAF Retired, 301st Fighter Wing, Carswell AFB, Texas
    My SOH Uploads: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...erid=83&sort=d

    Current System Specs:
    FSX/Accel | Windows10 64bit
    Motherboard: MSI760GM-E51(MS-7596)
    CPU: 3.9GHz AMD FX-4300 Quad-Core | RAM: 16GB DDR3 1333
    GPU: NVidia GTX 970 (4GB GDDR5)

  24. #24
    Sometimes you need to destroy the village in order to save it.

    I this case, it looks like your profile might be corrupted.

    I suggest that you log in as the "Administrator" (or some other account that has admin rights) and back up your entire profile to someplace safe. You should see it in C:\Users\xxxxxx (you might need to go to into Tools, Folder options, View and uncheck the "hide" settings).

    To delete the old profile, open "System Properties" and under the "Advanced" tab, pick the "User Profile", "Settings" button to display the system user profiles an delete the appropriate profile.

    Then create a new profile via control panel / User Accounts (can be same username) and after you log in and establish the profile, move what you need from the old profile to the new one.

    Before doing anything though, I recommend you run chkdsk /f from the command prompt to make sure your disk isn't having any issues.

  25. #25
    A corrupted icon cache will still show icons...but they'll lose specific images...and be as those on top in yor screenie.
    Looks like the os has an issue trying to draw them twice.
    Do you have any enhancements...or is you os install 'vanilla'?
    Another trick....go to control panel/display and resize icons larger....then reboot.
    Reverse size if now ok.

    Edit.....DONT raze the 'village'. It's poor advice akin to reformatting or reinstalling.
    All are last resorts of the desperate.
    Last edited by Jafo; October 7th, 2016 at 20:59.

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