Icon Settings not saved at restart

  • Thread starter Thread starter Alan M
  • Start date Start date
A

Alan M

I am using Win XP Pro and Stardock Icon Packager and I have changed a large
number of the system icons including 'my computer'.
When I restart all the icons in explorer and my computer revert to default
and I have to reapply the icon package.
This also applies to the name applied to the my computer icon. The other 5
icons on the desktop are unaffected.
Running scheduled task also caused the same thing to happen.
I have applied the "save settings on exit" fix from Kelly's site but the
problem still remain.
I have increased the setting of the ShellIconCache to 12000 and Folders to
8000.

What causes this and can it be rectified

TIA
AM
 
Hi Alan,

Where exactly are the changes being made in the registry? If you don't know
you will have to check with the third party program or use Regmon.
Depending on where the changes are being stored, depends on the outcome.

Good luck!

/top10faqs.htm
 
Kelly

Thanks for the response.
The standard windows functionality in desktop> properties for changing and
renaming the basic icons like My Computer did not/does not work either
before or after I installed Icon Packager as a trial.

AM
 
Hi Alan,

Not saying that is does. What I am saying is that there are some settings
that hold, depending on exactly where they were/are set to be changed.
Again, 'where' are these being changed?

/top10faqs.htm
 
Hi Kelly

I have tried Regmon and I think this is the record from the area where the
'My Computer' icon is being changed.

22.58522242 rundll32.exe:3696 QueryValue HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet
Explorer\Desktop\Components\GeneralFlags SUCCESS 0x4
22.58523807 rundll32.exe:3696 SetValue HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet
Explorer\Desktop\Components\GeneralFlags SUCCESS 0x4
22.58525371 rundll32.exe:3696 CloseKey HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet
Explorer\Desktop\Components SUCCESS Key: 0xE2B7E690
22.58530539 rundll32.exe:3696 CreateKey
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CLSID\{20D04FE0-3AEA
-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\DefaultIcon SUCCESS Key: 0xE2B7E690
22.58573366 rundll32.exe:3696 SetValue
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CLSID\{20D04FE0-3AEA
-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\DefaultIcon\(Default) SUCCESS "D:\Themes\Crusin' to
the Diner\Diner_Coupe_My Computer.ico,0"
22.58576188 rundll32.exe:3696 CloseKey
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CLSID\{20D04FE0-3AEA
-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\DefaultIcon SUCCESS Key: 0xE2B7E690
22.58610801 rundll32.exe:3696 OpenKey
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer SUCCESS
Key: 0xE2B7E690

Alan
 
Heya --

I've been having the exact same problems.. changed icons not wanting to stay
changed.

The non-system ones keep the settings just fine, but anything related to
Windows itself its reset back to its default icon. (This includes the
desktop icons and the start menu icons.)

Sometimes I can reboot and the icons will be the way I left them, but give
it time and *poof* back they go again. Driving me nuts :(

I've run a few reg patches off of the Kelly's Corner website (save settings
on exit and one or two others that I've seen mentioned in similar threads)
but nothing is working.

Using XP SP1 (completely patched up todate) and StyleXP. To change the
icons I've gone thru the display properties for the desktop icons, also
tried IconPackager. Either way, they get punted back to default.

Any more ideas would be great
 
Changing the icons in the Display dialog changes them here
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CLSID

This is new to XP and overrides the older settings (from previous versions) that still work if there is not an entry here. Confirm that this key is changing and staying changed. (EG Recycle Bin is HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CLSID\{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}\DefaultIcon)

However one of the older ways (there are two) overrides this new way. This way normally has no default values, but if they do it will override. This is how I change Icons. And most icon programs for older OSs also change them here.


Shell Icons
REGEDIT4
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\Shell Icons]
"Number from list below"="Path to icon, Icon index"
The list below specifies the number for the default shell icons.

The path to icon is a dos path to the icon, in a registry file remembe to use \\ (regedit rmoves one \ when merging).

The icon index is used when the icons are coming from a binary file like a .dll or .exe. It is the position of the icon in the file (a negitive number is the inverse of the resource ID). Omit the comma and Icon Index when using an .ICO file.

To get the index create a shortcut, right click and choose Properties, then Change Icon, then Browse. Select the file and click open. The icons are numbered from 0 downwards then across.

Icons can also be set under the Default Icon setting for the object in HKEY_ROOT (which is where Windows stores its' icon information), the Shell Icon setting overrides this.

Value Description
0 Unknown File Type
1 Default Document
2 Default Application
3 Folder
4 Open Folder
5 5.25 inch Floppy
6 3.5 inch Floppy
7 Removable Drive
8 Hard Drive
9 Network Drive
10 Network Disconnected
11 Cd-rom Drive
12 Ram Drive
13 Globe
14 Network Pipes ?
15 Desktop
16 Print Manager
17 Network Neighborhood
18 Workgroup
19 Program
20 Document Folder
21 Settings
22 Find
23 Hint
24 Command
25 Screen Saver
26 Docking
27 Display
28 Sharing Overlay (Hand)
29 Shortcut Overlay (Small Arrow)
30 Default Printer Overlay (Small Tick)
31 Recycled Empty
32 Recycled Full
33 Dial-up Networking
34 Desktop
35 Control Panel
36 Program Groups
37 Printers
38 Font
39 Start Menu settings
40 Audio Cd
44 Log Off
45 May not apply to Win98
46 May not apply to Win98

Download a zip file called OpenFolder.zip containing a green open icon and registry file that makes the current open folder in Explorer green. In later versions of the shell the icon index must be specified (which is 0) and an extra reg file has been added (15/9/00). Please let me know which reg file works with which version of Windows / Internet Explorer.
 
Thanks for the useful information.

I started simple, using the display properties to modify the icons. It made
changes in the
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\Shell
Icons] section of the registry. However, after a reboot, it reverted back.
(Even lost the additions..)

For laughs (after backing up my registry of course) I modified the values in
the HKEY_USERS section, also reverted.

What *appears* to have worked for me is altering the defaulticon for each
object in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID. I used IconPackager to make the changes
that I wanted. I then exported the values out of the HKEY_CURRENT_USER
section, loaded up my editor, did a search and replace and re-imported it
back into the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT section.

A pain in the butt to say the least, but so far the icons are staying the
way I want them. Not sure why XP wanted to play hardball about this, for
the most part its a clean install minus a few system utilities (Antivirus
and so on and so forth).

Thanks again for the information, pointed me in the right direciton :)



Changing the icons in the Display dialog changes them here
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CLSID

This is new to XP and overrides the older settings (from previous versions)
that still work if there is not an entry here. Confirm that this key is
changing and staying changed. (EG Recycle Bin is
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CLSID\{
645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}\DefaultIcon)

However one of the older ways (there are two) overrides this new way. This
way normally has no default values, but if they do it will override. This is
how I change Icons. And most icon programs for older OSs also change them
here.


Shell Icons
REGEDIT4
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\Shell
Icons]
"Number from list below"="Path to icon, Icon index"
The list below specifies the number for the default shell icons.

The path to icon is a dos path to the icon, in a registry file remembe to
use \\ (regedit rmoves one \ when merging).

The icon index is used when the icons are coming from a binary file like a
..dll or .exe. It is the position of the icon in the file (a negitive number
is the inverse of the resource ID). Omit the comma and Icon Index when using
an .ICO file.

To get the index create a shortcut, right click and choose Properties, then
Change Icon, then Browse. Select the file and click open. The icons are
numbered from 0 downwards then across.

Icons can also be set under the Default Icon setting for the object in
HKEY_ROOT (which is where Windows stores its' icon information), the Shell
Icon setting overrides this.

Value Description
0 Unknown File Type
1 Default Document
2 Default Application
3 Folder
4 Open Folder
5 5.25 inch Floppy
6 3.5 inch Floppy
7 Removable Drive
8 Hard Drive
9 Network Drive
10 Network Disconnected
11 Cd-rom Drive
12 Ram Drive
13 Globe
14 Network Pipes ?
15 Desktop
16 Print Manager
17 Network Neighborhood
18 Workgroup
19 Program
20 Document Folder
21 Settings
22 Find
23 Hint
24 Command
25 Screen Saver
26 Docking
27 Display
28 Sharing Overlay (Hand)
29 Shortcut Overlay (Small Arrow)
30 Default Printer Overlay (Small Tick)
31 Recycled Empty
32 Recycled Full
33 Dial-up Networking
34 Desktop
35 Control Panel
36 Program Groups
37 Printers
38 Font
39 Start Menu settings
40 Audio Cd
44 Log Off
45 May not apply to Win98
46 May not apply to Win98

Download a zip file called OpenFolder.zip containing a green open icon and
registry file that makes the current open folder in Explorer green. In later
versions of the shell the icon index must be specified (which is 0) and an
extra reg file has been added (15/9/00). Please let me know which reg file
works with which version of Windows / Internet Explorer.
 
Good.
Max Norris said:
Thanks for the useful information.

I started simple, using the display properties to modify the icons. It made
changes in the
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\Shell
Icons] section of the registry. However, after a reboot, it reverted back.
(Even lost the additions..)

For laughs (after backing up my registry of course) I modified the values in
the HKEY_USERS section, also reverted.

What *appears* to have worked for me is altering the defaulticon for each
object in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID. I used IconPackager to make the changes
that I wanted. I then exported the values out of the HKEY_CURRENT_USER
section, loaded up my editor, did a search and replace and re-imported it
back into the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT section.

A pain in the butt to say the least, but so far the icons are staying the
way I want them. Not sure why XP wanted to play hardball about this, for
the most part its a clean install minus a few system utilities (Antivirus
and so on and so forth).

Thanks again for the information, pointed me in the right direciton :)



Changing the icons in the Display dialog changes them here
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CLSID

This is new to XP and overrides the older settings (from previous versions)
that still work if there is not an entry here. Confirm that this key is
changing and staying changed. (EG Recycle Bin is
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CLSID\{
645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}\DefaultIcon)

However one of the older ways (there are two) overrides this new way. This
way normally has no default values, but if they do it will override. This is
how I change Icons. And most icon programs for older OSs also change them
here.


Shell Icons
REGEDIT4
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\Shell
Icons]
"Number from list below"="Path to icon, Icon index"
The list below specifies the number for the default shell icons.

The path to icon is a dos path to the icon, in a registry file remembe to
use \\ (regedit rmoves one \ when merging).

The icon index is used when the icons are coming from a binary file like a
.dll or .exe. It is the position of the icon in the file (a negitive number
is the inverse of the resource ID). Omit the comma and Icon Index when using
an .ICO file.

To get the index create a shortcut, right click and choose Properties, then
Change Icon, then Browse. Select the file and click open. The icons are
numbered from 0 downwards then across.

Icons can also be set under the Default Icon setting for the object in
HKEY_ROOT (which is where Windows stores its' icon information), the Shell
Icon setting overrides this.

Value Description
0 Unknown File Type
1 Default Document
2 Default Application
3 Folder
4 Open Folder
5 5.25 inch Floppy
6 3.5 inch Floppy
7 Removable Drive
8 Hard Drive
9 Network Drive
10 Network Disconnected
11 Cd-rom Drive
12 Ram Drive
13 Globe
14 Network Pipes ?
15 Desktop
16 Print Manager
17 Network Neighborhood
18 Workgroup
19 Program
20 Document Folder
21 Settings
22 Find
23 Hint
24 Command
25 Screen Saver
26 Docking
27 Display
28 Sharing Overlay (Hand)
29 Shortcut Overlay (Small Arrow)
30 Default Printer Overlay (Small Tick)
31 Recycled Empty
32 Recycled Full
33 Dial-up Networking
34 Desktop
35 Control Panel
36 Program Groups
37 Printers
38 Font
39 Start Menu settings
40 Audio Cd
44 Log Off
45 May not apply to Win98
46 May not apply to Win98

Download a zip file called OpenFolder.zip containing a green open icon and
registry file that makes the current open folder in Explorer green. In later
versions of the shell the icon index must be specified (which is 0) and an
extra reg file has been added (15/9/00). Please let me know which reg file
works with which version of Windows / Internet Explorer.

Max Norris said:
Heya --

I've been having the exact same problems.. changed icons not wanting to stay
changed.

The non-system ones keep the settings just fine, but anything related to
Windows itself its reset back to its default icon. (This includes the
desktop icons and the start menu icons.)

Sometimes I can reboot and the icons will be the way I left them, but give
it time and *poof* back they go again. Driving me nuts :(

I've run a few reg patches off of the Kelly's Corner website (save settings
on exit and one or two others that I've seen mentioned in similar threads)
but nothing is working.

Using XP SP1 (completely patched up todate) and StyleXP. To change the
icons I've gone thru the display properties for the desktop icons, also
tried IconPackager. Either way, they get punted back to default.

Any more ideas would be great
 
I have also overwritten the default icons using the CLSID's.
Strange thing is this problem only started for me about 2 weeks ago a year
down the road from first installing XP pro.
I did a clean reinstall last weekend hoping to resolve this problem and one
or two other registry related things.
All the other problems have been resolved without resorting to manually
editing the registry.

Alan

Good.
Max Norris said:
Thanks for the useful information.

I started simple, using the display properties to modify the icons. It made
changes in the
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\Shell
Icons] section of the registry. However, after a reboot, it reverted back.
(Even lost the additions..)

For laughs (after backing up my registry of course) I modified the values in
the HKEY_USERS section, also reverted.

What *appears* to have worked for me is altering the defaulticon for each
object in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID. I used IconPackager to make the changes
that I wanted. I then exported the values out of the HKEY_CURRENT_USER
section, loaded up my editor, did a search and replace and re-imported it
back into the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT section.

A pain in the butt to say the least, but so far the icons are staying the
way I want them. Not sure why XP wanted to play hardball about this, for
the most part its a clean install minus a few system utilities (Antivirus
and so on and so forth).

Thanks again for the information, pointed me in the right direciton :)



Changing the icons in the Display dialog changes them here
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CLSID

This is new to XP and overrides the older settings (from previous versions)
that still work if there is not an entry here. Confirm that this key is
changing and staying changed. (EG Recycle Bin is
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CLSID\{
645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}\DefaultIcon)

However one of the older ways (there are two) overrides this new way. This
way normally has no default values, but if they do it will override. This is
how I change Icons. And most icon programs for older OSs also change them
here.


Shell Icons
REGEDIT4
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\Shell
Icons]
"Number from list below"="Path to icon, Icon index"
The list below specifies the number for the default shell icons.

The path to icon is a dos path to the icon, in a registry file remembe to
use \\ (regedit rmoves one \ when merging).

The icon index is used when the icons are coming from a binary file like a
.dll or .exe. It is the position of the icon in the file (a negitive number
is the inverse of the resource ID). Omit the comma and Icon Index when using
an .ICO file.

To get the index create a shortcut, right click and choose Properties, then
Change Icon, then Browse. Select the file and click open. The icons are
numbered from 0 downwards then across.

Icons can also be set under the Default Icon setting for the object in
HKEY_ROOT (which is where Windows stores its' icon information), the Shell
Icon setting overrides this.

Value Description
0 Unknown File Type
1 Default Document
2 Default Application
3 Folder
4 Open Folder
5 5.25 inch Floppy
6 3.5 inch Floppy
7 Removable Drive
8 Hard Drive
9 Network Drive
10 Network Disconnected
11 Cd-rom Drive
12 Ram Drive
13 Globe
14 Network Pipes ?
15 Desktop
16 Print Manager
17 Network Neighborhood
18 Workgroup
19 Program
20 Document Folder
21 Settings
22 Find
23 Hint
24 Command
25 Screen Saver
26 Docking
27 Display
28 Sharing Overlay (Hand)
29 Shortcut Overlay (Small Arrow)
30 Default Printer Overlay (Small Tick)
31 Recycled Empty
32 Recycled Full
33 Dial-up Networking
34 Desktop
35 Control Panel
36 Program Groups
37 Printers
38 Font
39 Start Menu settings
40 Audio Cd
44 Log Off
45 May not apply to Win98
46 May not apply to Win98

Download a zip file called OpenFolder.zip containing a green open icon and
registry file that makes the current open folder in Explorer green. In later
versions of the shell the icon index must be specified (which is 0) and an
extra reg file has been added (15/9/00). Please let me know which reg file
works with which version of Windows / Internet Explorer.

Max Norris said:
Heya --

I've been having the exact same problems.. changed icons not wanting to stay
changed.

The non-system ones keep the settings just fine, but anything related to
Windows itself its reset back to its default icon. (This includes the
desktop icons and the start menu icons.)

Sometimes I can reboot and the icons will be the way I left them, but give
it time and *poof* back they go again. Driving me nuts :(

I've run a few reg patches off of the Kelly's Corner website (save settings
on exit and one or two others that I've seen mentioned in similar threads)
but nothing is working.

Using XP SP1 (completely patched up todate) and StyleXP. To change the
icons I've gone thru the display properties for the desktop icons, also
tried IconPackager. Either way, they get punted back to default.

Any more ideas would be great
 
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