File application icons missing

[randle]

Bit of an odd one but random file tyes that i browse on this one machine are missing the relevant application icon. They all just show the "unknown application" icon instead. I've tried an "Open with" and selected "always use this application" but this has made no difference. When double-clicked the file opens fine within the right application so is not the end of the world but just a tad annoying. Has anyone else has had this issue before?

[sharkster]

if its on xp install "tweakui" and the side go to repair and click on rebuild icons
this should do the trick

[CESIL]

This happens quite often on our LEA supplied network.

I think it is just a logon time problem as usually refreshing the desktop with F5 restores the icons.

As you have found the shortcuts still work.

[hoocmee]

try reloading explorer.exe
You can do it manually by right clicking the shortcut>Properties>Change Icon>Browse.
Most programs store the icons in their exe file. Select>OK>Apply>OK.

[randle]

I forgot about tweakui. Anyway i've tried that but no change.

I've tried the obvious screen refresh and don't think i would have posted if it was that straight forward.....I don't think i should be working in IT if it was as simple as that!!! ;¬)

This has been like this for about a week now so stays like this after a complete reboot so don't think re-opening explorer.exe would have any effect. I've just checked and it doesn't.

These are not shortcuts btw, they're the actual files so can't change the icon like you can for a shortcut.

[CESIL]

Randle, sorry for stating the obvious...I guess I am just too used to having to that for teachers

As in
Teacher "I can't login to the network..."
Me "what's that cable on the floor?"

[randle]

No worries, sorry if you thought i was having a go

[sharkster]

what program/s is it?
i had this trouble with office 2007 and had to reinstall the program back on (remove it completly, then reinstall, NOT REPAIR)
u could try it with the program or if it is a number of programs just try it on one first.

[randle]

Yeah i didn't want to have to reinstall as there are numerous updates also to be applied again if i do this but looks to be the only way to get things back to normal. I was just hoping that there may be another way other than reinstall.

This is affecting all office apps and pdf extensions. I'll reinstall and let you know what the outcome is.

[SYNACK]

Your problem looks to be with the filetype associations. This could occur either because the applications have not set themselves up correctly and registered the file types to themselves or the chunk of the registry that deals with the associations is busted.

As you have tried using the open with option and this has not changed the association the machine image or registry may be locked preventing the assosictions from sticking. Just making sure you did you click the always use this app to open this file bit.

Your options are to reinstall the applications and see if this helps, if it does it could be the machine image that it was built from or restore the applicable chunk of the registry from a functioning machine.

To do this you would export all of the .ext (.doc, .wav, .xls etc) from the hkey_classes_root of a functional machine of the same type and import them to the misbehaving computer.

This could mess things up so be prepared to reinstall the machine(or backup and restore the registry) if you use this method. I once used it to restore a system that had lost this information and could no longer even run .bat or .lnk files. It worked fine in that instance but if apps are installed differently on the destination machine from the source if could break a couple of the assosiations.

[randle]

Yes the "Always use this app" box was ticked

Anyway i've re-installed and all seems fine again. Thanks for all the help and suggestions though