When I turn on my computer everything goes smoothly but then when it loads the desktop some of the files on my desk top just shows as an application without the normal image. On the quick launch bar it shows black squares and same in the start menu. My OS is Windows 2000 and I have service package 2. I have not set a restore point. Help!

Thanks in advance.

I would suggest a reformat.

Well I don't really mind the icons...but is there something else thats wrong? and if I were to reformat could I still save most of my files? and just wipe C.

Yes, after a reformat all your files will be safe if you save them to cd.

"Vote now. The plan of Icron, or the plan of Tillamar?"

You don't need a reformat. At most, you need a reinstall of either Windows or some application programs. Something messed up the registry.

On each icon which is wrong, right mouse the icon, and select properties. Then click change icon. Usually the corerect icon is hideen inside the program's own exe file, or in a related file in the same folder.

Another trick is to delete the desktop icon IF IT IS A SHORTCUT. Then just go to the real program and make a new shortcut. The system tray icons are also shortcuts.


Reinstalling Windows will cause the registry to be rebuilt in one easy, but time-consuming step. Windows will detect the programs and make a new desktop.

Another trick is to simply reinstall each program which has the wrong icon.

Ok, that works for most of my programs thanks, but my "desktop" and "my computer" icons are still missing their proper icons and the method you listed about going to properties or redragging the shortcut doesn't work (or at least I don't know where the shortcut for it is).

I can only talk for XP, but i imagine the similarity to 2000 will be uncanny...
My Computer, My Documents are two of a group of special shell folders... Diehards can change those icons, but is it worth the huge trouble? The default icons are stored in shell32.dll or explorer.exe.
My Computer is icon #100 explorer.exe
My Documents is icon#235 shell32.dll
-there are hundreds of em in shell32.dll, and either your shell32 and exploreer.exe are broken [sfc /scannow will fix that] or your reg is pointing to the sky.
There are several My Computer keys for icons, or icon groups - for start panel, folder icons... u have a lot of reg editing to do...test this one: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\StartMenu\StartPanel\MyDocs

Name: Bitmap
Data: %SystemRoot%\System32\shell32.dll,235
-that, as i pointed out, is for XP... icon 235, from an icon group, is a yellow folder with an envelope slipping inside. The icon u get from the group depends upon user-selected icon size and display colour range [bits].
Tweak UI rebuilds icons.. sfc /scannow rebuilds sys files, windows repair option rebuilds the reg.

This is definitely a registry problem.

The icons for those programs are selected in the registry, as are the icons for certain file types. If the registry entry is damaged, the default icon for the file type is displayed.

It's also possible that the icons themselves were deleted. But this is not likely, since the other icons were recoverable.

Of course, you would have tried rclick on desktop, properties, desktop tab, customise, and restore default icons? Highlight an icon and click restore default.

Download a utility called TweakUI from microsoft. Within that, click on the "Repair" tab and choose the option to repair/rebuild icons. This should take care of the problem.