Vista Desktop Icons Randomly Change

I have added a number of document or website link shortcut icons to my Vista
computer desktop - some are in folders containing a group of shortcuts.

I have changed the folder and shortcut icons from the standard explorer icon
to more meaningful ones stored on my hard drive as ico files.

However - for no apparent reason - certain icons randomly revert to the
explorer icon. Particularly those stored in a desktop folder. Right clicking
on the desktop and selecting "Refresh" has no effect. After a reboot - the
icons may - or may not - correct themselves. It is worth noting that it is
only the icons I have allocated that randomly change and it is not always
the same ones. Icons associated with programmes seem to be OK. (Word, Excel,
Acronis, Nero etc)

If I right click on the faulty ones the heading of the web document tab
still shows the correct icon but I have to go through the procedure of
changing the icon all over again to get the specific icon back on the
desktop.

A couple of weeks ago (for other reasons) I had to do a reformat of my C:
drive and do a clean installation of Vista Ultimate. I hoped that this would
result in the icon problem being resolved - but it is back again.

I have searched the Microsoft knowledge base in vain.

I to am having the same problem and also when I reboot all my icons change
and rearrange themselves.

I am still wrestling with this problem without success - having tried a
number of remedies suggested from other sites.

I have noticed that the problem is only with desktop shortcuts that
open a website. Icons to open programmes, folders or files on the
computer remain stable.

I have had the thought that if I could create an individual batch file
which in turn opens the URL for each website it might provide a fix. In
this case each desktop icon would be for a batchfile and not directly a
URL. The problem is I don't know whether it is possible - and if is -
the text required for such a file.

I would appreciate the help of our experts (simple abc language please)


--
alanho

At long last I seem to have found a fix - my icons have been stable for
several days.

Someone on another forum helped me with creating the text for a
suitable batch file and it has worked perfectly.

Several days have elapsed and all my icons have remained stable. There
is no perceptible delay in opening a website via a batch file - so am a
happy bunny.


--
alanho

I have now solved the problem of icons randomly changing.

It occurred to me eventually that the main culprits were shortcuts to
websites. Shortcuts to files, folders and programmes on my hard drive were
stable.

This led me to conclude that if I wrote a batch file for each web link - and
placed an icon on the desktop to open each batch file, the icons may be
stable because the desktop shortcut would be opening a file and not a web
link directly.

It has worked and now all icons are stable.

Alonho, or anyone else.

I am having a problem also with my shortcut icons on my desktop. I can't
create shortcuts to web addresses. Tried all different ways; drag and drop,
Creat - to Desktop, New, etc. What seems to be wrong is that the shortcut
has no "Web Document" tab in its Properties. Tried a Microsoft hotfix, but
that didn't help. Anybody have any ideas>

Walter

"alanho" wrote:

>
> At long last I seem to have found a fix - my icons have been stable for
> several days.
>
> Someone on another forum helped me with creating the text for a
> suitable batch file and it has worked perfectly.
>
> Several days have elapsed and all my icons have remained stable. There
> is no perceptible delay in opening a website via a batch file - so am a
> happy bunny.
>
>
> --
> alanho
>

Here is how I create a new shortcut on the desktop :-

Right click anywhere on the dektop
Click on "New" - a window opens
Click on "Shortcut"
In "Type the location of this item" type or paste the URL (or browse to
a file on the hard drive)
In "Type a name for the shortcut" type a short title
Finish.

Now right click on new desktop shortcut
Select properties
Change icon
Browse to folder containing icons
Select required icon...etc

I would add that I no longer use website URL's directly in a shortcut -
I always browse to a batch file on the hard drive which includes the URL
- this ensures the icon is stable.


--
alanho

Alanho,

Thanks for the suggestion, but it doesn't help me. When I do that, I still
get a non-url shortcut. The properties still do not bring up the Web Document
tab. Therefore there is not way to keep the url. I tried various ways,
including your suggestion, and still the same result. Something is
interferring with my creating a web or url capable shortcut.

Even tried in safe mode. I will see if I can do a restore, but I'm not
hopeful since my restore was only activated a few weeks ago, and I think
this problem pre-existed that date.

Thanks again.

Walter

"alanho" wrote:

>
> Here is how I create a new shortcut on the desktop :-
>
> Right click anywhere on the dektop
> Click on "New" - a window opens
> Click on "Shortcut"
> In "Type the location of this item" type or paste the URL (or browse to
> a file on the hard drive)
> In "Type a name for the shortcut" type a short title
> Finish.
>
> Now right click on new desktop shortcut
> Select properties
> Change icon
> Browse to folder containing icons
> Select required icon...etc
>
> I would add that I no longer use website URL's directly in a shortcut -
> I always browse to a batch file on the hard drive which includes the URL
> - this ensures the icon is stable.
>
>
> --
> alanho
>

I found a Solution to inability to create Web shortcuts and the missing "Web
Document" tab in shortcut Properties:

After extensive search of the Interned and questioning various technicians,
finally one Microsoft tech solved the problem.

The problem (in Vista Ultimate) was that shortcuts to internet links could
not be created. No matter how a shortcut to a web link was created, it would
not work. Shortcuts created by any of the many possible ways to create a web
link on the desktop, etc., all did not work. And they all were missing the
"Web Document" tab in Properties.

A Microsoft tech name Richi said to open MS Internet Explorer, go to Tools
(bring up the Menu Bar by right clicking on the area above the web page if
necessary), Internet Options, click on the Advanced tab, and then at the
bottom right, click on Reset... and then Reset. This will reset Internet
Explorer settings to:
Disable browser add-ons.
Delete browser history.
Reset user customizations.
Apply Manufacturers settings.
Then click on Close and OK

Close and reopen MSIE and if this has worked, now the web linked shortcuts
should all now have an icon with a larger logo of E (for IE) and their
Properties should show a "Web Documents" tab.

So now, dragging and dropping web links, creating new shortcuts, etc. all
should work.

Walter

I found a Solution to inability to create Web shortcuts and the missing "Web
Document" tab in shortcut Properties:

After extensive search of the Interned and questioning various technicians,
finally one Microsoft tech solved the problem.

The problem (in Vista Ultimate) was that shortcuts to internet links could
not be created. No matter how a shortcut to a web link was created, it would
not work. Shortcuts created by any of the many possible ways to create a web
link on the desktop, etc., all did not work. And they all were missing the
"Web Document" tab in Properties.

A Microsoft tech name Richi said to open MS Internet Explorer, go to Tools
(bring up the Menu Bar by right clicking on the area above the web page if
necessary), Internet Options, click on the Advanced tab, and then at the
bottom right, click on Reset... and then Reset. This will reset Internet
Explorer settings to:
Disable browser add-ons.
Delete browser history.
Reset user customizations.
Apply Manufacturers settings.
Then click on Close and OK

Close and reopen MSIE and if this has worked, now the web linked shortcuts
should all now have an icon with a larger logo of E (for IE) and their
Properties should show a "Web Documents" tab.

So now, dragging and dropping web links, creating new shortcuts, etc. all
should work.

Walter

[gfmucci]

I have the same problem with randomly changing desk top icons for my internet shortcuts on my Vista Home Premium using IE 8.

Here is my take. Even though I was curious if others have had a similar problem and if there was a simple fix put forward by a responsive Microsoft. Apparently Microsoft is either oblivious or doesn't care. But I am not curious enough to spend much time to initiate a "fix" that may or may not work or which will only degrade the convenience of immediate desk-top access to icons.

I will simply consider this "bug" to be something that Microsoft should fix - and they haven't. So the next consequence is to think that much less of Microsoft reliability - like their abandonoment of their Money program.

I will live with the randomly changing icon bug. I just hope nothing else within Microsoft programs is "randomly changing."

That is one additional reason why I will avoid web based programs, i.e. the software industry's move to Web-based "solutions." It is way too much of a "black box" the user has little control over.