[SOLVED] .exe shorcut icons corrupted somehow and have become generic program icons even after rebuilding IconCache.db ?

[EricToh]

80% of my .exe shortcut icons have become generic icons. This happened to my laptop and my desktop.

Version: Windows 11 Home and Pro latest version (Even happened before the latest version).

fixes I have tried:

• Clean installed more than 3 times (even different USB and download different ISO to make sure not ISO issue)
• sfc /scannow to make sure there is no file corruption
• delete and rebuild IconCache.db
• try 2 different healthy SSD

The only method that works is to rebuild using cmd. BUT after reboot, the problem is here again ?

taskkill /IM explorer.exe /F
DEL "%localappdata%\\IconCache.db" /A
start explorer.exe

I have tried searched online, it seems like no one having the same issue, but this issue happens to me on two different computers.

 

[Colif]

that is strange, especially if it happens on multiple installs

do you use same user on all PC? Just wondering if its a corrupt user account or sync setting.
create a new local account and make it admin = https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...-windows-20de74e0-ac7f-3502-a866-32915af2a34d
go to c:/users folder
copy contents of old users folder onto new user (this gives it same access and means you don't have to reinstall everything)
logon to new user, does it happen?

 

[EricToh]

that is strange, especially if it happens on multiple installs

do you use same user on all PC? Just wondering if its a corrupt user account or sync setting.
create a new local account and make it admin = https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...-windows-20de74e0-ac7f-3502-a866-32915af2a34d
go to c:/users folder
copy contents of old users folder onto new user (this gives it same access and means you don't have to reinstall everything)
logon to new user, does it happen?

Hi, I have tried two different PC and different level of user. All are using local account. Never sync
- Admin account and user account also tried before, the issue is still happen

 

[Colif]

try this but first back it up- https://neosmart.net/wiki/backup-restore-registry/

strange it recognizes office programs

 

[Deleted member 14196]

Scan with malwarebytes

 

[Colif]

He have to be really unlucky to get same spyware on 2 different pc

 

[Deleted member 14196]

No other explanation. Could easily get infected on two of his own computers depending on how he uses them

 

[EricToh]

try this but first back it up- https://neosmart.net/wiki/backup-restore-registry/

strange it recognizes office programs

My registry do not have the userChoice to delete.

 

[EricToh]

I did scan with Defender and Malwarebytes. All clear, for my PC i did not install any "piracted" software. All software are either paid or common software. Even my laptop are just having few software like Microsoft Office and browser

 

[Deleted member 14196]

If you can’t find your answers here and I would definitely contact Microsoft for support because I’ve never seen anything like this

 

[Colif]

or you can ask on https://www.elevenforum.com/ as MS likely just to say do a reinstall. its the stock answer for first year of an os. After that they try a little harder

its is odd, let us know how you go. it strikes me as odd that its not all icons.
and the resetting itself on a restart. why...

 

[Deleted member 14196]

if it isn't malware it's system corruption.

you need to run DISM commands and SFC as well.

whatever it is, corporate or otherwise, some piece of software is the culprit, and you must find it

from an elevated command prompt run these

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

then run

SFC /SCANNOW