Icon cache

  • Thread starter Thread starter Beemer
  • Start date Start date
B

Beemer

When I start XP Sp2 my desktop icons take maybe 20 seconds to "color up" and
his happens almost one at a time. I have 2GB ram and AMD64 4000 so why does
not happen?

I have increased the icon cache but this made no difference. Does the icon
cache get used for UNOPENED and UNSEEN icons? if this point is significant
how can I check the number of icons I have?

Beemer
 
Experiencing icon lag, while browsing thru all your Start icons and
programs?
Your icons need ages to load?

Delete IconCache.db

IconCache.db. A hidden file located in...

%userprofile%\Local Settings\Application Data

After deleting IconCache.db, it will be automatically recreated.

Paste into Start | Run and click OK...

%userprofile%\Local Settings\Application Data

Right click IconCache.db and selcect Delete.

HOW TO: Search For Hidden Or System Files In Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;302347

To display Hidden files and folders...

Start | Settings | Control Panel | Folder Options | View tab
Check:
Display the contents of system folders
Show hidden files and folders
UNCheck:
Hide protected operating system files
Click Apply | Click OK

[[Hidden files and folders will appear dimmed to indicate they are not
typical items.]]

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
| Experiencing icon lag, while browsing thru all your Start icons and
| programs?
| Your icons need ages to load?
|
| Delete IconCache.db
|
| IconCache.db. A hidden file located in...
|
| %userprofile%\Local Settings\Application Data
|
| After deleting IconCache.db, it will be automatically recreated.
|
| Paste into Start | Run and click OK...
|
| %userprofile%\Local Settings\Application Data
|
| Right click IconCache.db and selcect Delete.
|
| HOW TO: Search For Hidden Or System Files In Windows XP
| http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;302347
|
| To display Hidden files and folders...
|
| Start | Settings | Control Panel | Folder Options | View tab
| Check:
| Display the contents of system folders
| Show hidden files and folders
| UNCheck:
| Hide protected operating system files
| Click Apply | Click OK
|
| [[Hidden files and folders will appear dimmed to indicate they are not
| typical items.]]
|
| --
| Hope this helps. Let us know.
|
| Wes
| MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
|
| In | Beemer <[email protected]> hunted and pecked:
| > When I start XP Sp2 my desktop icons take maybe 20 seconds to "color up"
| > and his happens almost one at a time. I have 2GB ram and AMD64 4000 so
| > why does not happen?
| >
| > I have increased the icon cache but this made no difference. Does the
| > icon cache get used for UNOPENED and UNSEEN icons? if this point is
| > significant how can I check the number of icons I have?
| >
| > Beemer
|
Wes,

Deleted all iconcache.db files, rebooted then rebooted again. Takes 1
minute and 15 seconds for the last desktop icon to "color up". Only program
running during this time is McAfee Suite and Diskeeper but takes same time
if these are disabled.

Beemer
 
Hi Beemer,

I have noticed that if you reboot or...
Taskbar and Start Menu Properties | Customize button | Clear button
that icons will take a while to load, especially in the Start Menu.

I do not know why this happens, but it seems to be part of how windows
operates.
how can I check the number of icons I have?
Click to expand...

The icons on your desktop can be actual files or folders or .lnk files
(Shorcuts) or .url files (Internet Shorcuts). Do a Search for .url and .lnk
on your machine.
Deleted all iconcache.db files, rebooted then rebooted again. Takes 1
minute and 15 seconds for the last desktop icon to "color up".
Click to expand...

Keep in mind that during that time Windows is loading *all* of the other
files that start when Windows boots. Like whatever programs that you have
set to load when windows starts and all of the .dll files that Windows loads
whether you want them to or not.

So it isn't just the time that the desktop icons are "coloring up".

To get an idea of what's loaded without getting any 3rd party programs, open
System Information...
Start | Run | Type: msinfo32 | Click OK |
Click on the [+] next to Software Environment |
Click on Loaded Modules

Long list, huh?

Then again, I may have no idea what I'm talking about.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
Beemer said:
Wesley Vogel said:
Experiencing icon lag, while browsing thru all your Start icons and
programs?
Your icons need ages to load?

Delete IconCache.db

IconCache.db. A hidden file located in...

%userprofile%\Local Settings\Application Data

After deleting IconCache.db, it will be automatically recreated.

Paste into Start | Run and click OK...

%userprofile%\Local Settings\Application Data

Right click IconCache.db and selcect Delete.

HOW TO: Search For Hidden Or System Files In Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;302347

To display Hidden files and folders...

Start | Settings | Control Panel | Folder Options | View tab
Check:
Display the contents of system folders
Show hidden files and folders
UNCheck:
Hide protected operating system files
Click Apply | Click OK

[[Hidden files and folders will appear dimmed to indicate they are not
typical items.]]

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
Beemer said:
When I start XP Sp2 my desktop icons take maybe 20 seconds to "color up"
and his happens almost one at a time. I have 2GB ram and AMD64 4000 so
why does not happen?

I have increased the icon cache but this made no difference. Does the
icon cache get used for UNOPENED and UNSEEN icons? if this point is
significant how can I check the number of icons I have?

Beemer
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Wes,

Deleted all iconcache.db files, rebooted then rebooted again. Takes 1
minute and 15 seconds for the last desktop icon to "color up". Only
program running during this time is McAfee Suite and Diskeeper but takes
same time if these are disabled.

Beemer
Click to expand...
 
Wesley said:
Experiencing icon lag, while browsing thru all your Start icons and
programs?
Your icons need ages to load?

Delete IconCache.db

IconCache.db. A hidden file located in...

%userprofile%\Local Settings\Application Data

After deleting IconCache.db, it will be automatically recreated.

Paste into Start | Run and click OK...

%userprofile%\Local Settings\Application Data

Right click IconCache.db and selcect Delete.

HOW TO: Search For Hidden Or System Files In Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;302347

To display Hidden files and folders...

Start | Settings | Control Panel | Folder Options | View tab
Check:
Display the contents of system folders
Show hidden files and folders
UNCheck:
Hide protected operating system files
Click Apply | Click OK

[[Hidden files and folders will appear dimmed to indicate they are not
typical items.]]


In
Beemer said:
When I start XP Sp2 my desktop icons take maybe 20 seconds to "color
up" and his happens almost one at a time. I have 2GB ram and AMD64
4000 so why does not happen?

I have increased the icon cache but this made no difference. Does
the icon cache get used for UNOPENED and UNSEEN icons? if this
point is significant how can I check the number of icons I have?

Beemer
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

Aha, thanks again Wesley! Norton will do that for me, but as usual I've
never been able to figure out what it does to "refresh" the icons!
Great tip!

Wesley: Are you published anywhere or have a web site with such info on it?
Just curious. You're a wealth of niche information!

Pop`
 
JS,

I have 80 icons. I am quite familiar with what is loaded at startup
including the dll files but I have never witnessed the delay I have on other
folks computers. In fact their icon set just snap into life! This is why I
asked the question about icons existign but not in use. I have two 250GB
discs and they are each 75% each.

Beemer


| Beemer:
| How many Icons do you have on your desktop?
|
| JS
|
| | > When I start XP Sp2 my desktop icons take maybe 20 seconds to "color up"
| > and
| > his happens almost one at a time. I have 2GB ram and AMD64 4000 so why
| > does
| > not happen?
| >
| > I have increased the icon cache but this made no difference. Does the
| > icon
| > cache get used for UNOPENED and UNSEEN icons? if this point is
| > significant
| > how can I check the number of icons I have?
| >
| > Beemer
| >
| >
|
|
 
Wesley: Are you published anywhere or have a web site with such info on
it?
Click to expand...

Nope, just some folders on my machine full of all kinds of stuff. ;-)

Or
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=a...1&as_maxd=17&as_maxm=11&as_maxy=2006&safe=off

But here's where I have learned a lot.
http://groups.google.com/groups?as_...1&as_maxd=17&as_maxm=11&as_maxy=2006&safe=off

or
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp.htm
or
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/
or
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/default.aspx
or
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/default.aspx
or
http://support.microsoft.com/search/?adv=1

among many others.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
Pop` said:
Wesley said:
Experiencing icon lag, while browsing thru all your Start icons and
programs?
Your icons need ages to load?

Delete IconCache.db

IconCache.db. A hidden file located in...

%userprofile%\Local Settings\Application Data

After deleting IconCache.db, it will be automatically recreated.

Paste into Start | Run and click OK...

%userprofile%\Local Settings\Application Data

Right click IconCache.db and selcect Delete.

HOW TO: Search For Hidden Or System Files In Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;302347

To display Hidden files and folders...

Start | Settings | Control Panel | Folder Options | View tab
Check:
Display the contents of system folders
Show hidden files and folders
UNCheck:
Hide protected operating system files
Click Apply | Click OK

[[Hidden files and folders will appear dimmed to indicate they are not
typical items.]]


In
Beemer said:
When I start XP Sp2 my desktop icons take maybe 20 seconds to "color
up" and his happens almost one at a time. I have 2GB ram and AMD64
4000 so why does not happen?

I have increased the icon cache but this made no difference. Does
the icon cache get used for UNOPENED and UNSEEN icons? if this
point is significant how can I check the number of icons I have?

Beemer
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

Aha, thanks again Wesley! Norton will do that for me, but as usual I've
never been able to figure out what it does to "refresh" the icons!
Great tip!

Wesley: Are you published anywhere or have a web site with such info on
it? Just curious. You're a wealth of niche information!

Pop`
Click to expand...
 
JS, Mine was 2000 and I increased it to 8096 like yours and rebooted but it
has not improved things. I will clear the iconcache.db and boot twice to
see if there is any improvement.

Beemer


|I have 64 and was noticing the same problem, but for me increasing the Icon
| cache:
| http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm line 121
| and this did the trick.
|
| The registry entry is:
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Explorer. In
| the right pane, look for the value named Max Cached Icons.
|
| If the value does not exist see:
| http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-1035_11-5164407.html
|
| This value is set to 8096 on my PC.
|
| JS
|
| | > JS,
| >
| > I have 80 icons. I am quite familiar with what is loaded at startup
| > including the dll files but I have never witnessed the delay I have on
| > other
| > folks computers. In fact their icon set just snap into life! This is
why
| > I
| > asked the question about icons existign but not in use. I have two
250GB
| > discs and they are each 75% each.
| >
| > Beemer
| >
| >
| > | Beemer:
| > | How many Icons do you have on your desktop?
| > |
| > | JS
| > |
| > | | > | > When I start XP Sp2 my desktop icons take maybe 20 seconds to "color
| > up"
| > | > and
| > | > his happens almost one at a time. I have 2GB ram and AMD64 4000 so
| > why
| > | > does
| > | > not happen?
| > | >
| > | > I have increased the icon cache but this made no difference. Does
the
| > | > icon
| > | > cache get used for UNOPENED and UNSEEN icons? if this point is
| > | > significant
| > | > how can I check the number of icons I have?
| > | >
| > | > Beemer
| > | >
| > | >
| > |
| > |
| >
| >
|
|
 
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