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Desktop & File Explorer Icons Have Vanished

hnry
By hnry
in Troubleshooting
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Posted (edited)

Yesterday, I booted up my PC, and once reaching my desktop realised all my icons are gone, with pinned taskbar icons showing up as the default 'application' icon, apart from certain programs. I have had this issue before, and resorted to a fresh Windows install, but I would rather not do that or at least find the source to prevent it from happening again.

 

Further details: 

  • 'Properties' button on right-clicking any file does nothing
  • No icons show in file explorer at all
  • Start Menu icons show as usual
  • As far as I can tell, all other functionality in Windows Explorer behaves as usual

My specs are:

  • Windows 10 Home 64bit
  • Asus Prime B560-Plus (BIOS 07/05/2022)
  • 2x Kingston FURY Beast 8GB RAM
  • Intel i5 10600K (4.1GHz)
  • Crucial BX500 500GB SSD
  • Corsair CX600M 
  • Intel Arc a750 GPU

Steps I have currently taken with no success yet:

  • Rebuilt Icon Cache
  • Ran sfc /scannow - No integrity issues
  • Checked for existence of 'Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Shell' and that it is set to 'explorer.exe'
  • Run DISM command (Thanks @MantraWeasel)
  • Restarted Windows Explorer via Task Manager (Thanks @RandomLegoBrick)

 

I have attached a screenshot of File Explorer and of the taskbar. Any help is greatly appreciated!

image.png

LTTScreenshot2.png

Edited by hnry
Updates to steps taken
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Posted
5 minutes ago, hnry said:

Yesterday, I booted up my PC, and once reaching my desktop realised all my icons are gone, with pinned taskbar icons showing up as the default 'application' icon, apart from certain programs. I have had this issue before, and resorted to a fresh Windows install, but I would rather not do that or at least find the source to prevent it from happening again.

 

Further details: 

  • 'Properties' button on right-clicking any file does nothing
  • No icons show in file explorer at all
  • Start Menu icons show as usual
  • As far as I can tell, all other functionality in Windows Explorer behaves as usual

My specs are:

  • Windows 10 Home 64bit
  • Asus Prime B560-Plus (BIOS 07/05/2022)
  • 2x Kingston FURY Beast 8GB RAM
  • Intel i5 10600K (4.1GHz)
  • Crucial BX500 500GB SSD
  • Corsair CX600M 
  • Intel Arc a750 GPU

Steps I have currently taken:

  • Rebuilt Icon Cache
  • Ran sfc /scannow - No integrity issues
  • Checked for existence of 'Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Shell' and that it is set to 'explorer.exe'

 

I have attached a screenshot of File Explorer and of the taskbar. Any help is greatly appreciated!

image.png

LTTScreenshot2.png

Try these steps, 

  1. Rebuild Icon Cache
  2. Run sfc /scannow - No integrity issues
  3. Check for existence of ‘Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Shell’ and that it is set to ‘explorer.exe’
  4. Update Windows 10 system to the latest release

Have you tried turning it off and on again? Maybe Restart it? 

Please make sure to Mark the Solution as a Solution.

Take everything I say with a grain of salt. I could be just about wrong as I am right.

 

Main RIG

13600K (Undervolted) +MSI Z690 Edge Wi-Fi+ Team Elite 32gb RAM (3200) +Noctua Nhd-15 Chromax Black+ Intel 670p 1TB SSD+ Intel Arc A770+ Corsair Crystal 465x case+ EVGA SuperNOVA 650W PSU.+ ASUS VP222 Gaming Monitor

 

Laptop for School: Surface go 2 (sucks ass)

 

Laptop for tinkering: Dell Inspirion 3358

 

Audio: Apple Airpods Pro (1st Gen)

 

(Apple_reigns_ supreme_ forever_ and_ ever)

 

(I am 15 years old and don't know shit about fucking shit.) 

 

Everyone must suffer one of two Pains: The pain of Discipline or the pain of regret and disappointment.

 

-Jim Rohn

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Posted

You can also try running some DISM commands to see if you can locate/repair any issues. 

 

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Glowing screen captures,

Sleep eludes, lost in pixels,

Restless eyes still yearn.

 

-ChatGPT; the greatest poet of our generation.

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Posted

Maybe try restarting the "Windows Explorer" process from task manager? (it should be near the bottom)

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1 hour ago, RandomLegoBrick said:

Maybe try restarting the "Windows Explorer" process from task manager? (it should be near the bottom)

Restarting Windows Explorer does nothing unfortunately.

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2 hours ago, MantraWeasel said:

You can also try running some DISM commands to see if you can locate/repair any issues. 

 

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Nope, no success I'm afraid.

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