missing "All Programs" icons

[hari123]

Hi there,after using CCleaner for the first time,about a month ago,I found a very many of my icons in "All Programs" missing.Instead I have a generic icon. I would be grateful if somebody could help me in getting these icons back.Any detailed instructions would be much appreciated as I'm not too geeky.Thank you.

[hazelnut]

Hello hari123

 

When you say 'my programs' do you mean in in c\programs?

 

Are they all .exe files?

If so it may just be your file associations for that is broken and that can ususally be fixed quite easily.

 

Or do you mean when you do start-all programs some are missing the icon, but if you follow the little arrow link along, you can then see the icon?

 

 

 

Can you say if you are ususing xp or vista.

[hari123]

I'm using Windows XP and the "All Programs" I'm talking about is the "Start>All Programs".Yes,if I follow the little arrow links I can see the icons.How can I get my icons back?

[Andavari]

A screenshot would be helpful to visually aid us in understanding exactly what you're talking about.

 

If you've never posted a screenshot in a forum DennisD has these instructions on how it's done here.

[hazelnut]

I am assuming he means this

 

 

 

See how programs with sub folders (if you get what I mean) show the program icon only when following the arrow across as in the case of Karens replicator.

 

I have had this for a while but as it has never bothered me, so haven't done anything about it.

 

Possibly an icon cache size issue.

[CeeCee]

Can it be that your icon cache size is too small? Or maybe you just need to "refresh" it, by deleting iconcache.db file and rebooting. http://www.softwaretipsandtricks.com/windo...s-XP-Icon-Cache

[davey]

I am assuming he means this

 

 

 

See how programs with sub folders (if you get what I mean) show the program icon only when following the arrow across as in the case of Karens replicator.

 

I have had this for a while but as it has never bothered me, so haven't done anything about it.

 

Possibly an icon cache size issue.

Hazelnut,

I was forced to stay this side of the Desktop for over 3 years.Only got to use the Start button to Turn Off Computer.

Once I got to the other side of the Desktop All Programs was the first thing apperared automatically.

I thought I remember what hari123 describes. But about that same I used CCleaner for the first time and like hari123

I set all the Advanced options on the Windows tab and let her rip.

Bingo!!! all the All Programs sorted and old icons to nowhere removed.Where did my Start menu shortcuts go?

Where did those Desktop Icons that never did anything go ?

Gee, who put all those programs into grouped folders and then scrolls out all the Programs within those Generic icon folders.The programs each have their original icon.

I thought the Piriform fairy goddess must have done it or somebody's software did it.I didn't know how to do it myself.

It got to the point that I thought it was standard fare for Win XP SP2. Maybe it isn't?

Now here is a link to MS talking about All Programs icons.

Looks familiar doesn't it? Just what my All Programs list looks like today and Hazel's example.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/s.../startmenu.mspx

Gonna look into CeeCee's link.

davey

[hazelnut]

I am sure it is an icon cache issue ( mine is set to no value CeeCee, should be about 2000 I think)

 

However as I said, it doesn't really bother me so I've not done anything about it.

[writeaway]

I know exactly what Hari123 is talking about. The same thing happened to me and it bothers me a great deal. I'm not entirely sure the cause is CCleaner but the first time I noticed it was right after I ran CCleaner. I've tried to find a way to prevent it happening but there is no option available. In my system it affects all the icons in Windows Explorer too. There, it isn't the exe files, it is the individual ones. In the start menu it is the exes 'cause that's all that's there. The only icons that survive is Microsoft's, Corel's, Adobe, and CCleaner's.

 

I checked out the Article at softwaretipsandtricks but like a lot of other folks, I can't find the XP Icon Cache. It isn't where the article states and running a search of my C drive turns up nothing. So - maybe that isn't the problem after all? Or, maybe you can tell me how to find it?

 

Thanks.

XP SP2

512 MB Ram

Pentium Processor

[Andavari]

If it is the IconCache DB it can easily be re-built using the freeware Microsoft Tweak UI. In Tweak UI just click: Repair->Rebuild Icons->Repair Now

[Augeas]

Well, I never noticed that before. I though that was just how it works....

[hari123]

I've been away for awhile.Sorry I could not have responded earlier.The desktop is as Hazelnut has shown.Anyway,here's the screenshot.

[hari123]

I tried Microsoft Tweak UI.Doesn't work.

[JDPower]

I am assuming he means this

 

 

 

See how programs with sub folders (if you get what I mean) show the program icon only when following the arrow across as in the case of Karens replicator.

Am I missing something? That's normal isn't it? I've never seen the sub folders with anything but the folder icon (even the pics in the MS article Davey linked to shows them like that)

[Andavari]

Am I missing something? That's normal isn't it? I've never seen the sub folders with anything but the folder icon (even the pics in the MS article Davey linked to shows them like that)

Yeah that's what I'm thinking too. The only difference on my system is I've changed it to a "scrollable menu" because I have too many programs installed for that "slide open display all at once style" to show them all.

[writeaway]

Since there is no iconcache.db file on my XP SP2 system, I tried the Tweak UI method suggested by Andavari, even going to the trouble to download the @%*! thing. The result is that I have now lost every Icon in my system for every application I have. I can't even create new desktop icons because they are gone.

 

I tried using my registry backup hoping it would restore them but no such luck. Any more wonderful ideas? Any place I can go on the web to find help?

[DennisD]

I've been away for awhile.Sorry I could not have responded earlier.The desktop is as Hazelnut has shown.Anyway,here's the screenshot.

 

Hi hari123.

 

What you have, as already mentioned, as far as I can see from your screenshot, is perfectly normal:

 

 

You have "folder" icons, which are all the same, and the arrow leads you to the icons of the programs etc which are inside the folders.

 

The only icons you will have on your "All Programs" menu are icons not inside folders, as in the right side of the screenshot of my "All Programs" menu.

 

For quick access, you can follow the arrow of any folder to the "active" shortcut icon, press and hold left mouse button, and drag it across to anywhere on that menu, so it's quicker to access. Like the right side of the screenshot.

 

Or, you can follow the arrow to any icon, right click, and select "send to > desktop, create shortcut".

 

This puts any shortcut you want, onto the desktop.

 

Or, you can follow the arrow to any icon, right click, and select "pin to start menu".

 

This puts icons obviously onto your "Start Menu".

 

Another thing to check, is right click any open space on your desktop, select "properties > desktop > customize desktop > and make sure "Run Desktop Cleanup Wizard Every 60 days" is unchecked, otherwise every 60 days, shortcuts you haven't used are removed.

 

I'm not sure if I'm warm here, or way off the mark, but hope this helps.

 

EDIT: Keep in mind that the "Start Menu" you see on the left of the screenshot is "active". Unless you have it set to zero, the shorcuts not pinned in that menu change to show the most recently used. To set this to zero, to keep it from changing, right click the Taskbar at the bottom of the screen, select "Properties > start menu > customize > Number of programs on start menu > set to zero.