Application Interface Icons Appear Corrupt

[arnymars]

Hello,

On my Win98SE PC some Applications at startup show inclear Icons in their
Toolbars and all around user interface. Icons pictures are not rendered
properly (unclear), while picture files open by the same applications are
shown properly. It happens time to time with many applications in random
order, and icons that were not shown properly one time, the next startup of
the same application may be clear. More, part of the icons on the same
application toolbar may be clear, but the rest is not. I read, system icon
issues may be related to insufficient system Icon Cash File size. But my
problem is with application icons, not system. NOD32 shows no viruses, and I
don't use at this time other antivirus programs. Anyway, it occurs regardless
of antivirus & antimalware ON or OFF. I can play DVDs and edit color pictures
without problem, so it doesn't look like a graphics accelerator issue - or it
is?

 

[arnymars]

I wanted to add that TweakUI Repair Icons feature doesn't help to resolve
this issue. As well, I set Icon Cash File to 2048 in the Registry, but it
doesn't fix the issue either - as it 's probably not system icon file related.

"arnymars" wrote:

> Hello,
>
> On my Win98SE PC some Applications at startup show inclear Icons in their
> Toolbars and all around user interface. Icons pictures are not rendered
> properly (unclear), while picture files open by the same applications are
> shown properly. It happens time to time with many applications in random
> order, and icons that were not shown properly one time, the next startup of
> the same application may be clear. More, part of the icons on the same
> application toolbar may be clear, but the rest is not. I read, system icon
> issues may be related to insufficient system Icon Cash File size. But my
> problem is with application icons, not system. NOD32 shows no viruses, and I
> don't use at this time other antivirus programs. Anyway, it occurs regardless
> of antivirus & antimalware ON or OFF. I can play DVDs and edit color pictures
> without problem, so it doesn't look like a graphics accelerator issue - or it
> is?

 

[arnymars]

Also wanted to ask, how to attach or show a picture file in this Forum, and
how & within what time frame to Edit your own previous Post?

 

[MEB]

I'll answer this part, as I do NOT recommend installation of tweakui
anymore.

If you wish to reference a picture, place it somewhere on the web and link
to that.. pictures and files in this forum are not recommended nor [I think}
supported [an occasionally small {couple kb} file perhaps but it is frowned
upon].

As for editing,,, once you post, the server is already processing the entry
and prepping for further distribution out to USENET, Google, etc.,, there is
no editing of your own post.. modifications are done with a new post
directing what was changed or added.

--
MEB
http://peoplescounsel.orgfree.com
________


"arnymars" <arnymars@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
newsAEDD254-ABB7-4081-9DD0-5F1197A24834@microsoft.com...
| Also wanted to ask, how to attach or show a picture file in this Forum,
and
| how & within what time frame to Edit your own previous Post?

 

[glee]

The TweakUI Icon Repair feature works with all icons that appear on the desktop,
taskbar, quick launch bar, and in folder views and explorer views. Did you reboot
after the repair?

It's called the Icon Cache, not Cash....so if you are manually editing the Registry
and misspelling it, it won't work. Exactly how are you going about setting the Icon
Cache size in the Registry? Are you using a pre-written .reg file you downloaded,
or are you manually creating one or manually editing?

A Registry file to set it would look like this:

--------------------
REGEDIT4

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer]
"Max Cached Icons"="2048"

--------------------

Please describe exactly where you are seeing the corrupt icons. Are they on the
Desktop,Taskbar, folder windows, or in the Start Menu, or are they only in the
toolbars of specific programs?
--
Glen Ventura, MS MVP Shell/User, A+
http://dts-l.org/


"arnymars" <arnymars@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:4201FBE4-9F3D-460F-90B5-822032F91D69@microsoft.com...
>I wanted to add that TweakUI Repair Icons feature doesn't help to resolve
> this issue. As well, I set Icon Cash File to 2048 in the Registry, but it
> doesn't fix the issue either - as it 's probably not system icon file related.
>
> "arnymars" wrote:
>
>> Hello,
>>
>> On my Win98SE PC some Applications at startup show inclear Icons in their
>> Toolbars and all around user interface. Icons pictures are not rendered
>> properly (unclear), while picture files open by the same applications are
>> shown properly. It happens time to time with many applications in random
>> order, and icons that were not shown properly one time, the next startup of
>> the same application may be clear. More, part of the icons on the same
>> application toolbar may be clear, but the rest is not. I read, system icon
>> issues may be related to insufficient system Icon Cash File size. But my
>> problem is with application icons, not system. NOD32 shows no viruses, and I
>> don't use at this time other antivirus programs. Anyway, it occurs regardless
>> of antivirus & antimalware ON or OFF. I can play DVDs and edit color pictures
>> without problem, so it doesn't look like a graphics accelerator issue - or it
>> is?

 

[arnymars]

Glee

TweakUI works fine for me for Win icons which appear in all places you
mentioned above. I also correctly fixed Icon Cache Registry entry (sorry for
misspelling) using downloaded patch you mentioned, and checking the Registry
afterwards.

The problem occurs ONLY within Application UI - on the Application Toolbars
and Dropdown Menus. It happens with several applications in no specific order
- with some every time, with others - time to time. It doesn't appear to be
related to VRAM, as open picture files and the rest of the application
interface are shown correctly.

I found one article in MS KB that appars to describe a similar issue:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/219582/en-us
But I have a different Graphics Card, and can't really switch its
acceleration off due to low processor capacity especially when playing
movies. Switching it off doesn't also help to resolve the issue - I tried..

 

[arnymars]

Just wanted to add that I installed the latest (supported) version of my
Graphics Card driver with no improvement. I seen in one forume someone
mentioned similar issue as an Application Compiler related, like Delphi. But
in that case the icons would be destorted every time such Application starts,
and not time to time - I assume...

 

[glee]

"arnymars" <arnymars@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:E60CE78F-0D0C-410C-A9DC-A35B9E884621@microsoft.com...
>TweakUI works fine for me for Win icons which appear in all places you
>mentioned above. I also correctly fixed Icon Cache Registry entry (sorry for
>misspelling) using downloaded patch you mentioned, and checking the Registry
>afterwards.
>
>The problem occurs ONLY within Application UI - on the Application Toolbars
>and Dropdown Menus. It happens with several applications in no specific order
>- with some every time, with others - time to time. It doesn't appear to be
>related to VRAM, as open picture files and the rest of the application
>interface are shown correctly.
>
>I found one article in MS KB that appars to describe a similar issue:
>http://support.microsoft.com/kb/219582/en-us
>But I have a different Graphics Card, and can't really switch its
>acceleration off due to low processor capacity especially when playing
>movies. Switching it off doesn't also help to resolve the issue - I tried..

> Just wanted to add that I installed the latest (supported) version of my
> Graphics Card driver with no improvement. I seen in one forume someone
> mentioned similar issue as an Application Compiler related, like Delphi. But
> in that case the icons would be destorted every time such Application starts,
> and not time to time - I assume...

What graphics card do you have?
What is running on your system at startup?
Does the issue occur as soon as you start up, or not until certain programs are run?
Does the issue occur if you do a Clean Boot?
Does it occur in Safe Mode?

How to Perform Clean-Boot Troubleshooting for Windows 98
http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=192926
--
Glen Ventura, MS MVP Shell/User, A+

 

[PCR]

arnymars wrote:
| Glee
|
| TweakUI works fine for me for Win icons which appear in all places you
| mentioned above. I also correctly fixed Icon Cache Registry entry
| (sorry for misspelling) using downloaded patch you mentioned, and
| checking the Registry afterwards.
|
| The problem occurs ONLY within Application UI - on the Application
| Toolbars and Dropdown Menus. It happens with several applications in
| no specific order - with some every time, with others - time to time.
| It doesn't appear to be related to VRAM, as open picture files and
| the rest of the application interface are shown correctly.

I think it best to stick with glee & answer his questions & possibly
state one/two applications in which the problem occurs. Nevertheless,
maybe try a different Theme/Scheme to maybe jog a setting...

To install Desktop Themes, if they are not already in the Control Panel
or in the START menu...

1. START, Settings, Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, Windows Setup
tab.
2. Check "Desktop Themes" click "Details" check the themes you want
"OK" twice.
3. Perhaps, re-boot.

Some themes require "high color". To get "high color"...
1. Right click the Desktop & select Properties
2. Click the "Settings" tab
3. Use the "Colors" dropdown menu to select "high color"
4. Be prepared. It may ask your permission to restart the computer.

I understand that's best however, it can also be done at: "R-Clk
Desktop, Properties, Appearance tab, & select a different 'Scheme' in
the dropdown selector". This will also get the fonts, colors, et al,
right, across applications, without trying to micro-manage inside the
"Item" dropdown menu, which one may live to regret.

Hopefully, if you have tried micro-managing in there, the Theme/Scheme
will reverse the setting. If not, state the values you have for
suspicious ones for us to compare.

| I found one article in MS KB that appars to describe a similar issue:
| http://support.microsoft.com/kb/219582/en-us
| But I have a different Graphics Card, and can't really switch its
| acceleration off due to low processor capacity especially when playing
| movies. Switching it off doesn't also help to resolve the issue - I
| tried..

--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
Should things get worse after this,
PCR
pcrrcp@netzero.net

 

[arnymars]

Glee,

Glee,

When I run Win98 in Safe Mode or Basic Hardware Acceleration, all icons in
every application (which is capable to start in Safe Mode) are shown
correctly (to the depth & res. available without graphics accel.). It appears
to be video driver related, as mentioned in the MS KB article above, but I
use the last driver for this video card - NeoMagic256AV. However, searching
the net, I was unable to find any complains about similar issue with NeoMagic
drivers on Vaio in Win98.

There must be something else & more affecting it. If it helps, the problem
occurs almost exclusively with third party applications that require lengthy
interface redraw when Video Card is OFF (Safe Mode). It doesn't occur with MS
packages, and there interface buttons are loaded instantly in Safe Mode.
Which means, its programming style and compiler dependant.In addition, its
unknown if these applications use natively Win standard size (32 or 45)
buttons. If not, in Win98 it looks like the non-standard size buttons are
zoomed by the system to standard size, set in Appearance Prefs, when drawing
the application window, and may be rendered incorrectly (it may also slow
window rendering) - see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/146213/en-us. As
well, I was told, all these applications use Borland Delphi or similar core
compiler that may be somewhat incompartible with older Video Card drivers.

However, after all that, how I can fix the issue?
Or, its unfixable, as no newer driver is available (like Win98 USB 1.1
problems)?

"glee" wrote:

> What graphics card do you have?
> What is running on your system at startup?
> Does the issue occur as soon as you start up, or not until certain programs are run?
> Does the issue occur if you do a Clean Boot?
> Does it occur in Safe Mode?

 

[arnymars]

PCR,

Changing Scheme didn't affect the issue. It was only affected by decreasing
Hardware Acceleration to Basic (which is unacceptable for me). Here is the
list of startup applications:

 

[arnymars]

Here is a list of Logon programs according to Sysinternals Autoruns:

KB891711 Windows KB891711 component Microsoft
Corporation c:\windows\system\kb891711\kb891711.exe
KB918547 Windows KB918547 EXE component Microsoft
Corporation c:\windows\system\kb918547\kb918547.exe
LoadPowerProfilePower Profile Helper DLL Microsoft
Corporation c:\windows\system\powrprof.dll
internat.exe Keyboard Language Indicator Applet Microsoft
Corporation c:\windows\system\internat.exe
ScanRegistry Registry Checker Microsoft Corporation c:\windows\scanregw.exe
StillImageMonitor Still Image Devices Monitor Microsoft
Corporation c:\windows\system\stimon.exe
SystemTraySystem Tray Applet Microsoft
Corporation c:\windows\system\systray.exe
TaskMonitorTask Monitor Microsoft Corporation c:\windows\taskmon.exe
Taskbar Display Controls Control Panel DLL Microsoft
Corporation c:\windows\system\deskcp16.dll

It looks like I don't really run anything special at Startup.

 

[arnymars]

Correction:

Immediately after I switch a Win Theme, and then started an application,
icons got drawn correctly! After PC reboot they return to the same state -
drawn incorrectly. After I switched the Theme back again and then put the
laptop to Standby and then waikup, I started several applications again, and
all icons to my surprise were drawn correctly again! I also noticed,
ShelllconCache file was updated after changing the Theme.

It looks like its getting closer to the solution, but we are not there
yet... Every time, the Theme is updated, it restores the icons correct
rendering, but once the PC is then rebooted, the issue appears again.

 

[arnymars]

PCR

After observing the application icons behavior for the last couple of days
after changing the Theme on your advice, I noticed that right after Win
Startup icons now appear correctly. After several programs started that shown
icon problems in the past, the icons become unclear gradually in each of the
applications if closed and restarted. After changing the Theme - no
improvement. But if I go to Standby right after changing the Theme and
Waikup, the icons appear correctly again when I restart an application.

Can such behaviour pattern help to identify the cause and fix it? How
Standby mode can affect this - by clearing the resources - what resources? Or
by updating memory - related to what program or driver?

 

[Franc Zabkar]

On Tue, 20 Nov 2007 07:46:02 -0800, arnymars
<arnymars@discussions.microsoft.com> put finger to keyboard and
composed:

>PCR
>
>After observing the application icons behavior for the last couple of days
>after changing the Theme on your advice, I noticed that right after Win
>Startup icons now appear correctly. After several programs started that shown
>icon problems in the past, the icons become unclear gradually in each of the
>applications if closed and restarted. After changing the Theme - no
>improvement. But if I go to Standby right after changing the Theme and
>Waikup, the icons appear correctly again when I restart an application.
>
>Can such behaviour pattern help to identify the cause and fix it? How
>Standby mode can affect this - by clearing the resources - what resources? Or
>by updating memory - related to what program or driver?

Try running Windows 98's Resource Meter, RSRCMTR.EXE. ???

- Franc Zabkar
--
Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.

 

[arnymars]

The application interface icons wrong rendering doesn't seem to be dependant
on the Win Resource Meter Readings - unclear icons may appear right after Win
Boot with 80% resources free, and wise versa - the icons may be rendered
correctly after changing the Win Theme and waikup from standby with 30%
resources free. There is something else, like some memory update that
improves the icon rendering after waikup.

 

[PCR]

arnymars wrote:
| Here is a list of Logon programs according to Sysinternals Autoruns:
|
| KB891711 Windows KB891711 component Microsoft
| Corporation c:\windows\system\kb891711\kb891711.exe
| KB918547 Windows KB918547 EXE component Microsoft
| Corporation c:\windows\system\kb918547\kb918547.exe
| LoadPowerProfilePower Profile Helper DLL Microsoft
| Corporation c:\windows\system\powrprof.dll
| internat.exe Keyboard Language Indicator Applet Microsoft
| Corporation c:\windows\system\internat.exe
| ScanRegistry Registry Checker Microsoft Corporation
| c:\windows\scanregw.exe
| StillImageMonitor Still Image Devices
| Monitor Microsoft
| Corporation c:\windows\system\stimon.exe
| SystemTraySystem Tray Applet Microsoft
| Corporation c:\windows\system\systray.exe
| TaskMonitorTask Monitor Microsoft Corporation c:\windows\taskmon.exe
| Taskbar Display Controls Control Panel DLL Microsoft
| Corporation c:\windows\system\deskcp16.dll
|
| It looks like I don't really run anything special at Startup.

I see nothing necessarily bad in there myself, BUT there should be two
LoadPowerProfiles (even if it doesn't solve this particular issue).

If you have one unchecked at "START, Run, MSConfig, Startup tab", then
check it, & see whether it has restored the missing one.

If not restored, then...

(1) "START button, Run, RegEdit".
(2) Open to...
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
by...

(a) Click plus signs, beginning left of "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE".
(b) Continue to plus sign left of "CurrentVersion".
(c) Scroll the alphabetical list of keys under it in the left pane,
& click "Run".
(d) Look for "LoadPowerProfile" in the right pane.
If not there... R-Clk an empty area of the right pane, point
to "New", & select "String value". Paste "LoadPowerProfile"
(no quotes) for it's name.
(e) R-Clk "LoadPowerProfile" in the right pane, & select "Modify".
(f) Paste the following (no quotes) into the "Value data" box...
"Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme"

Do the same for
"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunService
s"
^----- That "s" has wrapped away from "RunServices".

Actually, after step (f), look for & click "RunServices" in the left
pane, & take it from there.


--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
Should things get worse after this,
PCR
pcrrcp@netzero.net

 

[PCR]

arnymars wrote:
| PCR
|
| After observing the application icons behavior for the last couple of
| days after changing the Theme on your advice, I noticed that right
| after Win Startup icons now appear correctly. After several programs
| started that shown icon problems in the past, the icons become
| unclear gradually in each of the applications if closed and
| restarted. After changing the Theme - no improvement. But if I go to
| Standby right after changing the Theme and Waikup, the icons appear
| correctly again when I restart an application.

Too bad they weren't permanently fixed that way. Can you pinpoint what
makes them go bad again after that? Your Startup Group is innocent, if
the problem is cured directly after boot. What is it you run after
starting up that is not in the Startup Group?

One thing: You should be rebooting with "START button, Shut Down"-- &
not with one of the various shortcut methods! They don't work to repair
the ShellIconCache...!...

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kben-usQ133733
Icons Displayed Incorrectly in Control Panel

The icon cache may be corrupt. Delete it, & let it regenerate.
Shelliconcache is a hidden file.

(1) "START, Settings, Folder Options, View tab, bolt 'Show all files'".
Also, UNcheck "Hide file extensions for known file types".
(2) Boot to Safe Mode (hold F5 as you boot).
(3) "START, Find, F/F, Shelliconcache". R-Clk it & select "Delete".
(4) "START, Shut Down, Restart". (Do not use a shortcut to Restart.)

Alternatively, per cquirke & Glee...
(1) "Control Panel, Display, Appearance tab".
(2) Select "Icon" in the Item dropdown menu.
(3) Change the Icon size by one pixel, & Apply.
(4) Change it back to original size, & Apply.
(5) "START, Shut Down, Restart". (Do not use a shortcut to Restart.)
....Now, you should have a new ShellIconCache with one reboot & never
needing to delete it or to enter Safe Mode.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kbEN-USq132668
Icons Randomly Change to Different Icons

This is how to increase the ShellIconCache size. It may go as high as
4096. (Well, some say 8192.) It has cured, for me, a sluggishness of the
drawing of icons, inside Explorer & My Documents (the small ones to left
of file names).

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer
Max Cached Icons 2048 (String value)

1. START Run Type "RegEdit" & Enter
2. Click the plus (+) signs in the left pane,
starting left of "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE",
& ending left of "CurrentVersion".
3. Finally, click the key "explorer" in the left pane (not it's plus
sign).
4. In the right pane, R-Clk an empty area point to "new" select
"string value" type or paste "Max Cached Icons" & Enter.
5. R-Clk "Max Cached Icons" select "Modify" enter "2048" & click OK.
6. Close RegEdit & reboot.

| Can such behaviour pattern help to identify the cause and fix it? How
| Standby mode can affect this - by clearing the resources - what
| resources? Or by updating memory - related to what program or driver?

Something seems to be happening. That was an interesting article you
posted to glee...

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/146213/en-us
Windows Explorer and Desktop Icons Appear Distorted

Do you ever see an icon size other than 32 or 48 there? If so, you must
discover and eliminate whatever is doing that!

 

[arnymars]

PCR

Thank you for extensive and useful advice. It looks like improper and slow
application interface rendering is mostly the result of unjustified use of
non-standard icon sizes, which results in icon scaling at window rendering
time, where other deficiencies of Win98 and Video driver show up. Meaning,
the program developer competence is the issue.

I did delete Shelliconcache before, but without going to Safe Mode, so I
guess it was not recreated properly. It looks like after following all the
manipulations above, application icons appearance is now stabilized. I'll try
to notice, at what point it gets worse (if ever), but at least I can normally
work now, and know how to fix it fast.

What is surprizing, there is no reference in any of MS KB to third party
application interface icons problems, only to Win components icons, so the
question is whether Shelliconcache is used to store application icons at all?
If yes, are they collected from all over the c:\ drive at boot time? Or added
to Shelliconcache gradually at first startup of each application? If at some
point the file size exceed the limit set in Registry, what happens? Previous
icons are purged? But the file doesn't seem to change that often, based on WE
Modified dates. Are application icons stored in any Win cash file at all?

 

[glee]

There are a number of methods for deleting the ShellIconCache file, but in your case
Safe Mode may have been the necessary ingredient. The Icon cache appears to have
been the issue, as PCR and I have mentioned earlier in the thread. This is actually
pretty common.

ALL icons (system and application) that appear in the Start Menu, Desktop, Explorer
and folder windows, are stored in the ShellIconCache. I'm not sure if the icons on
your application toolbars are stored there also, or not.

The cache is added to in memory as you open menus and windows containing icons, but
the icons are not actually added to the file on disk till you restart. The icons on
the Desktop and Start Menu are picked up into memory at boot. As sub-menus and
applications are opened, further icons are added to the cache in memory.

The behaviour of the cache file can vary wildly from system to system. I've seen
some where the file stays relatively static after a certain size is reached, and
other systems where it continues to grow seemingly without end, and must be deleted
periodically. I've found on Win9x systems where the cache keeps growing and
growing, that it's best to delete the file once the stored icons get over about
1000-1500 in number. It seems to matter much less in WinXP.

Here's a nice little utility to see the System Image List (AKA Shell Icon Cache)
http://www.catch22.net/tuts/sysimg.asp
http://www.catch22.net/tuts/zips/sysimg.zip

Here's a very nice discussion of the workings of the Shell Icon Cache
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/4942/iconcache.html

--
Glen Ventura, MS MVP Shell/User, A+


"arnymars" <arnymars@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:FED5D8BD-3049-4D72-B750-297D9F25E96E@microsoft.com...
> PCR
>
> Thank you for extensive and useful advice. It looks like improper and slow
> application interface rendering is mostly the result of unjustified use of
> non-standard icon sizes, which results in icon scaling at window rendering
> time, where other deficiencies of Win98 and Video driver show up. Meaning,
> the program developer competence is the issue.
>
> I did delete Shelliconcache before, but without going to Safe Mode, so I
> guess it was not recreated properly. It looks like after following all the
> manipulations above, application icons appearance is now stabilized. I'll try
> to notice, at what point it gets worse (if ever), but at least I can normally
> work now, and know how to fix it fast.
>
> What is surprizing, there is no reference in any of MS KB to third party
> application interface icons problems, only to Win components icons, so the
> question is whether Shelliconcache is used to store application icons at all?
> If yes, are they collected from all over the c:\ drive at boot time? Or added
> to Shelliconcache gradually at first startup of each application? If at some
> point the file size exceed the limit set in Registry, what happens? Previous
> icons are purged? But the file doesn't seem to change that often, based on WE
> Modified dates. Are application icons stored in any Win cash file at all?