[Kw33hki11]

The original problem I'm having with my computer to start thinking I'm having registry errors was that a number of my shortcuts' icons on the desktop suddenly went to the default file icon. After a few minutes of setting back as many as I could, I realized that I couldn't change the icons for the folders. Upon further inspection, it seems that the shell32.dll works fine, and I managed to bring back the Computer icon for "My Computer", but "My Documents", "My Network Places", and "Internet Explorer" (not that I use IE since I'm a Firefoxer anyways) still appear as the default file icon, as well as ALL the internal Folders, such as in Program Files, Windows, anywhere there's a folder.

One of my friends who's a worrywart had me do a virus scan. Norton said I'm clean. So then I tried a registry scan. Here's where a lot of the problems seem to lay. I used both "Registry Fix" and "Free Registry Fix", and have determined that I have close to 1000 problems with my registry, a large number of them being invalid shortcuts. Which leads into my quandry...


Is there a way that I can repair these problems short of a reformat or shelling out 40 dollars to purchase their software? A reformat is my absolutely last option because doing so would mean a laborious weekend of backing up more than 100GB of stuff to what few DVDs I have, and I don't have a credit card, nor would I pay forty dollars for that software that I may be able to fix for free. Thank you very much for your support!

Edited by Kw33hki11, 05 February 2007 - 01:39 AM.

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I use 'RegSupreme' to keep my Registry clean of errors. You can download a free trial which may correct your errors without cost. Run it several times in succession as it may miss some the first time round.

RegSupreme 1.4: http://www.macecraft.com/regsupreme/

Regarding the icons problem, if the Registry cleanup doesn't cure that (and I don't think it will) read this:
http://support.micro...com/kb/q132668/

Edited by pip22, 05 February 2007 - 04:50 AM.

[pip22]

I use 'RegSupreme' to keep my Registry clean of errors. You can download a free trial which may correct your errors without cost. Run it several times in succession as it may miss some the first time round.

RegSupreme 1.4: http://www.macecraft.com/regsupreme/

Regarding the icons problem, if the Registry cleanup doesn't cure that (and I don't think it will) read this:
http://support.micro...com/kb/q132668/

Edited by pip22, 05 February 2007 - 04:50 AM.

[Kat]

Just because Norton said you are clean does not mean it is necessarily true. We don't like to recommend Registry Scanning programs here, unless we absolutely have to. They can be very dangerous, and can cause irreparable damage to your PC.

I honestly would suggest posting a log in the Malware forum, just to be on the safe side. Let someone trained in these things guide you through the process. I will add another post to this, telling you what to do for the malware forum.

[Kat]

Please go to the malware forum and follow the instructions at the top....Especially the CLICK HERE.

That will give you several steps that will help you clean up 70 percent of all problems by yourself. If at the end of the process you are still having difficulty--and you may not be-- then post a hijackthis log in THAT forum.

If you are still having problems after getting a clean bill of health from the malware expert, please return to this thread.

[zbd]

I use easy cleaner for a safe, easy to use registry cleaner.
Also ERUNT optimizes the registry safely.

http://personal.inet...rts/ecleane.htm

http://www.majorgeek...wnload1267.html

[h_mike]

I use easy cleaner for a safe, easy to use registry cleaner.
Also ERUNT optimizes the registry safely.

http://personal.inet...rts/ecleane.htm

http://www.majorgeek...wnload1267.html

As Kat said, Registry Scanning software/programs can be very dangerous, and can cause irreparable damage. Use these Registry Scanning software/programs at your own risk.

Edited by hayabusa_mike, 05 February 2007 - 07:58 AM.

[Kw33hki11]

Off the top of my head, I don't think that it's a malware problem. I remember what I was doing at the time, heh.

At the time, I was playing Starcraft Brood War, when I started getting panicked messages from a friend. I minimized out of my game, and then she told me about what was happening on another game, this huge error thing that applies to that game. So I started up that game, (keeping the other Starcraft game running) and proceeded to load that up, and switched back to Starcraft to check the progress there. When I minimized out again, my computer took a while to load things and then I realized that I had lost my icons.

I don't usually run multiple resource-draining programs at once, but this was a special little thing. Now I've had both games on my computer for a while, and after playing either, my icons were fine, nothing ever happened to them. I can't see malware striking my computer at the exact same time of this happening, so I don't think that was it. I've always erred on the side of caution though, and I guess it's been a while since my last scan, so I appreciate the help. I'll have my reports in Malware later this evening.


Thank you for the very quick responses! Wow, you guys are fast. ^_^


EDIT: I went to the Microsoft support site in Pip's post, and heh, simplest solutions are almost always the right ones, aren't they..? Had to recreate the ShellIconCache by following the steps listed there. The folders are back, yay. Still though, I won't pass up the help for the scan, so I'll have those in Malware later. I really appreciate all your help to everyone here. ^_^

Edited by Kw33hki11, 05 February 2007 - 09:58 AM.