Icons have changed, but file associations still valid

[Gene]

I have XP Pro SP2 with all patches.

This morning the icons for many file types have all changed to a generic
icon that looks like a generic page. However, Explorer still recognizes the
file association. So, for example, I can double click on a pdf file and it
will open in Reader, but its icon is not the Adobe Reader icon. This
behavior has affected PDF files and all Microsoft Office product files
(including Microsoft Money files). It has not affected text files, .bmp
files, .ini files, TrueType font files. In folders full of .htm files it
affects about half of them, but not the other half. If I double click on a
file to open it the icon does not get "refreshed", but stays generic.

I have followed all instructions in MS KB 132668 "Icons randomly change to
different icons", with no success. In the last step, when changing the
registry value to 2000 did not work, I changed it to 4096 (max value), with
no difference.

The only thing that is different about my computer this morning from last
night is that last night I installed Diskeeper and ran a defrag. I have used
this same version of Diskeeper (current version) on this same laptop before,
with no problem.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Gene

 

[Guest]

I have XP Pro SP2 with all patches.

This morning the icons for many file types have all changed to a generic
icon that looks like a generic page. However, Explorer still recognizes the
file association. So, for example, I can double click on a pdf file and it
will open in Reader, but its icon is not the Adobe Reader icon. This
behavior has affected PDF files and all Microsoft Office product files
(including Microsoft Money files). It has not affected text files, .bmp
files, .ini files, TrueType font files. In folders full of .htm files it
affects about half of them, but not the other half. If I double click on a
file to open it the icon does not get "refreshed", but stays generic.

I have followed all instructions in MS KB 132668 "Icons randomly change to
different icons", with no success. In the last step, when changing the
registry value to 2000 did not work, I changed it to 4096 (max value), with
no difference.

The only thing that is different about my computer this morning from last
night is that last night I installed Diskeeper and ran a defrag. I have used
this same version of Diskeeper (current version) on this same laptop before,
with no problem.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Gene

Hi Gene,

1= Right click Desktop and select Properties.
- Click on Desktop tab
- Then click on Customize desktop' button
- then on Web tab and Uncheck all Items there and click OK

2= Right click Desktop and Point to Arrange icons by on the drop down list
-Uncheck "Lock Web Items"

Read this article:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=305117

Line 195- 2nd column= Restore Desktop Icons and Taskbar or Line 4:
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm
HTH.
nass
====
www.nasstec.co.uk

 

[Gene]

In response to my query nass wrote

1= Right click Desktop and select Properties.
- Click on Desktop tab
- Then click on Customize desktop' button
- then on Web tab and Uncheck all Items there and click OK

2= Right click Desktop and Point to Arrange icons by on the drop down list
-Uncheck "Lock Web Items"

Read this article:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=305117

Line 195- 2nd column= Restore Desktop Icons and Taskbar or Line 4:
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

Hi nass,

Thanks for the tips. I tried all of this with no success. The MS KB link is
dead and the other things did not help. I just remembered that during the
defrag last night I let Diskeeper expand the MFT. That probably is what
ruined things. I will write to them and see what they say.

Thanks,
Gene

 

[Guest]

Good luck and let us know your findings.
Regards,
nass
===
www.nasstec.co.uk