Windows 7 x64 system is installed. The problem is this: for some programs, icons disappear, that is, the shortcut picture itself. Instead of a program picture, a picture like unknown file. Some pictures return after restarting the program, some on their own, then disappear again. Please advise what should I do?
Vasily | 19 June 2017, 08:36
There can also be a shortcut without a program icon if for some reason the path to the file (.exe) that launches the program has changed, or the file name has been changed. But in this case the shortcut will not work.
Max | 18 June 2017, 09:51
Icon Cache Cleaner fixed everything - Win 10 x 64
Arkady Nikotinov
| 24 October 2016, 13:58
In addition to all answers. A shortcut without a program image can exist when there is no program with which this shortcut is associated. That is, the shortcut was created when the program was present, and if it is missing (for example, uninstalled) or if for some reason the system does not perceive it (which can happen, for example, if there is no antivirus or the antivirus is turned off), the picture disappears.
Vitaly | 22 October 2016, 19:39
run command line on behalf of administrator
1. Close the explorer process with the command taskkill /im explorer.exe /f
2. cd %userprofile%appdatalocal
3. attrib -h IconCache.db
4. del IconCache.db
5. Launch Explorer with the explorer command
Evgeniy | 23 July 2014, 13:01
In my case, it was removed from the windows folder hidden folder installer. Need to restore from archival copy or rewrite from another computer. Then the Icon Cache Cleaner program is launched under the administrator name and can be easily downloaded. Reboot the computer, everything is ok.
Onotole | January 11, 2014, 10:50
You need to delete the file C:\\Users\[User]\AppData\Local\IconCache.db and reboot your bucket... These manipulations are nothing more than clearing the icon cache...
Igor | December 13, 2013, 20:54
Rischat, that’s the point, your method doesn’t give anything, it’s useless to indicate the path to the image file.
Galina | November 22, 2012, 12:42 pm
Icon Cache Cleaner did not help me - some of the shortcuts disappeared altogether, others remained unchanged
Evgeniy | April 14, 2012, 10:09
I have almost the same problem. I tried the same as they wrote and still don’t care ((I checked for antivirus, for the AVZ utility, for advanced system care, updated Windows, restored the system and still there are icons, but they have icons superimposed on them like “file type is unknown.” Help me solve this problem
fisher | 24 February 2012, 20:49
Clean the system with CCleaner (http://www..htm). After the reboot, the pictures will appear on the shortcuts.
If you, once turning on your desktop computer or a laptop (which runs the Windows 7, 10, or XP operating system) saw that all your desktop icons have disappeared and you don’t know how to get them back, then this article will help you solve this problem.
There are at least several serious and not so serious reasons for this, and now we will look at them one by one:
Function to enable desktop display.
If your desktop shortcuts are missing and not displayed, but the taskbar is fully functional,
check for their presence in the system folder called your account name. To do this, call “My Computer” by pressing the keyboard shortcuts “Win + E”. Next, go to drive “C” / users / folder with your name account/ desktop. And if there are at least some shortcuts there, then you have disabled the display of desktop shortcuts.
Now, in order to restore and pin icons to the desktop, you need to click right click your mouse to an empty space on the desktop, then move the mouse cursor over the “View” section, now you need to check the box next to “Display desktop icons”.
After the manipulations you have done, all your shortcuts should return.
Important: If you do not find any shortcuts in the system folder, then this method cannot return them.
Running the "explorer.exe" subroutine
Explorer.exe is an executing system file that is responsible for launching and displaying the desktop, start menu and taskbar. But it happens that due to virus programs or simply a system failure, explorer.exe is disabled. This means you will have to manually make it work. There are two ways to do this:
Via Task Manager
To enable it, you will have to launch the task manager using the keyboard shortcut “Ctrl+Shift+Esc”. After that, first click on “File”, then from the pop-up context menu"Start a new task."
Now all you have to do is enter “explorer.exe” in the task creation menu and click “OK”.
The startup process may take some time, on average 5-10 seconds.
Important: if after this, the taskbar appears, but it was not possible to return the icons, proceed to step “1” - the function of turning on the desktop display.
Using the registry
To enter the registry of your system, press the key combination “Win + R”, with this action you will call the “Run” task, in which enter the regedit command and click “OK”.
Important: if for some reason this cannot be done, then turn off your PC. Now turn it on and while the Bios is loading, press the F8 key, this will call additional options boot your system in which you must select the “Safe Mode” option.
Now that you have managed to launch the task registry, go to the folder “Computer / HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon”, now find the “Shell” parameter, open it double click your mouse and, if the value line is empty, enter “explorer.exe” there. Next, click "OK".
After closing the registry, all icons should return to their original place.
Recover accidentally deleted shortcuts using the Recycle Bin
If all the icons have disappeared from your desktop, for example, you accidentally deleted them, then they can be easily restored. The fact is that all the files you delete are stored in a temporary park called the “Trash”. (The “mathcad” program will be used as an example).
And so, we find the trash icon on the desktop and open it. Next, we find the previously deleted program shortcut in it and right-click on it, calling up an additional context menu in which you need to select the “Restore” option.
Important: this method will not work if the shortcut was deleted a long time ago or the trash was emptied.
Reinstall the shortcuts you need
This method is suitable if all previous ones have failed. You just need to place the shortcut on your desktop. To do this, find the program you need in the start menu. And just drag the shortcut to your desktop.
If the start menu is not there necessary program, then search for it manually. You can do this in two ways:
Open the start menu and find the search command, then enter the exact name in the desired line the desired program(example presented on OS Windows 10). When the search returns results, right-click on the icon and select “Open folder containing file.”
When File Explorer opens with the shortcut you want, right-click on it again, then select Send to / Desktop (create shortcut).
System Restore
This method is an extreme one, so if the icons disappeared and you tried to bring the shortcuts back to the desktop, but none of the methods described above helped, then you should run the system restore task. But don’t worry, this method is not as scary as the name might suggest. System Restore serves as a kind of rollback to your system. That is, by running this procedure, say, on the 19th day, all programs that you installed after this date will be deleted, and any changes related to the system will also be canceled.
Important: files text documents or movies that are on your computer will remain unchanged. Only third-party programs will be removed.
And so, in order to start this procedure, open “My Computer” and right-click on an empty space. Then, from the provided context menu list, select the “Properties” option.
Now that a new window has opened, go to the System Protection section.
Now you are transferred to the “System Properties” menu, in which you need to remain on the “System Protection” tab and click on “Restore”.
The system recovery setup menu will then launch.
Important: you must select a restore point that was created before any problem appeared.
During recovery, your computer may restart several times - this is normal. The recovery itself takes up to 30 minutes maximum, it all depends on the hardware and how long ago the recovery point was.
Conclusion
Do not despair if your desktop icons have disappeared; after reading our article and the methods proposed in it, you will be able to cope with the problem that has arisen. Start from the first point to the last, because let me remind you that system recovery is a last resort method.
7 or 8, all shortcuts, icons, even the start menu and taskbar disappeared on the desktop. This can also happen due to viruses or accidental deletion. system files or registry data. In this article, we have collected the main ways to solve the problem of restoring the display of shortcuts on the desktop.
Solution:
The file explorer.exe is missing
The fact is that the explorer.exe process is responsible for external display in Windows, and if you press CTRL+ALT+DEL, or CTRL+SHIFT+ESC to launch the task manager, it is missing in the “processes” tab. This could happen due to the action of viruses. If you try to start the task manager, but no response occurs, try restarting the computer in safe mode(F8 key while Windows is loading) and try again.
To solve the problem, the first thing you need to do is determine whether the explorer.exe file remains on the system at all so that it can be launched. This can be done without Explorer, using the command line.
In the task manager, click “File - New task” and enter “cmd” there; Enter the command there:
C:\Windows\explorer.exe
if your OS is installed on another drive, then instead of C:\ enter the drive on which you have the system installed).
If you don’t know what drive the system is installed on, then enter the following into the command line:
in this case, the system itself will substitute required disk on which it is installed.
If, as a result, all desktop icons and the taskbar appear, then the explorer.exe file has not been removed from the computer and most likely you will only need to correct a few registry files.
If you see an error message that such a file does not exist, then you will need to copy the explorer.exe file to the system Windows folder on one's own. If explorer.exe itself generated the error, then delete it:
DEL C:\Windows\explorer.exe
Check icon display function
Let's start with the simplest. You need to check the option that disables the display of icons on the desktop:
For Windows 2000
- In the menu that opens, select “Active Desktop”;
For Windows XP
- Right-click on the desktop;
- In the menu that opens, select “Arrange icons”;
- In the expanded submenu, next to the item “Display desktop icons” there should be a checkmark. If there is no checkmark, then click on this item.
For Windows Vista and 7
- Right-click on the desktop;
- In the menu that opens, select “View”;
- In the expanded submenu, next to the item “Display desktop icons” there should be a checkmark. If there is no checkmark, then click on this item.
There is an explorer.exe file on the computer
To launch the Registry Editor, click “file->new task” in the task manager again and enter the “regedit” command. Next you need to do the following:
- In the Registry Editor, select: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon. Then look at the right panel. The Shell parameter value must be Explorer.exe. If it is not, change it to Explorer.exe.
- We are trying to find: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options. If there is a subsection explorer.exe or iexplorer.exe, delete it (right-click -> Delete).
After this, restart your computer. If this still does not help, then perhaps explorer.exe is damaged and should still be replaced.
The file explorer.exe was not found on the computer
If you have installation disk your Windows, then you can find the explorer.ex_ file right there in the i386 folder, rename it to explorer.exe and use it. You can rename in any file manager, or you can go to the control panel, select folder properties -> view there, and uncheck the box next to “hide file extensions”. If not, then you will have to find a computer with the same Windows as yours and copy the file from there from the Windows folder.
We copy the resulting file, for example, to the root directory of your flash drive and insert it into the broken computer. Run the command line on it again cmd line. We consider what kind of media the inserted flash drive is (this will be the last available disk). There we enter the command “E:”, or “F:”, or another... (depending on what kind of disk the flash drive is). Next, if explorer.exe is in the root folder, enter the command:
copy explorer.exe C:\Windows
copy explorer.exe %WINDIR%
As a result, it should be written that 1 file was successfully copied.
Restart your computer and everything should work.
These are the most basic simple ways to solve this problem. If that doesn’t work, you can also try to restore the system, but most effective way- this, of course, is to reinstall Windows.
5. System Restore
If in method No. 2 an error appears that the explorer.exe file was not found or the problem remains after a reboot, then you should try to perform a system restore:
- In the “Start” menu, open sequentially: “Programs” - “Accessories” - “System Tools”
- In the "Utilities" menu, click on "System Restore". Note. If there is no such item, then follow these steps: in the “Start” menu, select “Run”. In the open field, type the command %SystemRoot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe and click “OK”;
- In the “System Restore” window, on the right side of the window, select “Restore your computer to an earlier state” and click the “Next” button;
- In the calendar, select the day that has a checkpoint, such days are highlighted in bold. Choose a day on which your computer worked normally, i.e. if you remember that three days ago the computer started normally, then select a point that was three days ago. If there are no control points, then most likely you have disabled the option to create control points and you will have to proceed to method No. 4.
- Having selected the day, click the “Next” button;
- We listen to the advice written in the window (written in red) and click the “Next” button;
- We are waiting for the process to complete;
6. Registry fix
If system restore does not help, then you will have to go into the system registry:
- On your keyboard, press and hold the Ctrl+Alt+Delete buttons;
- In the Manager window Windows tasks", go to the "Applications" tab;
- On this tab, click the “New task...” button;
- In the “Create a new task” window, in the “Open” field, type the regedit command and click “OK”;
- In the “Registry Editor” window on the left side, sequentially expand the registry keys to the “Image File Execution Options” section: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Microsoft/WindowsNT/CurrentVersion/Image File Execution Options/
- Expand the “Image File Execution Options” section and look for the “explorer.exe” and “iexplorer.exe” subsections. If any of the subsections are found, then it must be deleted.
- Right-click on the subsection and in the menu that opens, select “Delete”;
- When asked to confirm deletion, click the “Yes” button;
- Now let’s check the launch parameters of explorer.exe; to do this, expand the registry keys to the “Winlogon” section: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Microsoft/WindowsNT/CurrentVersion/Winlogon/
- Left-click on the “Winlogon” section and in the right part of the Registry Editor window we find the “Shell” parameter;
- Right-click on this parameter and select the “Change” menu item;
- In the "Change" window string parameter"The value field should say explorer.exe and nothing else, if this is not the case, then correct it;
- Click OK, close all windows and restart your computer
7. Recovering hidden shortcuts on the desktop
The “hidden” attribute may have been set on all folders and files on the desktop. To check whether this is true or not, go to “Start -> Control Panel -> Folder Options”, open the “View” tab, go to the end of the list of options and set the “Hidden files and folders” switch to the “Show” position hidden files and folders."
If after this the contents of the desktop begin to be displayed, then to restore the display of your shortcuts, files and folders, you need to remove the “hidden” attribute from them. This can be done as follows:
We go to “Start -> Run”, write “cmd” there and click “Ok” - the command line should start.
Remove the “hidden” attribute from all files and folders on a shared desktop with this command (you may need administrator rights for this):
attrib /D /S -h “%ALLUSERSPROFILE%/Desktop/*”
Now make all files and folders on your desktop unhidden with this command:
attrib /D /S -h “%USERPROFILE%/Desktop/*”
Just in case, click on an empty space on the desktop and press F5 to refresh the desktop.
If previously missing icons, files and folders from the desktop are no longer faded in color, then they are no longer hidden and you can set “Do not show hidden files and folders” in the “Folder Options” window.
For no apparent reason, my desktop icons disappeared. Is this a familiar problem? So you've come to the right place. This usually happens after installing some wrong program, driver, or after a sudden power surge in the electrical network. There may be other problems. It's not that important at the moment.
Now it is important for us to return our icons to the desktop. Since they were there, it means it’s more convenient for you to work. Although, there are some users who like their desktop to be perfectly clean. We are all different, so everyone has the right to customize their desktop as they please.
And for those who find it more convenient to work with icons on the desktop, but for some reason cannot find them, I will tell you and show you how to put them back in their place.
First, watch the video on this topic, but then it’s better to read the article, because... sometimes I forget to show something in the video, and then I remember and add it. The video shows how to display the necessary icons in the operating room Windows system 10, but below I will show another option that is suitable for all Windows systems.
Now, for those who for some reason were unable to watch the video, I’ll show you how to do it in pictures.
To begin, right-click on the desktop, and in the drop-down list, place the mouse cursor on the first entry - View. Another menu will open, in which at the very bottom there is a setting - Show desktop icons.
There should be a checkmark next to this entry; if it is not there, then left-click on this entry and it will be installed, and the icons that you had before will appear on the desktop.
How to return desktop icons toWindows 10
IN operating system For Windows 10, this trick may not be enough. Then do the following:
- At the very bottom of the desktop window, on the right side of the taskbar, find the icon Notification Center. Click on it with the left mouse button.
- In the window that opens, at the very bottom right, find the button All Parameters and click on it.
- In the parameters window that opens, click on the very first entry System.
- In the next window, find Tablet mode, and click on it.
- Turn off and then on the switches: Hide app icons on the taskbar in tablet mode And Automatically hide the taskbar in tablet mode.
Sometimes it works and helps.
If you have no notification center icon on the Taskbar, then you need to enable it:
- Right click on Taskbars(for those who don’t know where it is: at the very bottom of your window);
- In the drop-down list, go to the very bottom and left-click on the item Options.
- You should see an options window open. Taskbars.
- Find the link in this window Turn system icons on or off and click on it with the left mouse button.
- Find the entry in a new window Notification Center. Click on the switch next to this entry (on the right) to turn it on.
Sometimes a situation happens that after the next boot of Windows (98, XP, vista, 7) there are no shortcuts, icons, or even the start menu or taskbar on the desktop.
The process is responsible for the external display of the system in Windowsexplorer.exe, and if you press ctrl+alt+del, or ctrl+shift+esc thereby launchingtask manager, then you won’t find it there in the “processes” tab. This could happen due to the action of viruses. If, when you try to start the task manager, no reaction is observed, boot the computer in safe mode (F8 key when booting Windows) and try again.
To fix the problem, first of all you need to determine whether the file remains on the system at allexplorer.exeso that it can be launched. This can be done without Explorer, using the command line.
In the task manager, click “file->new task” and enter “cmd” there; Enter the command there
C:\Windows\explorer.exe
if your OS is installed on another drive, then instead of C:\ enter the drive on which you have the system installed).
If you don’t know what drive the system is installed on, then enter the following into the command line:
%windir%\explorer.exe
In this case, the system itself will substitute the required disk on which it is installed.
If the result is everything desktop icons and the taskbar will appear, then the explorer.exe file has not been deleted from the computer and most likely you will only need to correct a few registry files.
If you see an error message that such a file does not exist, then you will need to copy the explorer.exe file to system folder Windows on its own. If explorer.exe itself generated the error, then delete it:
DEL C:\Windows\explorer.exe
Solution:
1. The file explorer.exe is on the computer.
To launch the registry editor again, click “file->new task” in the task manager and enter the “regedit” command. Next you need to do the following:
a) In the Registry Editor, select: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon. Then look at the right panel. The Shell parameter value must be Explorer.exe. If it is not, change it to Explorer.exe.
b) We are trying to find: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options. If there is a subsection explorer.exe or iexplorer.exe, delete it (right-click -> Delete).
After this, restart your computer. If this still does not help, then perhaps explorer.exe is damaged and should still be replaced.
2. The file explorer.exe was not found on the computer.
If you have an installation disk for your Windows, then you can find the explorer.ex_ file right there in the i386 folder, rename it explorer.exe and use it. You can rename it in any file manager, or you can go to the control panel, select folder properties -> view, and uncheck the box next to “hide file extensions”. If not, then you will have to find a computer with the same Windows as yours and copy the file from there from the Windows folder.
We copy the resulting file, for example, to the root directory of your flash drive and insert it into the broken computer. Run the command line on it again cmd. We consider what kind of media the inserted flash drive is (this will be the last available disk). Enter the command “E:”, or “F:”, or another... (depending on what kind of disk the flash drive is). Next, if explorer.exe is in the root folder, enter the command:
copy explorer.exe C:\Windows
or
copy explorer.exe %WINDIR%
As a result, it should be written that 1 file was successfully copied.
Restart your computer and everything should work.
These are the most basic simple ways to solve this problem. If that doesn’t work, you can also try to restore the system, but the most effective way is of course reinstall Windows.
