Icons have become "generic" and all the same

[nospamplease]

It seems at some point (not sure when) most of my desktop, programs (in the
start section) and favorites in IE icons have become generic...one of two
icons....either like little manila folders or the IE big "e" symbol. The
shortcuts and links still work without a problem, but I can't find the
specific program and link icons anymore. Not all of them have change...some
are correct, like MS Word, but most have become the same icon (like I've
lost the Encarta Icon for a plain folder icon, same with Epson, Real Player,
etc.). The desktop icons that I had for shortcuts, like the big G for
Google, has turned into the IE symbol, as have all my internet short cuts.
I was able to change one of them back, but no others.
How do I fix this? Rebooting hasn't helped. I have right clicked, gone
under properties and to change icon and there are only a couple choices,
none of them correct. I have no idea where else to look for the icons and
have browsed that "change icon" section endlessly to no avail.
I am vigilant about downloading virus definitions and running frequent
scans (weekly if not more often).
I'd like my old icons back...makes it much easier to do things faster and
just plain looks better!
Any suggestions?

[Richard]

Hello Mr. Please,

Try the icon repair tool included with TweakUI for XP.

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

Richard

"nospamplease" > wrote in message
...
> It seems at some point (not sure when) most of my desktop, programs (in
the
> start section) and favorites in IE icons have become generic...one of two
> icons....either like little manila folders or the IE big "e" symbol. The
> shortcuts and links still work without a problem, but I can't find the
> specific program and link icons anymore. Not all of them have
change...some
> are correct, like MS Word, but most have become the same icon (like I've
> lost the Encarta Icon for a plain folder icon, same with Epson, Real
Player,
> etc.). The desktop icons that I had for shortcuts, like the big G for
> Google, has turned into the IE symbol, as have all my internet short cuts.
> I was able to change one of them back, but no others.
> How do I fix this? Rebooting hasn't helped. I have right clicked, gone
> under properties and to change icon and there are only a couple choices,
> none of them correct. I have no idea where else to look for the icons and
> have browsed that "change icon" section endlessly to no avail.
> I am vigilant about downloading virus definitions and running frequent
> scans (weekly if not more often).
> I'd like my old icons back...makes it much easier to do things faster and
> just plain looks better!
> Any suggestions?
>
>

[Richard]

Hello Mr. Please,

Try the icon repair tool included with TweakUI for XP.

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

Richard

"nospamplease" > wrote in message
...
> It seems at some point (not sure when) most of my desktop, programs (in
the
> start section) and favorites in IE icons have become generic...one of two
> icons....either like little manila folders or the IE big "e" symbol. The
> shortcuts and links still work without a problem, but I can't find the
> specific program and link icons anymore. Not all of them have
change...some
> are correct, like MS Word, but most have become the same icon (like I've
> lost the Encarta Icon for a plain folder icon, same with Epson, Real
Player,
> etc.). The desktop icons that I had for shortcuts, like the big G for
> Google, has turned into the IE symbol, as have all my internet short cuts.
> I was able to change one of them back, but no others.
> How do I fix this? Rebooting hasn't helped. I have right clicked, gone
> under properties and to change icon and there are only a couple choices,
> none of them correct. I have no idea where else to look for the icons and
> have browsed that "change icon" section endlessly to no avail.
> I am vigilant about downloading virus definitions and running frequent
> scans (weekly if not more often).
> I'd like my old icons back...makes it much easier to do things faster and
> just plain looks better!
> Any suggestions?
>
>

[Kelly]

Hi,

For the latter:

Custom icons are lost when you clean your cache.

These are known as favicons.ico (Favorite Icons) and they
normally will only last until your Internet Explorer Temp files are cleared.

This program will allow you to save the favicons.ico (Favorite Icons)
permanently in a different folder and re-associate your favorites with the
stored icons.

FavOrg - Restore and Save Favorite Icons (Line 108)
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

Workaround:

Navigate to the Temporary Internet Files, and drag the icons to the desktop
and rename them to whatever name you like.

Create a folder called Icon Selection. Move all of the renamed favicons to
this folder placed in the root directory of C. Right click on the Icon,
select Browse and navigate to your Icon Selection folder. Choose the
renamed favicon and click ok. These icons will be permanent.

When you right click on an icon, select browse and navigate to the Icon
Selection folder. Choose the renamed favicon you want and click ok. Your
customized icons will be permanent.

Troubleshooting Favorites
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_favorites.htm

--
All the Best,
Kelly

MS-MVP Win98/XP [AE-Windows® XP]
Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_abc.htm
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

Top 10 Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/top10faqs.htm


"nospamplease" > wrote in message
...
> It seems at some point (not sure when) most of my desktop, programs (in
the
> start section) and favorites in IE icons have become generic...one of two
> icons....either like little manila folders or the IE big "e" symbol. The
> shortcuts and links still work without a problem, but I can't find the
> specific program and link icons anymore. Not all of them have
change...some
> are correct, like MS Word, but most have become the same icon (like I've
> lost the Encarta Icon for a plain folder icon, same with Epson, Real
Player,
> etc.). The desktop icons that I had for shortcuts, like the big G for
> Google, has turned into the IE symbol, as have all my internet short cuts.
> I was able to change one of them back, but no others.
> How do I fix this? Rebooting hasn't helped. I have right clicked, gone
> under properties and to change icon and there are only a couple choices,
> none of them correct. I have no idea where else to look for the icons and
> have browsed that "change icon" section endlessly to no avail.
> I am vigilant about downloading virus definitions and running frequent
> scans (weekly if not more often).
> I'd like my old icons back...makes it much easier to do things faster and
> just plain looks better!
> Any suggestions?
>
>

[Kelly]

Hi,

For the latter:

Custom icons are lost when you clean your cache.

These are known as favicons.ico (Favorite Icons) and they
normally will only last until your Internet Explorer Temp files are cleared.

This program will allow you to save the favicons.ico (Favorite Icons)
permanently in a different folder and re-associate your favorites with the
stored icons.

FavOrg - Restore and Save Favorite Icons (Line 108)
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

Workaround:

Navigate to the Temporary Internet Files, and drag the icons to the desktop
and rename them to whatever name you like.

Create a folder called Icon Selection. Move all of the renamed favicons to
this folder placed in the root directory of C. Right click on the Icon,
select Browse and navigate to your Icon Selection folder. Choose the
renamed favicon and click ok. These icons will be permanent.

When you right click on an icon, select browse and navigate to the Icon
Selection folder. Choose the renamed favicon you want and click ok. Your
customized icons will be permanent.

Troubleshooting Favorites
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_favorites.htm

--
All the Best,
Kelly

MS-MVP Win98/XP [AE-Windows® XP]
Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_abc.htm
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

Top 10 Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/top10faqs.htm


"nospamplease" > wrote in message
...
> It seems at some point (not sure when) most of my desktop, programs (in
the
> start section) and favorites in IE icons have become generic...one of two
> icons....either like little manila folders or the IE big "e" symbol. The
> shortcuts and links still work without a problem, but I can't find the
> specific program and link icons anymore. Not all of them have
change...some
> are correct, like MS Word, but most have become the same icon (like I've
> lost the Encarta Icon for a plain folder icon, same with Epson, Real
Player,
> etc.). The desktop icons that I had for shortcuts, like the big G for
> Google, has turned into the IE symbol, as have all my internet short cuts.
> I was able to change one of them back, but no others.
> How do I fix this? Rebooting hasn't helped. I have right clicked, gone
> under properties and to change icon and there are only a couple choices,
> none of them correct. I have no idea where else to look for the icons and
> have browsed that "change icon" section endlessly to no avail.
> I am vigilant about downloading virus definitions and running frequent
> scans (weekly if not more often).
> I'd like my old icons back...makes it much easier to do things faster and
> just plain looks better!
> Any suggestions?
>
>