Okay, so all my desktop-icon pictures have gone. I restarted, shut down and system restored, to no avail. So, I was wondering if anyone knew how to solve this problem of mine.
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Full Version: No icons on the desktop
Unexplained Mysteries Discussion Forums > Other > Computers, Gaming & The Internet > Computing Help and Support
The quick way is to go to here http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloa...ppowertoys.mspx
and download the TweakUI utility. There's a repair option at the bottom that will rebuild your icons for you.
(basically - it's caused by a registry mismatch - you might want to doublecheck for malware & make sure you take a backup of your registry, just in case)
and download the TweakUI utility. There's a repair option at the bottom that will rebuild your icons for you.
(basically - it's caused by a registry mismatch - you might want to doublecheck for malware & make sure you take a backup of your registry, just in case)
how do I back up my registry?
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322756 - Microsoft's handy dandy guide
alternatively - get a command prompt, run regedit (which will launch the registry editor) & use file/export & click all for export range
alternatively - get a command prompt, run regedit (which will launch the registry editor) & use file/export & click all for export range
QUOTE(Tiggs @ Aug 16 2007, 02:57 PM) 
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322756 - Microsoft's handy dandy guide
alternatively - get a command prompt, run regedit (which will launch the registry editor) & use file/export & click all for export range
alternatively - get a command prompt, run regedit (which will launch the registry editor) & use file/export & click all for export range
Ah I see.
Though... I don't have a CD burner to back them up. Will it be okay to just run the tweak?
I also exported and saved in your Alt.
okay - then your registry's backed up. Go for it.
Yaaay, awesome. Thank's a tonne Tiggs~ 
Okay, false alarm. It crashed, then reloaded and I'm missing the icon pictures again =/
I'm guessing my registry is messed?
The Tweak software doesn't work either ~_~
I'm guessing my registry is messed?
The Tweak software doesn't work either ~_~
right click over your desktop and you'll see a menu, select 'active desktop', and either select 'show icons' or unselect "show web content". You can also turn off your desktop as web content somewhere in your display properties, which you can access in your control panel.
There's nothing wrong with your computer. This is an option that comes with windows so you can hide your desktop icons if you like. You can turn it on and off whenever you like. You probably either accidently clicked it or it glitched on you for some reason. Don't worry
There's nothing wrong with your computer. This is an option that comes with windows so you can hide your desktop icons if you like. You can turn it on and off whenever you like. You probably either accidently clicked it or it glitched on you for some reason. Don't worry
QUOTE(rassy @ Aug 16 2007, 04:12 PM)
right click over your desktop and you'll see a menu, select 'active desktop', and either select 'show icons' or unselect "show web content". You can also turn off your desktop as web content somewhere in your display properties, which you can access in your control panel.
There's nothing wrong with your computer. This is an option that comes with windows so you can hide your desktop icons if you like. You can turn it on and off whenever you like. You probably either accidently clicked it or it glitched on you for some reason. Don't worry
There's nothing wrong with your computer. This is an option that comes with windows so you can hide your desktop icons if you like. You can turn it on and off whenever you like. You probably either accidently clicked it or it glitched on you for some reason. Don't worry
I can't see the Active Desktop selection. I had a quick look in settings but it wasn't there either. I'm on XP, if that makes a difference.
<<< I'm not always so computer illiterate.Edit
It seems the icons in my Panal are also picturless. =/
Edit 2 : My desktop has randomly sorted itself out. Though my Start menu and Panal are missing there icon pictures.
Rassy - Chok's icon's aren't hidden per se - just that the associated image with each linked icon is missing and it's showing the default white box.
Time for some Diagnostics -
1. Get a command prompt up. This is important (see 7 and 8 below). (Start/Run/CMD)
2. Open task manager (right click on an empty space on your task bar)
3. Within task manager, navigate to the processes tab
4. Find a process called explorer.exe
5. Take a note of the mem usage.
6. End the process called explorer.exe
7. Your desktop will disappear. Relax. it's supposed to do that.
8. If it doesn't respawn, type explorer.exe in the command prompt window
9. Your desktop will reappear.
10. check task manager again & see what the mem usage is for explorer.exe (again)
Post back here and tell me what the mem usage is & if the icons are back or not.
Also - try blanking the background & see if that makes a difference. It could be a memory resource issue.
Time for some Diagnostics -
1. Get a command prompt up. This is important (see 7 and 8 below). (Start/Run/CMD)
2. Open task manager (right click on an empty space on your task bar)
3. Within task manager, navigate to the processes tab
4. Find a process called explorer.exe
5. Take a note of the mem usage.
6. End the process called explorer.exe
7. Your desktop will disappear. Relax. it's supposed to do that.
8. If it doesn't respawn, type explorer.exe in the command prompt window
9. Your desktop will reappear.
10. check task manager again & see what the mem usage is for explorer.exe (again)
Post back here and tell me what the mem usage is & if the icons are back or not.
Also - try blanking the background & see if that makes a difference. It could be a memory resource issue.
Explorer.exe - 21,260
After ending and re-starting Explorer.exe - 15,588.
Edit
Now, to put your powers to evil~
How do I prevent the memory resource going overboard? (you've cured the faceless programs~
)
I have a load of icons on my desktop. So would deleting them and not being lazy, and use the start-menu reduce that memory-needage?
After ending and re-starting Explorer.exe - 15,588.
Edit
Now, to put your powers to evil~
How do I prevent the memory resource going overboard? (you've cured the faceless programs~
)I have a load of icons on my desktop. So would deleting them and not being lazy, and use the start-menu reduce that memory-needage?
Windows XP is a touch on the sensitive side when it comes to Icons. I'd recommend using folders on the desktop to group them in, then Windows won't need to load them all directly into memory to display the screen.
It should help speed the load time up as well, as for each icon, Windows has to go to the hard drive and locate the associated image and then render it.
Hopefully (crosses fingers) that should sort things out.
It should help speed the load time up as well, as for each icon, Windows has to go to the hard drive and locate the associated image and then render it.
Hopefully (crosses fingers) that should sort things out.
Tigg's i heard you a pc man can you cheek out my downloading problem topic
Ty!
can you cheek out my downloading problem topicTy!
QUOTE(Tiggs @ Aug 16 2007, 11:44 AM)
Rassy - Chok's icon's aren't hidden per se - just that the associated image with each linked icon is missing and it's showing the default white box.
...
...
Whoops, my bad. I didn't know it was that serious. I just thought I'd throw that in there as you never know just how PC illiterate one is (No offense, Chokma!!) I always try all the simple things first, just in case.
QUOTE(Tiggs @ Aug 17 2007, 10:14 AM)
Windows XP is a touch on the sensitive side when it comes to Icons. I'd recommend using folders on the desktop to group them in, then Windows won't need to load them all directly into memory to display the screen.
It should help speed the load time up as well, as for each icon, Windows has to go to the hard drive and locate the associated image and then render it.
Hopefully (crosses fingers) that should sort things out.
It should help speed the load time up as well, as for each icon, Windows has to go to the hard drive and locate the associated image and then render it.
Hopefully (crosses fingers) that should sort things out.
Awesome! Thanks a tonne Tiggs! It's all sorted, I'll put them in folders now while it's on my mind. Cheers again!
QUOTE(rassy @ Aug 17 2007, 02:23 PM)
Whoops, my bad. I didn't know it was that serious. I just thought I'd throw that in there as you never know just how PC illiterate one is (No offense, Chokma!!) I always try all the simple things first, just in case.
xD No problem. Still, I'm less illiterate now~
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