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Desktop ICONS disappeared/changed



 
 
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  #1  
Old June 6th, 2005, 02:13 AM
John Blaustein
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Desktop ICONS disappeared/changed

Hi...

I'm using Office 2000 -- Word and Excel only. Windows XP Home SP2. All XP
and Office updates applied.

For some reason, all the icons for Word and Excel changed today from the
Office icons to the "standard DOS-style icon" -- little white rectangle with
blue bar at the top. When I right click one of these icons and select
Properties, the "Change Icon" button is grayed out.

Not only did all the Word and Excel icons disappear (change to the DOS-style
icon), but the StartAll Programs icons for "New Office Document," and "Open
Office Document" changed to that standard DOS-style icon. Also, StartAll
ProgramsMicrosoft Office Tools -- all icons are gone, replaced by the
generic icon.

I am also using FrontPage 2003, and the same thing happened with that icon.

I am able to restore the icon by finding the .EXE file for each program and
right-dragging it to the desktop (or Start Menu folder) and selecting create
shortcut here.

Can someone tell me what's going on here? This is very strange behavior and
only just happened.

Thank you.

John


  #2  
Old June 6th, 2005, 02:39 AM
John Blaustein
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Follow-up to initial post.....

When I try to run Office Update (from the Windows Update site), Office
Update is unable to run. I get an error page -- see below.

Something has become corrupted, but I have no idea what, or how to fix it.
I have not deleted any .MSP files; I have admin. privileges; my network is
working correctly. Windows Update seems to install "Installer" updates, but
I have done nothing other than installed recommended Windows Updates.

John

---------------ERROR MESSAGE--------------

Office Update is unable to check for updates Help

The Office Update site is unable to check for updates on this
computer. This may be happening because of one of the following reasons:

a.. You do not have administrative privileges for this computer.
b.. There is a network problem and the detection catalog used by the
Office Update site failed to download. Go back to the Downloads home page
and try running detection again.
c.. Windows Installer patch files (.MSP files) from previously
applied Office updates are missing from the \Windows\Installer hidden
directory on your computer. MSP files are stored on your computer after
update installation completes because they need to be referenced for future
update operations. If the files are missing you will not be able to apply
Office updates. You may also be unable to uninstall Office products as a
result of the same problem. Please contact Microsoft Product Support
Services for assistance.
d.. You installed Office updates in the past and then upgraded from
Windows Installer version 1.0 to Windows Installer version 1.1. For more
information see the KB article Windows Installer May Prompt for Install
Source if Unavailable.





  #3  
Old June 6th, 2005, 03:21 AM
John Blaustein
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Another follow-up.....

Now, other desktop icons are disappearing, being replaced with the generic
DOS-style icon.

Help!

John


  #4  
Old June 6th, 2005, 03:31 AM
JoAnn Paules [MSFT MVP]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

This would concern me enough to start backing up my important files. I don't
know what's causing it but it doesn't sound good.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



"John Blaustein" wrote in message
...
Another follow-up.....

Now, other desktop icons are disappearing, being replaced with the generic
DOS-style icon.

Help!

John




  #5  
Old June 6th, 2005, 04:27 AM
John Blaustein
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

JoAnn,

I had the same thought. I have backups of all data.

I just ran a complete AVG scan of all files and it found nothing.

The Office Update error page had a link to send an e-mail to MS for help.
I've done that and will report back here when I get a response. I think
this has something to do with installer files because when I check
properties of a non-MS app with a changed icon and click Change Icon, I get
an error about an installer file missing.

John



"JoAnn Paules [MSFT MVP]" wrote in message
...
This would concern me enough to start backing up my important files. I
don't know what's causing it but it doesn't sound good.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



"John Blaustein" wrote in message
...
Another follow-up.....

Now, other desktop icons are disappearing, being replaced with the
generic DOS-style icon.

Help!

John






  #6  
Old June 6th, 2005, 02:37 PM
John Blaustein
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Further follow-up...

Today, all icons are restored, but Office Update still won't work.

Very odd.

John




"John Blaustein" wrote in message
...
JoAnn,

I had the same thought. I have backups of all data.

I just ran a complete AVG scan of all files and it found nothing.

The Office Update error page had a link to send an e-mail to MS for help.
I've done that and will report back here when I get a response. I think
this has something to do with installer files because when I check
properties of a non-MS app with a changed icon and click Change Icon, I
get an error about an installer file missing.

John



"JoAnn Paules [MSFT MVP]" wrote in message
...
This would concern me enough to start backing up my important files. I
don't know what's causing it but it doesn't sound good.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



"John Blaustein" wrote in message
...
Another follow-up.....

Now, other desktop icons are disappearing, being replaced with the
generic DOS-style icon.

Help!

John








  #7  
Old June 6th, 2005, 04:53 PM
Peter Foldes
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Did you already back up what you need. Like JoAnn said "it does not =
sound good"=20
--=20
Peter

Please Reply to Newsgroup for the benefit of others
Requests for assistance by email can not and will not be acknowledged.

"John Blaustein" wrote in message =
...
Further follow-up...
=20
Today, all icons are restored, but Office Update still won't work.
=20
Very odd.
=20
John
=20
=20
=20
=20
"John Blaustein" wrote in message=20
...
JoAnn,

I had the same thought. I have backups of all data.

I just ran a complete AVG scan of all files and it found nothing.

The Office Update error page had a link to send an e-mail to MS for =

help.=20
I've done that and will report back here when I get a response. I =

think=20
this has something to do with installer files because when I check=20
properties of a non-MS app with a changed icon and click Change Icon, =

I=20
get an error about an installer file missing.

John



"JoAnn Paules [MSFT MVP]" wrote in message=20
...
This would concern me enough to start backing up my important files. =

I=20
don't know what's causing it but it doesn't sound good.

--=20

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



"John Blaustein" wrote in message=20
...
Another follow-up.....

Now, other desktop icons are disappearing, being replaced with the=20
generic DOS-style icon.

Help!

John





=20

=20

  #8  
Old June 6th, 2005, 05:12 PM
JoAnn Paules [MSFT MVP]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Have you run a Scandisk yet?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



"John Blaustein" wrote in message
...
JoAnn,

I had the same thought. I have backups of all data.

I just ran a complete AVG scan of all files and it found nothing.

The Office Update error page had a link to send an e-mail to MS for help.
I've done that and will report back here when I get a response. I think
this has something to do with installer files because when I check
properties of a non-MS app with a changed icon and click Change Icon, I
get an error about an installer file missing.

John



"JoAnn Paules [MSFT MVP]" wrote in message
...
This would concern me enough to start backing up my important files. I
don't know what's causing it but it doesn't sound good.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



"John Blaustein" wrote in message
...
Another follow-up.....

Now, other desktop icons are disappearing, being replaced with the
generic DOS-style icon.

Help!

John








  #9  
Old June 7th, 2005, 03:42 AM
JoAnn Paules [MSFT MVP]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

John -

I was talking to my husband about this. He said it happens to him at work
often. He said just reboot and everything will be fine. He said it's always
the same icons that go first too. Something about something stepping on the
part of the RAM where this info is stored.

I've learned that he's usually right. And yes, I've told him that I say
that. :-)

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



"John Blaustein" wrote in message
...
Hi...

I'm using Office 2000 -- Word and Excel only. Windows XP Home SP2. All
XP and Office updates applied.

For some reason, all the icons for Word and Excel changed today from the
Office icons to the "standard DOS-style icon" -- little white rectangle
with blue bar at the top. When I right click one of these icons and
select Properties, the "Change Icon" button is grayed out.

Not only did all the Word and Excel icons disappear (change to the
DOS-style icon), but the StartAll Programs icons for "New Office
Document," and "Open Office Document" changed to that standard DOS-style
icon. Also, StartAll ProgramsMicrosoft Office Tools -- all icons are
gone, replaced by the generic icon.

I am also using FrontPage 2003, and the same thing happened with that
icon.

I am able to restore the icon by finding the .EXE file for each program
and right-dragging it to the desktop (or Start Menu folder) and selecting
create shortcut here.

Can someone tell me what's going on here? This is very strange behavior
and only just happened.

Thank you.

John




  #10  
Old June 7th, 2005, 08:02 PM
John Blaustein
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

JoAnn,

For whatever reason, all my icons are back. Your husband was right.

Yes, everything is backed up.

The plot thickens, however.

When I open System Properties and click on the System Restore tab, it
freezes and I get an error message about rundll32.exe not running and
DrWatson PostMortem Debugger not running. I send both error reports to MS.

I got a message back from MS support in response to my "call for help." The
suggestion was as follows:

As a Customer Service Representative, I can assist you with the support
options available with your Microsoft product. However, I have taken the
time to look through our self help website and found that the rundll32.exe
file is located in the c:\windows\System32 folder. RunDLL32 is used to run
DLL
s as programs. The following steps may resolve your issue:

1. Search for the file in c:\windows\servicepackfile\i386 folder.
2. Copy to c:\windows\system32 folder.
3. Restart your computer.

I followed these instructions, but the problem persists -- clicking the
System Restore tab still causes a "crash" -- the rundll32.exe error message.

I am really baffled by this whole thing.

Since last posting here, I remembered one key thing -- no doubt important.
A week ago, I got a new HDD and used the Western Digital utility to transfer
my C: drive to the new HD. I've done this in the past with no problem. I
am thinking my current problem may be related.

I have run ScanDisk and the Western Digital error checking utility and no
problems are reported.

JoAnn... perhaps your husband will have some ideas. All idea are welcome.

John



"JoAnn Paules [MSFT MVP]" wrote in message
...
John -

I was talking to my husband about this. He said it happens to him at work
often. He said just reboot and everything will be fine. He said it's
always the same icons that go first too. Something about something
stepping on the part of the RAM where this info is stored.

I've learned that he's usually right. And yes, I've told him that I say
that. :-)

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



"John Blaustein" wrote in message
...
Hi...

I'm using Office 2000 -- Word and Excel only. Windows XP Home SP2. All
XP and Office updates applied.

For some reason, all the icons for Word and Excel changed today from the
Office icons to the "standard DOS-style icon" -- little white rectangle
with blue bar at the top. When I right click one of these icons and
select Properties, the "Change Icon" button is grayed out.

Not only did all the Word and Excel icons disappear (change to the
DOS-style icon), but the StartAll Programs icons for "New Office
Document," and "Open Office Document" changed to that standard DOS-style
icon. Also, StartAll ProgramsMicrosoft Office Tools -- all icons are
gone, replaced by the generic icon.

I am also using FrontPage 2003, and the same thing happened with that
icon.

I am able to restore the icon by finding the .EXE file for each program
and right-dragging it to the desktop (or Start Menu folder) and selecting
create shortcut here.

Can someone tell me what's going on here? This is very strange behavior
and only just happened.

Thank you.

John






 




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