Losing Icon Cache.....repeatable

I've been seeing this issue for years now. Even occurs on Win10 so this is not really OS specific. When I install Windows on a machine I always create a Utilities folder on the Desktop where I place multiple utility icons. In my specific case I install "CPU-Z" and "HWMonitor" from CPUID. Also "CrystalDiskInfo" and "CrystalDiskMark" as well as "GPU-Z" from TechPowerUp. A few others as well. I always use the "installer" version and not the stand alone.

The Apps all install fine and create their own icons on the Desktop. No problems here. I then move the Desktop Icons to the Utilities folder. Icons move fine and Icons look normal. However once I reboot the system now those same icons have lost their icon cache and appear as indicated in the attached image.



The MiniTool PW icon was copied however I had already reset it's icon. The CrystalDiskMark9 icon always remain normal yet the CrystalDiskInfo icon "ALWAYS" loses the cache as well as the CPU-Z, HWMonitor and GPU-Z. As I said this is repeatable every time I do this. If there is an update to say CPU-Z, I run the installer where the installer puts the icon on the Desktop where I proceed to move the icon to this Folder and upon a system reboot it again loses the icon cache.

There are other Apps where I see similar however I'll leave my post with the few mentioned. The one thing I think I am noticing is the App icons that seem problematic all give me a UAC prompt when attempting to change the icon except for CrystalDiskInfo.

The other odd thing is when attempting to actually change/correct the icon. For instance take the CPU-Z icon. If I "right click" the icon and select Properties then select Change Icon...I select the correct Icon image, click OK then apply you get a UAC notification however the Icon remains unchanged. So I have to go through the same clicks once more for the icon to actually change to what is selected. Again this procedure is repeatable again and again with CPU-Z, HWMonitor, and GPU-Z. Same issue with MiniTool PW icon. Yet oddly changing the CrystalDiskInfo icon only takes one try but not UAC prompt for that one.

Once I change them they remain the same until and updated App icon is moved to take the place of the previous one....although technically I suppose I could just delete the newly created Desktop icon as the icon within the Utilities folder will point to the same exe file. I could also try the portable app files and not use the installer, which I haven't yet tried.

As mentioned not all App icons do this but the ones mentioned are repeatable. And I think UAC is involved somehow but I am not all that experienced with UAC and all it's quirks. Some executables seem known to Microsoft where you do not get the UAC prompt.

i have found this which maybe of help

also this maybe of help

best of luck Steve ..

Those won't help. Been through them all. Again this just happened on a brand new clean install so technically there shouldn't be any issues with the icon cache settings.

BamaInArk said:

Those won't help. Been through them all. Again this just happened on a brand new clean install so technically there shouldn't be any issues with the icon cache settings.

Click to expand...

It could be a broken "file path".
Did you possibly move the items the shortcuts represent?

Are those items on a USB stick or external drive?

Ghot said:

It could be a broken "file path".
Did you possibly move the items the shortcuts represent?

Are those items on a USB stick or external drive?

Click to expand...

The programs are installed to their own folders in C:\Programs Files\xxxx. The shortcut Desktop icons merely point to this path. On the Boot drive, not on any external device.

I think the best thing to do is to go and download the latest CPU-Z, install it. Then move the newly created desktop icon to a specific folder, reboot the system and check to see if the icon loses it's cash. As I said this is repeatable for me. Not specific to any PC, as it happens every time, on every PC I see.