Lots of Vista users are facing a strange problem and I'm getting lots of mails asking for the solution. The problem is, the folder icons in User folder change from special glass icons to simple folder icons.
Look at the following screenshot:
This is how the icons look in User folder which can be accessed using "%userprofile%" command or just select your username in Startmenu (just below the user pic).
But sometimes these icons (all or some) become simple default folder icons. It happens when "Desktop.ini" file becomes corrupted. Actually all these special glass icons are displayed using "desktop.ini" file which is present in each folder (hidden). Sometimes a few software make this file corrupt and these folders start showing simple folder icon.
The solution is very simple. Just replace "desktop.ini" file present in the corrupt folder with default one. The default "desktop.ini" file for each folder is given below. Just download following ZIP file, extract it and copy the default desktop.ini file and paste it in the folder which is showing corrupt icon.Windows will ask to overwrite the existing file, select "Copy & Replace".
NOTE: Log off or End Task of "explorer.exe" from Task Manager to see the changes.
Also check:
How to Fix Annoying Folder View Type Problem in Windows Vista and 7
This article was posted by VG in following section: Troubleshooting, Windows Vista.
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harp
How about the text for the desktop.ini file for your user folder? The one above the documents. I accidentally deleted the desktop.ini file for that.
Andrea
omg! ty this tottaly fixed all my .ini problems xD
GBK
Cool!! Thank you!
VG
^^ Enable "Show hidden files and folders" and disable "Hide protected system files" option in Folder Options. Then open your Downloads folder. Now you'll find 2 files in it. Delete them and your problem will be solved.
Elliott
Thanks, but I just made a new account lol.
elizabeth
i have tried doing this many times, i will not work , perhaps its not for the propblem im having
when i press start and go to all programs, all the folders in there eg: acer, games, mcaphee almost all of them, the icon has been replaced with the one shown for All Files* its so frustrating i have no idea whats caused this and cant find a solution anyware, can any one help me??????? ( i am using windows Vista )
VG
^^ Did you use any Icon pack in your system? It seems the icon cache has been corrupted. Please check the "Help & Support" topic, it contains solution of corrupt icons.
Bingdaddy
I have a similar problem in that the main folder that all of my music is in, is entitled "My Own Music". Well the folder has completely disappeared along with all of my music. There is now a generic file named "My Own Music" but it is loaded with code and can only be viewed in a text viewer.
The data is still on the drive somewhere, as it is still nearly full.
What can I do?
VG
^^ It seems the folder got corrupted. Try to check its content using Command Prompt.
hexaae
Wanted to report that changing/re-editing desktop.ini for %userprofile%\Desktop\ was not enough: Vista still showed yellow std folder icon. To really fix it I've had to issue these extra commands from admin MS-DOS prompt:
attrib %userprofile%\Desktop +R
attrib %userprofile%\Desktop\desktop.ini +S +H +A
Hope this will help someone...