Which icons are you referring to? Default Excel icons or?
Perhaps these icons are being placed there by some code that runs when you
start Excel. Either in your Personal.xls or an Add-in you are loading at
start-up.
Look to which Add-ins are checked in Tools>Add-ins. Un-check those you do not
recognise(or un-check all then re-check one at a time).
Customizations are saved in a file named *.XLB
If running XL97(always a good idea when posting to state which version)your
*.XLB will be in the Windows folder and named username8.xlb with username
being yours.
XL2000 and 2002 *.xlb file will be in Documents and
Settings\yourname\application data\microsoft\Excel and be Excel9.xlb or
Excel10.xlb
Perhaps this file is going astray? If on a server, this can happen.
Search for *.xlb and see what you come up with. When you get your
customization done, make a backup copy of the *.xlb file.
Note: you may find more than one *.XLB file. Note where they are then make a
change to a Menu or Toolbar in Excel. Close Excel and check to see which
*.XLB file updated.
Gord Dibben XL2002