[jester620]

Ok here's the situation:

On Wednesday afternoon, I ran Windows Update and started the Service Pack 1 installation from there. I left and came back to it Thursday morning as I knew it would take some time and it would restart on it's own anyway. So I log in Thursday morning and have no icons on my desktop only text where my icons should be. The taskbar has no icons, but I can see where they should be when I hover over them. If I click on the Start menu, nothing comes up. It's like they are hidden.

I tried to reset the Desktop icon cache as instructed here. But it did not work.

I've posted on Microsoft Answers, but I'm not getting anywhere it seems. Currently the system has been restored to before the SP1 install, but I still don't have icons. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks,

OF

edit: Windows 7 Professional 64-bit

I rebooted in safe mode with no icons as well. I do not have another account on this computer currently to check if it is a profile corruption issue.

Edited by jester620, 25 February 2011 - 11:48 AM.

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jester620,

Apologizes for the delay.

I am doing some additional research on this, and should hopefully be back shortly.

[SweetTech]

jester620,

Apologizes for the delay.

I am doing some additional research on this, and should hopefully be back shortly.

[SweetTech]

Any chance you could take a screenshot of what your currently experiencing with your desktop, and post it for me?

Please take a screenshot of that window.

• You can do this by pressing the PrintScreen key.
• Then go to Start > All Programs > Accessories > Paint
• In Paint, go up to Edit > Paste
• Then Go up to File > Save As. Click the drop-down box to change the "Save As Type" to "JPEG", name it what you want, and save it where you want.
• Then click Reply in this topic.
• Scroll down to Attachments.
• Click the Browse button.
• Locate the file you just saved, click on it, then click Open.
• Click Upload and submit the reply.

[jester620]

Hi SweetTech,

I attached the screenshot. As you can see the desktop icons are gone, but the text is still there. I hovered over Outlook to show you that the taskbar icons are also gone, but still accessible. I would show you the start menu, except when I click on it, nothing comes up. I have to access all my programs either through shortcuts I've already established or through the Run dialog and windows explorer. Which is rather frustrating and really slows me down because I have to hunt for every program through both Program files folders (64bit machine).

A few things that I've tried since my initial posting:

• Chkdsk c: /r [completed no problems]
• sfc /scannow [no problems]
• System Restore [will restore but no restore points previous to SP1 install]
• New user profile [Successfully created an alternate user profile, but it also did not have any icons]
• System Update Readiness Tool [(Windows6.1-KB947821-v10-x64.msu) to completion]

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[SweetTech]

Try to run the batch file in this link here: http://www.sevenforu...uild.html?ltr=I

and see if that will bring back your Desktop icons.

[jester620]

I've run the batch file you referenced. Something to note: The batch file noted that the "Previous Icon DB not found... trying to build a new one." After reboot, no effect on the system.

I've tried to reset the icon cache before with the same results. Ideas?

[SweetTech]

I don't think this will do anything, but make sure that Show Desktop Icons is checked. (image under method one)

Link: http://www.sevenforu...how.html?filter[2]=Appearance%20Personalize

[rshaffer61]

OK the issue seems to be the Win 7 OS itself that is causing your problem so lets do a Repair Installation by following the steps HERE.
Please read and follow all instructions carefully.

[jester620]

SweetTech, Desktop Icons are checked to be shown already.

rshaffer61, I'll try to get this going soon. I'll let you know if it works. I've been hesitant to do it until I've exhausted my other options. Thanks.

[rshaffer61]

The repair installation will only repair the startup which should include the database file that is being referenced.
It should not lose any data you have and normally there is no issue with that at all.
Yes please let us know how it works out.

[jester620]

rshaffer,
I looked at the discs I have. I only have recovery discs for this computer (Acer).

However, I do have a Win7 Home Premium 64-bit installation disc and a Win7 Pro Upgrade disc but I think this one is a 32-bit only disc. Would either of these work?

I don't want to accidentally downgrade to Home Premium from Professional or from 64-bit to 32-bit.

[rshaffer61]

Upgrade disc is out of the question to use as it is not meant to be a bootable disc to start.
Home Premium 64 bit version might work but I can't say it would not change the version for sure.
The recovery disk I know will not work because it will in 99.9% of cases format the drive and take the system back to factory settings.
Your only sure option is to borrow a pro7 64 bit OS installation disk. This will guarantee you will not lose any data besides the settings and gadgets mentioned in the tutorial I gave previously.

[jester620]

That is what I thought. I think at this point, I'm gonna roll the dice and try the Home Premium disc and if it changes the OS version, I'll use the recovery media and wipe it back to factory and start over. Time to cross my fingers! Thanks.

[rshaffer61]

OK good luck and I will wait for your results.

[jester620]

Acer saved my tail! I used Acer eRecovery which has two options for factory reset. The first one wiped the hard drive and reset the entire disk to factory install. The second (the one I went with) wiped only Windows and automatically backed up my user info for easier recovery. I just finished installing (with trepidation) SP1 again. This time I have icons! So now to re-install all my programs. At least now Windows is acting normally again! Thanks for your help guys. I hope other people don't have to go through this for a Windows update.