Missing Icons on New PC

[sobershea]

As I have been adding software to my new desktop, I noticed that the icons in the Start menu had changed to the generic icon instead of the program icon. I tried rebuilding the icon cache (following some instructions I found on the Internet) which didn't work. I also tried replacing explorer.exe with a copy from my laptop, which did not work. Finally, I started unpinning programs from the Start menu and it seemed when I unpinned Microsoft Office programs and re-pinned them from the actual .exe file, all the icons returned to normal. Or so I thought. Now, the Start Menu icons are fine but icons in Windows Explorer are all still generic. Also any running program displays a generic icon in the Task Bar. I am at a loss as to what to do next. Ideas?

TIA

[HansV]

Did you restart the computer after deleting the icon cache?
Something else you can try:
- Right-click an empty part of the desktop.
- Select Screen Resolution from the context menu.
- Click Advanced Settings.
- Activate the Monitor tab.
- Select High Color (16 bit) from the Colors dropdown.
- Click Apply, and confirm.
- Select True Color (32 bit).
- Click Apply, and confirm.

[sobershea]

Hans, I tried everything but to no avail. I have discovered it is only the Microsoft Office icons that are bad. I tried to load the Office CD so I could do a repair and the CD won't load. I keep getting a message that the program has stopped working shortly after it tries to read from the CD. Since this is a new PC, I tested the CD drive with other disks and they work fine. I tried rebooting etc. but it just won't load. Is there such a thing as downloading a file for Office that will work in place of the CD? Any suggestions?
TIA

[sobershea]

Hans, I found where I could download a digital version of Office 2010 and it is downloading now. I will try to do a repair when it is done.

[aekyall]

As I have been adding software to my new desktop, I noticed that the icons in the Start menu had changed to the generic icon instead of the program icon. I tried rebuilding the icon cache (following some instructions I found on the Internet) which didn't work. I also tried replacing explorer.exe with a copy from my laptop, which did not work. Finally, I started unpinning programs from the Start menu and it seemed when I unpinned Microsoft Office programs and re-pinned them from the actual .exe file, all the icons returned to normal. Or so I thought. Now, the Start Menu icons are fine but icons in Windows Explorer are all still generic. Also any running program displays a generic icon in the Task Bar. I am at a loss as to what to do next. Ideas?

TIA

Don't know if this is of any help - but I often seem to loose Speccy and Recuva desktop icons when I update software version - icons revert to generic windows ones. I've found that if I right click on the relevant generic icon and then select properties and then select change icon, I get offered the specific icon required, not just a load of them (see screen shot below). Then it's just a case of selecting 'apply' and 'ok'. I sometimes have to go through the procedure twice to make it stick. Works for me anyway!
Regards,

Capture2.JPG

[viking33]

Keith,
I've also had similar experiences with desktop icons in Win 7, not necessarily Speccy and Recova but was able to restore them in the same way. Haven't a clue as to why or how though. SWH.....something wonderful happened!

[sobershea]

Keith,
I just had that happen to Revo Uninstaller and changed the icon twice and the icon was back as it should be. Thanks for that bit of information.

[sobershea]

Just to update in case anyone else should experience the same thing - the icon problem was Microsoft Office only and it turns out that Office just got itself corrupted to the point of not even being able to uninstall it. My only solution was to take the PC back to factory settings via the Gateway recovery software. This is a brand new machine so I hadn't made many changes and it was relatively painless. I haven't even created recovery disks yet - that's on my to-do list. Thanks for all the input.

[HansV]

Wow - a drastic solution! It's good that you hadn't been using the PC for a longer time...

[sobershea]

Wow - a drastic solution! It's good that you hadn't been using the PC for a longer time...

Yes it was drastic but I had no idea what else to do. I tried uninstall from Program and Features and I got a message saying Uninstall did not uninstall. I have never encountered that before. Everything is back to normal and I am back to installing software. Now I really need to make the Recovery Disks and I am going to try making a system image to one of my external hard drives. I've never done this before. Stay tuned.

[Argus]

For future reference, there are some manual and automated methods mentioned (though it's possible that it wouldn't have helped solve the problem): How to uninstall or remove Microsoft Office 2010 suites

It's possible that it is difficult.
Uninstall Office 2010 for dummies
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/For ... dce34b46da

Quite some time since I had to struggle with problematic Office installations.

Good to hear it's solved, and that it was a new PC. See it as fresh start.

[sobershea]

Thanks Argus, I will bookmark those sites for the next time. Here's hoping there is no next time!