My Folder Icons Have Changed

[Hammersmith]

All my Windows folder icons havre changed to the Flash SWF icon and I don`t know how to change them back. I have Microangelo installed but it won`t let me make changes to the folder appearance now.

Can you help?
Thanks.

[reghakr]

Hammersmith,

Open Windows Explorer, go to View>Folder Options, click the File Types tab, scroll to Folder, click the Edit button, then the Change Icon button.

reghakr

[Hammersmith]

reghakr, I tried that and it didn`t work.
Any other ideas?
Thanks.

[reghakr]

Was there any message?
What icon was assigned?
Have you shutdown and restarted?

Use Windows Explorer to remove the ShellIconCache file from the Windows folder.

NOTE: You need to be able to view hidden files to see the ShellIconCache file. To view hidden files in Windows 98, click Folder Options on the View menu in Windows Explorer, click the View tab, click Show All Files, and then click OK.

Restart your computer.

reghakr

[Hammersmith]

Okay reghakr,

Yes I have rebooted.

1. I have WinMe.
2. It is slightly different in WinME. It is Tools > Folder Options > File Types.
3. There are 2 entries for folders. One is called `File Folder` and underneath it one called `Folder` and both have `N/A` after the icon.
4. The icon assigned was the Flash SWF file icon. I did what you recommended earlier and changed the icon. Although the new icon shows in the File Types list they have not changed elsewhere at all.
5. I have also now changed to `show hidden files`. These look like ghostly transparent file icons but still Flash.
6. No error messages. Except earlier when I tried to change the folder icon back with Microangelo and it said it couldn`t rebuild cache or something because there was an error.

Oh, how do I delete ShellIconCache? Do I find it through Start > Search and dlete it?

Thanks.


<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by Hammersmith on 07/14/01 18:10.</FONT></P>

[reghakr]

Yes, do a search. It's in the c:\windows folder. Delete it and reboot again.

If that doesn't do it, I think it's Microangelo then if that's where you received the error message. I'd visit their site and look for help there.

reghakr

[reghakr]

Ok, I've found it.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\explorer\Shell Icons
add a new StringValue named 3, right-click on that, choose modify and type in the path to the icon you prefer.

The default is c:\windows\system\shell32.dll,4

reghakr

[Hammersmith]

Thanks reghakr,
It`s 1.38am in London so I`ll try that in the morning,
Thanks again. I`ll let you know.

[Hammersmith]

I have fixed it now reghakr,

After performing a System Restore I was able to change the icons to their default with Microangelo. One little problem prevails though, Microangelo gave me the error mesage:

"Microangelo was unable to remove the icon cache. This might be due to a lack of security privilege or a System problem that prevented the ShellIconCache file from being deleted"

I`ll check with them about that.
Thanks again.

[reghakr]

So you're saying the one that I thought would work didn't work?

reghakr