Start Menu Icons

When I open my start menu, almost all the icons are generic looking except...don't be shocked!...M$ ones (Word, Excell, etc) At one time all my software had a quickly identifiable icon, but gradually XP seems to have "eaten" them. Daizy helped me recover many of the ones in "My Favorites ", and I'm hoping someone knows a way to get them back in the Start Menu. Minor nuisance, but annoying. TIA

 

I don't remember what Miss Daizy suggested that worked for you before so if this is a repeat, ignore. Also, this is normally a fix for problem desktop icons but it can't hurt and may help.

Hidden file ShellIconCache - search it out and make sure you are set to find hidden files. When you find the beast, delete it and reboot. It will be rebuilt with a clean set of icons.

 

Maybe a shelliconcache file if this is an upgraded xp but I believe XP uses a file called iconcache.db which is and does the same thing. Deleting this also does samething and is rebuilt upon a reboot.

There is an additional registry tweak that shows up in here fron time to time, you may wish to search the help-net database of past posts using keyword of iconcache and making sure the forum for winxp is designated.

 

Thanks for the advice, Newt, but I can't find that animal...sigh... I sure wish I could. That sounded like it might work. I have been searching for a solution to this for months, and have seen the problem mentioned quite a few times, but I have yet to figure out how to fix it. I know this sounds silly, but I WANT MY ICONS BACK!!!!!! Got any more ideas?? TIA

 

We may have crossed posting paths so have you seen my post and searched fo iconcache.db? This will be a system hidden file and you must have preset the option that allows you to access and include these in searches.

Could also try tweakui, the latest version, and on the paranoia tab is an option for repairing icons. You could give this a shot.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/downloads/powertoys.asp

Tweakui.exe is on the right.

===A long shot and quite possibly, redundant overkill if all the above has not helped, but===
On a slightly different note you may be able to refresh these by using the old resize the the icon trick via display settings. Increase/decrease your icon size by one or two pixels and apply the changes. After the refresh you can change them back if you so desire.

 

Hi, Johanna ~

I recommend you do not use Tweak UI to resolve this. It is known to further corrupt the cache and is a bear to unload.

Go to:

• 'My Computer' > 'Tools' > 'Folder Options...' > 'View' tab
• Under 'Advanced Settings:', scroll down to 'Hidden files and folders'
• Put the dot on 'Show hidden files and folders'
• Uncheck 'Hide extensions for known file types'
• Uncheck 'Hide protected operating system files'
• 'Apply' > 'OK'

Now go to:

• C:\Documents and Settings\Johanna\Local Settings\Application Data
• Delete IconCache.db
• Reboot
• Boom!

 

all good advice, and something should have worked, but I still have no icons except the M$ generic ones. Thank you to all who took the time to reply.

 

Hi, Johanna ~

Did you delete the 'IconCache'

 

Yes, Iconcache.db, and it didn't do anything but mess up my desktop!

I know that this isn't a big deal- my comp runs great and does all I want it to...it's just the annoyance of not being able to "outsmart" M$!! FWIW, I've noticed the same problem on other XP machines. Seems the only start menu icons that stay are the M$ ones. But Belarc and Acrobat have somehow retained theirs- every other one that was there when I installed the proggies is gone- even the Symantec ones. I keep the books for my church and use Church Windows to do it. That one held out the longest, but now it's gone, too.

If anyone has an idea, I'll try it. And if I stumble on the solution, I'll post it. I'm on a mission, now!!