Desktop Icons (img only, not text) + Taskbar Icons GONE

[NoFrontiers]

Never seen this issue before!

As the title says, icon images have disappeared on my notebook. It's not just desktop and taskbar, it's ALL folder icons. For example when in folders and files explorer, only titles of folders display. 

So far I've tried:

- Re-starting PC

- Right-clicked desktop to confirm show icons is ticked

- Went into Desktop icons display settings in windows themes

- Ran antivirus scan

I have done nothing in the last 12 hours that could have suddenly caused this, simply using YouTube or web browsing.

Thank you in advance for any solutions.

[ub6424]

Hello @NoFrontiers 

Sorry to hear that you are having problems ... I would like to help you.

Try 

(1) Run command

[windows key] + r

ie4uinit.exe -show

(2) Download and run

Rebuild Shell Icon Cache v1.3

(3) Please report your results

[NoFrontiers]

Apologies for the overdue reply, been super busy.

Unfortunately your proposed solution didn't change anything for me. When I ran 'ie4uinit.exe -show' nothing happened other than what maybe was an icon refresh that had no effect. Nothing was shown. For Step 2 no success either. I downloaded the program, extracted all files and then when i tried to run the .exe file there was no effect and nothing opened. It did look like my icons refreshed again, meaning they basically blinked on and off.

I browsed the web and tried a few other things with no success: 

- Logging out and back into Windows 

- Tried deleting the IconCache.db file in C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local folder

- Tried deleting all .db files in 

C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer

 - Tried "sfc /scannow" in Command Prompt (as admin)

Nothing so far....

[ub6424]

Hello @NoFrontiers 

(1) In most cases, the simplest solution:

=> Use Windows Restore to return to the restore point (date) >>> before <<< the error occurred.

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-use-system-restore-windows-10

See section < How to recover using System Restore on Windows 10 >

(2) Please report your results

[NoFrontiers]

Alright, so I tried to do a system restore.. which actually opened up a whole can of worms because I got blocked by a "0x8000FFFF Catastrophic Failure" error while trying to open Create a Restore Point. Using the control panel is impossible since all icons inside there are gone - though normal folders still display files names (minus the icons ofc). I have to manually search for folders through windows search, annoying. Considering I get an error trying to restore I figure it's a virus that's protecting inside, but 3 full system scans with seperate antivirus software have come up clean. 

After the above error persisted in clean boot state I was able to access recovery in Safe Mode, but unfortunately my earliest recovery point is from yesterday. I want to go back almost a month. 

I also found a detailed thread on the Windows 10 help forum where somebody had the exact same issue as me. One poster there claims to have found the solution and said the issue was caused by a change in system file permissions, either the "imageres.dll" or maybe "shell32.dll" in the system32 folder. Apparently these files contain the Windows system icons for any program (including explorer.exe). The solution was found by changing the permissions of that file. Whether this works or not I could never find out because once I right-click on the .dll file and click on properties nothing happens... it doesn't even open! I checked and most all programs or files i click, it won't open properties. This only seems to work on My PC. I even created a new local user account and logged into that to see if i could open file properties but nothing. 

I'm totally stumped. Could this be a virus that's avoiding all AV scans and prohibiting me from using a system restore or opening file properties? Id really like to verify is some program installation hasn't randomly messed with file/folder permissions... but now that i cant open properties to change those permissions I'm totally stumped.

[ub6424]

Hello @NoFrontiers 

Repair Windows

(1) Open cmd.exe as administrator and execute:

sfc  /scannow

(2) Reboot 

(3) Open cmd.exe as administrator and execute:

msdt.exe /id WindowsUpdateDiagnostic

Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth

Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

(4) Reboot 

[NoFrontiers · Accepted solution]

Solution has been found elsewhere on the Windows community page.

Was recommended to do a Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade.

Although there were some additional issues along the way, the re-install not only brought back all system-wide icons, but app/folder properties are also now displayed properly. 

[ub6424]

Hello @NoFrontiers 

Great to hear

Good luck