Windows 10: Icons Missing

Hi,

Today I tuned on the computer and I have no icons on the desktop (the program name remains). I then opened my computer and all my drive icons and even folder and file icons are gone. Please help.

:)

 

N8 and several software icons missing - not a reboot issue

Hi,

On my N8 several software icons are missing and reboot of the device will not help on this. This issue started after the first Anna update. Some icons that are missing are old SW installations before Anna update, but also some of the new software installations
are missing icons too. Some random icons are missing from main view and software menu too. To move the icon from one location/folder to other will not help to get icon(s) back. To start the target SW by pointing an empty icon works. Scrolling a long view on
having several icons + missing icons was very slow and after I moved all missing icons to separate view/folder scrolling the main SW view is now ok but missing icons dilemma is not solved. Attached image is from the folder to where is moved all missing icons.
Damn, I don´t wan't to reset the device.

Scr000013.jpg

 

ICON for battery life

Hello,

Also check the registry fix for missing system icons:

https://www.kapilarya.com/system-icons-missing-...

Let us know if this helps!

 

I have done a system restore from on week ago. No good.

 

Also tried rebuilding the icon cache... nothing. I also just noticed that right click-propertiesd does nothing. I have checked for malware and run sfc fix... nothing! Please somebody help!

 

Please Follow the step

On home Page "Right Click > View > Show Desktop Icons.

 

Thanks,

I have tried this and toggled it off and on... no result, See screenshot.
73%x

 

Hi Muzz69,

Open administrator command prompt and run sfc /scannow

You could also check, if other users are affected (create one if you are the only user) and if disconnecting second monitor helps (assuming you have more than one)

 

Thanks AndreTen,

I did these already.

sfc /scannow - did find some issues and corrected them but not the icons.
created a new user (admin) - signed out - new user also affected.
Only have the 1 monitor.

I have just been looking into broken shell extensions... nothing found... this is very frustrating now...

 

Do you have any shell extension installed? I've found some (old) posts os Stardock IconPackager causing similar behavior

Edit: also check this old post, if anything helps

Edit2: Check this post also... fixing security on User/appdata folder. all-icons-missing-entire-system-

in short (replace Laurie with your Username)

 

Thanks for the ideas AndreTen,

I don't have any Stardock IconPackager installed. I tried disabling all the shell extensions... no luck.
I tried to perform your edit2 but when i right click the local folder and go properties nothing happens. Properties is not working for anything except "My computer".
I tried booting in safe mode and still have no icons.
The only thing i can see has happened since i had this problem is that AVG appears to have done a program update. I guess the next thing to try is uninstall AVG and go back to a previous version.

 

How many times did you run sfc /scannow? If any problems were found, it is recommended up to three times (with restart in between..)

At this point I would recommend uninstalling AVG (Windows defender is doing really well last few months anyway) and do an inplace upgrade (mounting Windows ISO - you can get it from MS and run setup). All your files and programs will remain. This is fairly quick. Next step would be clean install.

I can only tell from other posts about this problem, but if it's not just simple show / hide icons (in that case text wouldn't remain) or rebuilding cache problem, this isn't easy to recover from ...

Good luck!

 

Thanks AndreTen,

No when I do the sfc /scannow it doesn't find any issues.

I have now also uninstalled AVG and this did not fix the problem. Unless there are some components left in the registry i need to remove?
Can you give me instructions on how do the inplace upgrade - i'm not quite following...
The other thing i was thinking of is if it could have been caused by a bad windows update. Is there any way to see which updates have been installed and when? But i'm thinking that the system restore i did would have brought me back to before the update anyway. Yes / No?
I find it strange that this problem is still occuring in safe mode.

I'd like to say - good job Microsoft on a great product windows 10... not. I have only had this for 4 months and already so many software issues. No wonder you wanted to give everyone a free upgrade. Not only are people not happy with its functionality but it has so many problems. I'm sorry I upgraded. Anyway thats my rant...

 

Regarding update history. In Settings / Updates, under the button "Check for updates" you can find View installed Update history.

About inplace upgrade. It is simple and resolve most of problems. About the same as resetting Windows.

Brink has made some great tutorials and this is about it:
repair-install-windows-10-place-upgrade

Just follow the tutorial, it has all from downloading ISO from MS, mounting it and performing update. Just hope it will help.

It would be great, if you remember what was last thing before problem occurred. If it was something else than Antivirus...

 

First - check if you encounter the same problem under a different user login. In my case I had a different login where the icons were all showing.

Second - check if you have the file "IconCache.db" located under C:\Users\(name of the user where icons are disappearing)\AppData\Local. (Make sure your folders are not hidden by enabling show hidden files). If file is not there…

Third – copy the file from the profile where it is working and paste it in the same location as above. You will see the Icons appear immediately once you copy the file.

Hope this helps...