Desktop icon question

[Guest]

Many of my DT icons are the generic IE type. However, when I drag them to the
taskbar they become specific icons.
Examples are Yahoo, Facebook, Wikipedia, YouTube. Why is this and where can
I get icons without getting a virus?
I followed Howtogeek's tip for removing the arrow and it works, but I'd like
nicer icons. Thanks, Wayne

 

[Guest]

Should have added "free" and with a little more choice than Vista's own.
Thanks, Wayne

 

[Chad Harris]

Hi Wayne L--

To save a favicon or to exchange an icon for the 2000 plus native to Win
Vista, included in downloaded programs,and zip files for programs, you need
to do two things if you do this manually. If you don't the favicon or the
icon you subbed for the boring explorer "e" is going to go away after you
reboot or clear Temp Int Files. Icons are also available in many of the
C:\[or Vista Drive on your PC]\Windows\System 32 .dlls.

Favicons are harvested from websites that have them by adding /favicon.ico
to the url. For example, if you add to the url www.allthingsd.com and make
it www.allthingsd.com/favicon.ico you can drag an icon from within the
window to the desktop.

With favicons, go to the url the favicon came from and add /favicon.ico to
the url. You should be able to drag this favicon but if you can't then pull
the small "e" from the upper left corner name bar several times like a
suspender strap and then drag it to the desktop.

1) Change the name of the favicon.
2) Put it in a folder you can call anything including "Happy Trail Icons."
3) If you want to exchange any shortcut icon for a favicon, then rt. click
desktop>porperties>change icons and browse any folders to change to that
particular icon. This includes System 32, Program Files, Download Files and
Zip files. You can also exchange the shortcut icon with the icons you
accumulate in the save icons folder referenced above as the "Happy Trail
Icon" folder.

The reason that the favicon drags as a favicon to the desktop but becomes a
generic "e" when you either reboot or clear Temporary Internet files is that
it must have a home (i.e. be tucked inside a folder--I make one and call it
Favicons and then exchange e in XP or a folder icon in Vista since you can't
exchange with a shortcut in Vista--it must be a folder--and the name must be
changed. It will say favicon when dragged to your desktop and you must
change the name--I often change it to the url of the web site it came from.

Good luck,

CH

 

[Guest]

Chad - Thanks for the explanation. It seems a bit involved for icons, but
I'll look it over. It appears I do get the dedicated icon when I drag an
icon to the taskbar, but it shows as the generic IE icon on the desktop.
I would prefer the real icon of the site I store to my DT. Other icons don't
match the situation.
For instance, I want YouTube's white and red icon on my DT. It appears on my
taskbar, but not on the DT.
Would this have to do with resolution.? Thanks, Wayne
--
Wayne L

Hi Wayne L--

To save a favicon or to exchange an icon for the 2000 plus native to Win
Vista, included in downloaded programs,and zip files for programs, you need
to do two things if you do this manually. If you don't the favicon or the
icon you subbed for the boring explorer "e" is going to go away after you
reboot or clear Temp Int Files. Icons are also available in many of the
C:\[or Vista Drive on your PC]\Windows\System 32 .dlls.

Favicons are harvested from websites that have them by adding /favicon.ico
to the url. For example, if you add to the url www.allthingsd.com and make
it www.allthingsd.com/favicon.ico you can drag an icon from within the
window to the desktop.

With favicons, go to the url the favicon came from and add /favicon.ico to
the url. You should be able to drag this favicon but if you can't then pull
the small "e" from the upper left corner name bar several times like a
suspender strap and then drag it to the desktop.

1) Change the name of the favicon.
2) Put it in a folder you can call anything including "Happy Trail Icons."
3) If you want to exchange any shortcut icon for a favicon, then rt. click
desktop>porperties>change icons and browse any folders to change to that
particular icon. This includes System 32, Program Files, Download Files and
Zip files. You can also exchange the shortcut icon with the icons you
accumulate in the save icons folder referenced above as the "Happy Trail
Icon" folder.

The reason that the favicon drags as a favicon to the desktop but becomes a
generic "e" when you either reboot or clear Temporary Internet files is that
it must have a home (i.e. be tucked inside a folder--I make one and call it
Favicons and then exchange e in XP or a folder icon in Vista since you can't
exchange with a shortcut in Vista--it must be a folder--and the name must be
changed. It will say favicon when dragged to your desktop and you must
change the name--I often change it to the url of the web site it came from.

Good luck,

CH

Many of my DT icons are the generic IE type. However, when I drag them to
the
taskbar they become specific icons.
Examples are Yahoo, Facebook, Wikipedia, YouTube. Why is this and where
can
I get icons without getting a virus?
I followed Howtogeek's tip for removing the arrow and it works, but I'd
like
nicer icons. Thanks, Wayne

 

[Guest]

Chad - Sorry again. I see my first post was not worded right.
For now I just want to get the proper icon that comes with a site to my DT.
Too many posts going on and I get confused easily. Thanks, wayne
--
Wayne L

Chad - Thanks for the explanation. It seems a bit involved for icons, but
I'll look it over. It appears I do get the dedicated icon when I drag an
icon to the taskbar, but it shows as the generic IE icon on the desktop.
I would prefer the real icon of the site I store to my DT. Other icons don't
match the situation.
For instance, I want YouTube's white and red icon on my DT. It appears on my
taskbar, but not on the DT.
Would this have to do with resolution.? Thanks, Wayne
--
Wayne L

Hi Wayne L--

To save a favicon or to exchange an icon for the 2000 plus native to Win
Vista, included in downloaded programs,and zip files for programs, you need
to do two things if you do this manually. If you don't the favicon or the
icon you subbed for the boring explorer "e" is going to go away after you
reboot or clear Temp Int Files. Icons are also available in many of the
C:\[or Vista Drive on your PC]\Windows\System 32 .dlls.

Favicons are harvested from websites that have them by adding /favicon.ico
to the url. For example, if you add to the url www.allthingsd.com and make
it www.allthingsd.com/favicon.ico you can drag an icon from within the
window to the desktop.

With favicons, go to the url the favicon came from and add /favicon.ico to
the url. You should be able to drag this favicon but if you can't then pull
the small "e" from the upper left corner name bar several times like a
suspender strap and then drag it to the desktop.

1) Change the name of the favicon.
2) Put it in a folder you can call anything including "Happy Trail Icons."
3) If you want to exchange any shortcut icon for a favicon, then rt. click
desktop>porperties>change icons and browse any folders to change to that
particular icon. This includes System 32, Program Files, Download Files and
Zip files. You can also exchange the shortcut icon with the icons you
accumulate in the save icons folder referenced above as the "Happy Trail
Icon" folder.

The reason that the favicon drags as a favicon to the desktop but becomes a
generic "e" when you either reboot or clear Temporary Internet files is that
it must have a home (i.e. be tucked inside a folder--I make one and call it
Favicons and then exchange e in XP or a folder icon in Vista since you can't
exchange with a shortcut in Vista--it must be a folder--and the name must be
changed. It will say favicon when dragged to your desktop and you must
change the name--I often change it to the url of the web site it came from.

Good luck,

CH

Many of my DT icons are the generic IE type. However, when I drag them to
the
taskbar they become specific icons.
Examples are Yahoo, Facebook, Wikipedia, YouTube. Why is this and where
can
I get icons without getting a virus?
I followed Howtogeek's tip for removing the arrow and it works, but I'd
like
nicer icons. Thanks, Wayne

 

[Guest]

Right-click on Desktop, select Personalize, select Display Settings, then
change Color from 32 bit to 16 bit, Apply, and back to 32 bit, Apply. This
refreshes the icon cache. If you get your icons back but soon they are back
to the IE generic, go to your icon, right-click, select Properties, General
tab, check Read-Only, Apply. This will usually help retain the desired icon.
There's also a nice program called FavOrg that harvests and manages
Favorites icons.

Chad - Sorry again. I see my first post was not worded right.
For now I just want to get the proper icon that comes with a site to my DT.
Too many posts going on and I get confused easily. Thanks, wayne
--
Wayne L

Chad - Thanks for the explanation. It seems a bit involved for icons, but
I'll look it over. It appears I do get the dedicated icon when I drag an
icon to the taskbar, but it shows as the generic IE icon on the desktop.
I would prefer the real icon of the site I store to my DT. Other icons don't
match the situation.
For instance, I want YouTube's white and red icon on my DT. It appears on my
taskbar, but not on the DT.
Would this have to do with resolution.? Thanks, Wayne
--
Wayne L

Hi Wayne L--

To save a favicon or to exchange an icon for the 2000 plus native to Win
Vista, included in downloaded programs,and zip files for programs, you need
to do two things if you do this manually. If you don't the favicon or the
icon you subbed for the boring explorer "e" is going to go away after you
reboot or clear Temp Int Files. Icons are also available in many of the
C:\[or Vista Drive on your PC]\Windows\System 32 .dlls.

Favicons are harvested from websites that have them by adding /favicon.ico
to the url. For example, if you add to the url www.allthingsd.com and make
it www.allthingsd.com/favicon.ico you can drag an icon from within the
window to the desktop.

With favicons, go to the url the favicon came from and add /favicon.ico to
the url. You should be able to drag this favicon but if you can't then pull
the small "e" from the upper left corner name bar several times like a
suspender strap and then drag it to the desktop.

1) Change the name of the favicon.
2) Put it in a folder you can call anything including "Happy Trail Icons."
3) If you want to exchange any shortcut icon for a favicon, then rt. click
desktop>porperties>change icons and browse any folders to change to that
particular icon. This includes System 32, Program Files, Download Files and
Zip files. You can also exchange the shortcut icon with the icons you
accumulate in the save icons folder referenced above as the "Happy Trail
Icon" folder.

The reason that the favicon drags as a favicon to the desktop but becomes a
generic "e" when you either reboot or clear Temporary Internet files is that
it must have a home (i.e. be tucked inside a folder--I make one and call it
Favicons and then exchange e in XP or a folder icon in Vista since you can't
exchange with a shortcut in Vista--it must be a folder--and the name must be
changed. It will say favicon when dragged to your desktop and you must
change the name--I often change it to the url of the web site it came from.

Good luck,

CH

Many of my DT icons are the generic IE type. However, when I drag them to
the
taskbar they become specific icons.
Examples are Yahoo, Facebook, Wikipedia, YouTube. Why is this and where
can
I get icons without getting a virus?
I followed Howtogeek's tip for removing the arrow and it works, but I'd
like
nicer icons. Thanks, Wayne

 

[Guest]

uvbogden - Nothing seems to be working. When I right click to open
"properties" I see the real icon there and all icons on my taskbar are the
real ones, but not on the desktop. I'm getting tired of all those IE icons.
Thanks anyways, Wayne
--
Wayne L

Chad - Thanks for the explanation. It seems a bit involved for icons, but
I'll look it over. It appears I do get the dedicated icon when I drag an
icon to the taskbar, but it shows as the generic IE icon on the desktop.
I would prefer the real icon of the site I store to my DT. Other icons don't
match the situation.
For instance, I want YouTube's white and red icon on my DT. It appears on my
taskbar, but not on the DT.
Would this have to do with resolution.? Thanks, Wayne
--
Wayne L

Hi Wayne L--

To save a favicon or to exchange an icon for the 2000 plus native to Win
Vista, included in downloaded programs,and zip files for programs, you need
to do two things if you do this manually. If you don't the favicon or the
icon you subbed for the boring explorer "e" is going to go away after you
reboot or clear Temp Int Files. Icons are also available in many of the
C:\[or Vista Drive on your PC]\Windows\System 32 .dlls.

Favicons are harvested from websites that have them by adding /favicon.ico
to the url. For example, if you add to the url www.allthingsd.com and make
it www.allthingsd.com/favicon.ico you can drag an icon from within the
window to the desktop.

With favicons, go to the url the favicon came from and add /favicon.ico to
the url. You should be able to drag this favicon but if you can't then pull
the small "e" from the upper left corner name bar several times like a
suspender strap and then drag it to the desktop.

1) Change the name of the favicon.
2) Put it in a folder you can call anything including "Happy Trail Icons."
3) If you want to exchange any shortcut icon for a favicon, then rt. click
desktop>porperties>change icons and browse any folders to change to that
particular icon. This includes System 32, Program Files, Download Files and
Zip files. You can also exchange the shortcut icon with the icons you
accumulate in the save icons folder referenced above as the "Happy Trail
Icon" folder.

The reason that the favicon drags as a favicon to the desktop but becomes a
generic "e" when you either reboot or clear Temporary Internet files is that
it must have a home (i.e. be tucked inside a folder--I make one and call it
Favicons and then exchange e in XP or a folder icon in Vista since you can't
exchange with a shortcut in Vista--it must be a folder--and the name must be
changed. It will say favicon when dragged to your desktop and you must
change the name--I often change it to the url of the web site it came from.

Good luck,

CH

Many of my DT icons are the generic IE type. However, when I drag them to
the
taskbar they become specific icons.
Examples are Yahoo, Facebook, Wikipedia, YouTube. Why is this and where
can
I get icons without getting a virus?
I followed Howtogeek's tip for removing the arrow and it works, but I'd
like
nicer icons. Thanks, Wayne