How do I recover missing icons in Windows 7?

http://www.sevenforums.com/graphic-cards/21558-icon-went-missing-windows-7-heres-fix.html

Pretty simple to fix

1. Open Task Manager
2. Go to the Processes tab
3. End process **Explorer.exe (**Now all of your icons are gone, including the taskbar.)

4. Go to the Applications tab.

6. Open a new task called cmd.
7. Now type in this.

cd %userprofile%\appdata\local

del iconcache.db /a

exit

8. Create a new task called Explorer.exe

Your problem should be fixed.

Hi Shekhar,

Thanks so much for the response. I tried the various solutions you proposed and, unfortunately, none of them worked. The icons are still missing. Below are the results of each test.

Method 1 - I ran SFC and it found four instances of the file "tcpmon.ini" that it was unable to repair (one of the four error messages is pasted below). I don't know if this file has anything to do with the problem. Do you have any information about it? Is it something I should also fix?

2010-04-24 19:48:33, Info  CSI    0000011c [SR] Cannot repair member file [l:20{10}]"tcpmon.ini " of Microsoft-Windows-Printing-StandardPortMonitor-TCPMonINI, Version = 6.1.7600.16385, pA = PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE_AMD64 (9), Culture neutral, VersionScope = 1 nonSxS, PublicKeyToken = {l:8 b:31bf3856ad364e35}, Type neutral, TypeName neutral, PublicKey neutral in the store, hash mismatch

Method 2 - I rebooted in Safe Mode and still had the same missing icon problem.

Method 3 - I created a new standard user account and both that account and the Guest User account also had missing icons. I also tried saving a new Word doc under the new account and the file was saved without the Word icon, though it was still recognized and opened by Word.

If you have any other ideas, I would definitely appreciate hearing them!

Thanks again!

Hi Shankar,

I too have had exactly the same symptoms wiht exactly the same results from running SFC. Problem arose after installing major Windows update some time between 4/23 and 4/27.

How can I replace the tcpmon.ini file?

Hi Shekhar,

Thanks so much for the response. I tried the various solutions you proposed and, unfortunately, none of them worked. The icons are still missing. Below are the results of each test.

Method 1 - I ran SFC and it found four instances of the file "tcpmon.ini" that it was unable to repair (one of the four error messages is pasted below). I don't know if this file has anything to do with the problem. Do you have any information about it? Is it something I should also fix?

2010-04-24 19:48:33, Info  CSI    0000011c [SR] Cannot repair member file [l:20{10}]"tcpmon.ini" of Microsoft-Windows-Printing-StandardPortMonitor-TCPMonINI, Version = 6.1.7600.16385, pA = PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE_AMD64 (9), Culture neutral, VersionScope = 1 nonSxS, PublicKeyToken = {l:8 b:31bf3856ad364e35}, Type neutral, TypeName neutral, PublicKey neutral in the store, hash mismatch

Method 2 - I rebooted in Safe Mode and still had the same missing icon problem.

Method 3 - I created a new standard user account and both that account and the Guest User account also had missing icons. I also tried saving a new Word doc under the new account and the file was saved without the Word icon, though it was still recognized and opened by Word.

If you have any other ideas, I would definitely appreciate hearing them!

Thanks again!

Hi,

Let us try the below listed methods and check if the issue is resolved.

Method 1.

Let us run the SFC scan and verify it prevents this error to occur.

Use the System File Checker tool (SFC.exe) to determine which file is causing the issue, and then replace the file.

To do this, follow these steps: 

1. Open an elevated command prompt. To do this, click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator. If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Allow.
2. Type the following command, and then press ENTER:

sfc /scannow

The sfc /scannow command scans all protected system files and replaces incorrect versions with correct Microsoft versions.

More Information about SFC scan can be found in this document:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929833

Method 2.

Please check whether you face the same issue while logging in the safe mode. It is a possibility that one of the non-microsoft application is causing this issue. Let us boot into the safe mode and check. If you get the icons in safe mode we can perform a clean boot to find the root cause.

Step 1.

1. Restart your computer.
2. When the computer starts you will see your computer's hardware being listed. When you see this information start to gently tap the F8 key on your keyboard repeatedly until you are presented with the Windows 7 Advanced Boot Options screen.
3. Using the arrow keys, select the Safe Mode option you want.
4. Then press the enter key on your keyboard to boot into Windows 7 Safe Mode.
5. When Windows starts you will be at a typical logon screen. Logon to your computer and Windows 7 will enter Safe mode.
6. Do whatever tasks you require, and when you are done, reboot to go back into normal mode.

If it works fine in safe mode try performing a clean boot to find the root cause.

**Step 2.**You can try a Clean Boot Troubleshooting method to find which application is causing the problem.

Clean Boot Troubleshooting.  

1. Click Start, type msconfig in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.

   User Account Control permission.

   If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the

   password, Or click Continue.

2. On the General tab, click Selective Startup.
3. Under Selective Startup, click to clear the Load Startup items check box.
4. Click the Services tab, click to select the Hide All Microsoft Services check box, and then click Disable All.
5. Click OK.
6. When you are prompted, click Restart.
7. After the computer starts, check whether the problem is resolved.

If the issue is resolved check which third party is causing the problem, referring the link given below:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135

Also you need to uninstall and reinstall the problem software on your computer.

Reset the computer to start as usual

8. After you have finished troubleshooting, follow these steps to reset the computer to start as usual:
9. Click Start, type msconfig.exe in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER. 
10. If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type your password, or click Continue. On the General tab, click the Normal Startup option, and then click OK.  
11. When you are prompted to restart the computer, click Restart.

Method 3.

If the above method does not help create a new user account and check, If it resolves the issue fix the corrupt user profile.

Create a user account

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/Windows7/Create-a-user-account

If the issue does not occur in the new user account fix your corrupted user account. The steps to fix the corrupt user account is given below.

Fix a corrupted user profile.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-IN/windows7/Fix-a-corrupted-user-profile

Hope this helps.

Thanks and Regards:

Shekhar S - Microsoft Support. Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.

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