Missing ShellIconCache

Yo - Denny - for taking extrra time, research, energy, etc. - I THANK YOU.  You are obviously a near-genius with the computers - but - you are not Divine. (GRIN)  I did what you wanted - downloaded, installed and ran the TweakUI. Did the "repair" for icons. Then re-booted. Then re-booted in Safe mode. Then ran Norton Disc Doctor, WinDoctor, and system file checker. All OK.  Sigh.  Then followed MS article 132668 - changed color depth - re-booted - changed color back - re-booted.   Well, after my computer stopped gasping for air - NOTHING CHANGED. Still no sign of ShellIconCache. Yes, my friend(s) I did check the folder options so I can see ALL files, including hidden.  The file is just not there - period.   At startup, my icons all have the liddle windows flags, then very slowly change to the icons I selected - takes a couple of minutes to change at least. The Internet Explorer and the link to Comcast take the longest - up to three minutes.

Well - the computer works just fine - but the icon situation kinda drives me crazy!  So - I'm open to any suggestions except un-guided registry editing, which scares the very heart out of this old but amateur computer-user!   Surely you can find some arcane key-stroke to end my misery???  DOUBLE GRIN   Thanx - again - Larry R

Hi:

This sounds crazy, but perhaps worth a try.

Hi Writer,

 Maybe the PC Booster program left something in Registry that is messing up your icons. Have you tried a RegCleaner? Micrsoft has one and thier are others. If you do a Google search for RegCleaners, download and run one to see if it points to InKline or PC Booster.

Writer...

I don't see how it could hurt to try and create the shelliconcache directory from a DOS command.  If you wish to give it a shot, this should do it from C-prompt (C:\>) using the "Make Directory" command:

md c:\windows\ShellIconCache

 

Writer,

I don't know what component of Windows is supposed to generate the missing file but short of a clean reinstallation of Windows 98 it might be worth a try to simply run System File Checker to replace any system file that might be corrupted (Start|Run, type sfc and click OK).

Thanx - I went out on a limb and did the md etc. thang. Wound up with an empty folder in Windows: "Shellico" is its name. Nothing in it, however. Next step? Just don't know what I'm doing here, friends.  LR

Thanks, Denny - yes, I've run sfc three times now - no problems. Also ran Norton WinDoctor, DiscDoctor and System doctor - no problems reported. I'm gonna try to load the file in DOS - if I don't mess everything up!  Can't remember how to get OUT of DOS once I start Windows in it - but will give it a hit.  LR

Thanks, Dave - yes, I have a really neat "RegCleaner" on my computer. I've used it several times - and, indeed, DID delete a final PC Booster key. But that doesn't seem to help my current dilemma. Thanks for the good pointers, anyway!  LR

Thanx - but sorry, editing the registry is all Greek to me - I haven't a faint idea of what they're talking about! Sigh. But thanx, anyway.  LR

Writer

Dos only recognizes the first 8 characters of a filename " shellico ". If you want to create the shelliconcache file in C:\windows, copy and paste the following bold text in Notepad and 'save as'  ICO.BAT  to the desktop. D-click ICO.BAT and this will give you an empty file with the hidden attributes in C:\windows. I don't think it will help, but at least you will have the file present.

echo. > c:\windows\shelliconcache
attrib c:\windows\shelliconcache +h
cls

Message Edited by chuket on 11-23-2003 12:02 AM

Just type win and hit, "enter".  Obviously, I'm grasping at straws here but I've ran out of ideas short of the, "Format C" solution.

EDIT:  I see you replied while I was responding to your previous post.  You might try rebooting a couple of times to see if the newly created directory performs normally.  If it does not, I suspect you have other problems preventing it from doing so...possibly, missing or corrupted entries in your registry.  Hopefully, someone else can offer another approach but there comes a time when a format becomes the easy way out.

Message Edited by Dan Manley on 11-22-2003 06:36 PM

Try these links

Show Hidden Folders and Files
http://www.winguides.com/registry/display.php/1007/

Repair the Icon Cache
http://www.winguides.com/registry/display.php/1153/

Change the Icon Cache Size
http://www.winguides.com/registry/display.php/57/

if they have been tried long thread  please ignore em