No Icon Cache?

Well, i booted my computer today and all my desktop shortcuts have no icons. They are all working fine but missing their original icons. I also thought about rebuilding my icon cache but i have no iconcache file. What could have happened?

 

Is this link of any use: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/117229-icon-cache-rebuild.html

 

I can't rebuild the icon cache file since i don't even have one.

 

Coolio, did you by any chance use a cleanup app that deletes all desktop.ini files?

Would trying a system restore point to before the prob be convenient?

 

I tried System Restore but it had an error.

 

Yes, Coolio !

I have Windows XP .

I have : C/Documents and Settings/Your Name/Local Settings/Application Data/IconCache.db (4.6 MB) - after working of PureRa !!!

Bonne Nuit ...

 

I have Vista

 

IconCache.db is the Hidden file, while 'Search' does not find it, it's normal!

Wants you, that I will lend my dog? It looks!

 

I just fixed the problem manually by relinking the shortut icons with their .exe but i am still puzzled to why it happened. I still have no iconcache.db in sight. The only start menu shortcuts affected were the ones that were also affected on the desktop which is three. The start menu ones are connected to themselves, so some program messed with the registry.

 

One [mostly WAG] possibility could be if the environment variable that defines what %SystemRoot% is had gotten blown away, then the path wouldn't have been able to be resolved.

 

I think your right, but how do i fix it? See pic. It somehow is directing to a similar named but completely wrong directory. The real directory is in program files.

 

Hi Coolio10,

:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\ would be the correct location under Vista where it stores Start Menu shortcuts.

 

IconCache.db file is located under Vista in :\Users\[Username]\AppData\Local\ with file attributes - hidden. In Windows Explorer visit the menu and select Tools\Folder Options... and visit the View tab and locate and select Show hidden files and folders and now re-visit the above location .. if you aren't already in that location.

If you yet to try this, don't forget afterwards to change the colors from 32bit to 16bit and apply and back again.


If the problem still persists let me know.



Regards,
Phant0m``

 

Unfortunately I'm not a Vista user, and I'm way beyond my comfort level in suggesting any possible solutions, I'm sorry.

 

Thanks, the iconcache file finally recreated itself but i still have the problem of bad shortcuts. Look at pic below.

A regular start menu shortcut directs to the program files but the broken ones are actually stored in programdata and dont direct to program files. This problem is stopping me from uninstalling kaspersky as shown below

 

You are comparing two different aspects in shortcut properties, the general tab location information is where the shortcut file is found, and shortcut tab target information is linked file to be launched.

It seems as if the "bad shortcuts" files (*.lnk) are modified / corrupted, but you could try downloading and running the file association fix found at http://www.winhelponline.com/articles/105/1/File-association-fixes-for-Windows-Vista.html for 'lnk', and if that doesn't fix then also try one for 'exe'.


Regards,
Phant0m``

 

I apologize in advance to all if I'm treading on toes here, but .... <deep breath>

Coolio, I think you are misunderstanding about the actual "real" location of the shortcuts and icons. Secondly, I think that the problem is ultimately because of the incorrect definition of the %SystemRoot% variable on your system. SystemRoot specifies the location of the Windows folder. The individual applications and shortcuts will all correct themselves once SystemRoot is correctly set.

The path you see in a properties window, such as the ones that you show for AutoCAD (C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu) is actually a "resolved" location that's made up of one or more system variables such as %SystemRoot% plus path "fragments" that go to the individual applications.

So for example, if the system variable "SystemRoot" is defined as "C:\Somewhere" then Windows would show the properties for an application as being located at "C:\Somewhere\<someDirectory>\<someExe>". If the value of SystemRoot is defined as C:\Windows then the properties would show as C:\Windows\<someDirectory>\<someExe>

All the applications already installed on your system would show the path as being whatever SystemRoot was defined as, plus the remaining application-specific path.

So when Kapersky is trying to uninstall, it looks at your existing value of SystemRoot + "fragment" and can't find the uninstall files.

But if SystemRoot is changed to the right location, which is what the installer is saying about "matching source", then Kapersky can uninstall.

Unfortunately I don't know exactly how Vista handles system-wide variables. Googling shows that SystemRoot is related to another variable, WinDir, but the ultimate answer depends on how your specific system was set up to start with -- whether you used the "default" Vista install setup, or you multi-booted, or had multiple Vista installations.

If you're googling for more info, note that there's a difference between environment variables and "system-wide variables".

 

I kind of understand but i am not sure if that's the problem. I checked and i do not have a systemroot but i do have windir which is set to the correct directory according to the site below.

http://vistaonwindows.com/environment_variables.html

But i do believe your on the right track. It's deffinitely got nothing to do with icons but with some sort of variable since its also affecting uninstallers and startmenu/desktop shortcuts. But why were only a minority of shortcuts affected?

 

Neither worked.

 

In Start \ Run, Enter-In; %PROGRAMDATA% ..and click OK button, does it open window or does it give an error?

 

And then try %SYSTEMDRIVE%, and %SystemRoot%

 

I think you've just answered your own problem -- If you don't have SystemRoot defined on your system that could be the whole problem right there, that something deleted it. Without it, any application -- including the links to it -- that depended on the %SystemRoot% variable, would not then be resolved correctly. Your AutoCAD link that you posted early on is a perfect example.

As far as adding it goes, though, be extremely careful about how you try doing that -- your last screen capture showed the variables for a specific user name. I have no idea whether or not system variables can be different for different users, in which case things could get horribly tricky.

Please, please tell me you will make a good backup first, so that I can rest easy tonight.

 

All of them work Phant0m.

Here is more detailed variables.

I also believe this affects all users axial but what is weird is that windir points to systemroot but no systemroot is defined. Its like a giant chain reaction occured after systemroot disappreared.
But if i type %SystemRoot% it works as expected and opens up windows directory.

 

You mentioned that shortcuts wasn't the only problem, you have problems with programs uninstallers via Add/Remove programs?

Test this here; %SystemRoot%\Installer

.. Window appear and you see different subdirectories or an error screen?

 

Your missing different tabs for shortcuts properties because you don't have the correct permissions, please see 'Security' tab and add yourself! .. I should have noticed this much sooner, LOL.



Regards,
Phant0m``