Windows Vista Issue Another "Vista" thing

Ralph · 12-21-2008, 03:26 PM

NOT... blaming the SS.. However. in trying to see if "always on top" worked on my Vista machine... I have lost all my desktop icons.. to standard default DOS type of boxes... .. and can not get them back... HELP

They have ALL changed.. except the current Beta SS

and the recycle bin. Opening properties and physically changing the icon.. will not stick. Changing the size of the icons.. right click desktop>view>large icons.. gives me the proper large icon.. with a copy of the standard default DOS icon imposed over it

(edit) Further investigation makes me think I have a corrupted shortcut arrow icon.. evidently the arrow is an overlay over the regular icon... thus, the SS shortcut which is normal is that way only because it is not really a shortcut but the actual program on my desktop.. (curses vista) but the fix has not been found yet...

Derrek · 12-21-2008, 05:48 PM

I've had problems with icons in Vista before not related to this screensaver. You can refresh them following one of these methods listed here:
http://www.whizblaze.com/vista/icons/

cjmaddy · 12-21-2008, 06:05 PM

Ralph, - have you tried 'Rebuild Icons' in the 'Repair' tab of TweakUI ? ... (But I'm not sure if there is a Vista version of TweakUI !)

Derrek · 12-21-2008, 06:13 PM

Sadly there is no TweakUI for Vista from Microsoft.

Ralph · 12-21-2008, 06:46 PM

Originally posted by Derrek:

I've had problems with icons in Vista before not related to this screensaver. You can refresh them following one of these methods listed here:
http://www.whizblaze.com/vista/icons/

Thanks Derrek.. have tried the two common approaches.. change the number of colors on the desktop and deleting the icon cache.. neither seem to resolve my problem.
I do think it is related to a corrupt "arrow" icon and I found a registry hack that will place a transparent icon instead of the regular one. Will have to wait a bit though.. currently doing a update of Vista... 48 updates.. Not one to do this often enough

And a tweakUI would be perfect... if there was one

celine · 12-21-2008, 07:32 PM

Try this "TweakVista":http://www.stardock.com/products/tweakvista/

Or the tips for Vista:http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=499870

Note : on the Neowin site,there was a file "RemoveArrow.zip",please download it,a RestoreArrow.reg and remove Blank.ico from your Windows directory were inside.

feldon34 · 12-21-2008, 07:51 PM

http://www.winvistaclub.com/Ultimate...s_Tweaker.html

Ralph · 12-21-2008, 10:22 PM

Originally posted by feldon32:

http://www.winvistaclub.com/Ultimate...s_Tweaker.html

Thank you.. That seems to have done the trick... at least I was able to put the arrows back on the shortcuts.. {edit} and taking them off works as well
It seems... somehow I (or something else) installed Winbubbles16. It writes a path to a transparent icon that replaces the icon #29 in the Shell32.dll. The folder that this "junk" was in somehow got deleted and thus the registry pointed to a non existing folder. For some reason... one could not modify or delete that entry in the registry..
Very strange... and wasted a good part of my afternoon.

I did try to install the latest version of WinBubbles1.76.. however ran into some suspicious "stuff" when I kept getting "unlockforus".. was preventing writing to the registry.

Anyone have any information on this program or the unlockforus routine? Seems like a scam to me

celine · 12-21-2008, 11:04 PM

I found this page about "Winbubble":http://www.threatexpert.com/report.a...dbc2a757062d48

Ralph,

I would suggest that get rid of "Winbubble" for good. Some freeware would just brought unknown "goodies'' without telling the end-users,such as Flashget I have mentioned before. Always be cautious and install reliable vendor or source of software only.

Anything try to "preventing you writing to the registry" is bad,unless you youself allow that,not even on antivirus or firewall software.

Ralph · 12-21-2008, 11:09 PM

Thanks... I had a bad feeling about it. Still do not know how it initially got on my system?

celine · 12-21-2008, 11:21 PM

Hmm,maybe it automatically installed while you surfing some poison websites. In Taiwan these 3 days,my sis' Norton antivirus been stopped 3 malicious rogue wares in this way,such as "Antivirus2008/2009" or asking install some codes before you can see the Youtube-like flash video.

But..."Winbubble",have no idea either. Some sites did host it,but its freeware.....there are much more tool better than it anyway. As Morgan's "Ultimate Windows Tweaker' and mine's "TweakVista".

12-21-2008, 03:26 PM	#1
Ralph Retired Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Edmonton Alberta Ca Posts: 2,443	Another "Vista" thing NOT... blaming the SS.. However. in trying to see if "always on top" worked on my Vista machine... I have lost all my desktop icons.. to standard default DOS type of boxes... .. and can not get them back... HELP They have ALL changed.. except the current Beta SS and the recycle bin. Opening properties and physically changing the icon.. will not stick. Changing the size of the icons.. right click desktop>view>large icons.. gives me the proper large icon.. with a copy of the standard default DOS icon imposed over it (edit) Further investigation makes me think I have a corrupted shortcut arrow icon.. evidently the arrow is an overlay over the regular icon... thus, the SS shortcut which is normal is that way only because it is not really a shortcut but the actual program on my desktop.. (curses vista) but the fix has not been found yet... Last edited by Ralph; 12-21-2008 at 05:31 PM.

12-21-2008, 07:32 PM	#6
celine Special Assistant Join Date: May 2005 Location: back to home....... Posts: 1,330	Try this "TweakVista":http://www.stardock.com/products/tweakvista/ Or the tips for Vista:http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=499870 Note : on the Neowin site,there was a file "RemoveArrow.zip",please download it,a RestoreArrow.reg and remove Blank.ico from your Windows directory were inside. Kanebo--woman's first choice.

12-21-2008, 07:51 PM	#7
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	http://www.winvistaclub.com/Ultimate...s_Tweaker.html "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

12-21-2008, 11:04 PM	#9
celine Special Assistant Join Date: May 2005 Location: back to home....... Posts: 1,330	I found this page about "Winbubble":http://www.threatexpert.com/report.a...dbc2a757062d48 Ralph, I would suggest that get rid of "Winbubble" for good. Some freeware would just brought unknown "goodies'' without telling the end-users,such as Flashget I have mentioned before. Always be cautious and install reliable vendor or source of software only. Anything try to "preventing you writing to the registry" is bad,unless you youself allow that,not even on antivirus or firewall software. Kanebo--woman's first choice.

12-21-2008, 11:21 PM	#11
celine Special Assistant Join Date: May 2005 Location: back to home....... Posts: 1,330	Hmm,maybe it automatically installed while you surfing some poison websites. In Taiwan these 3 days,my sis' Norton antivirus been stopped 3 malicious rogue wares in this way,such as "Antivirus2008/2009" or asking install some codes before you can see the Youtube-like flash video. But..."Winbubble",have no idea either. Some sites did host it,but its freeware.....there are much more tool better than it anyway. As Morgan's "Ultimate Windows Tweaker' and mine's "TweakVista". Kanebo--woman's first choice.

12-21-2008, 05:48 PM	#2
Derrek Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 186	I've had problems with icons in Vista before not related to this screensaver. You can refresh them following one of these methods listed here: http://www.whizblaze.com/vista/icons/

12-21-2008, 06:05 PM	#3
cjmaddy Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lancashire, UK Posts: 7,854	Ralph, - have you tried 'Rebuild Icons' in the 'Repair' tab of TweakUI ? ... (But I'm not sure if there is a Vista version of TweakUI !)

12-21-2008, 06:13 PM	#4
Derrek Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 186	Sadly there is no TweakUI for Vista from Microsoft.

12-21-2008, 06:46 PM	#5
Ralph Retired Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Edmonton Alberta Ca Posts: 2,443	Originally posted by Derrek: I've had problems with icons in Vista before not related to this screensaver. You can refresh them following one of these methods listed here: http://www.whizblaze.com/vista/icons/ Thanks Derrek.. have tried the two common approaches.. change the number of colors on the desktop and deleting the icon cache.. neither seem to resolve my problem. I do think it is related to a corrupt "arrow" icon and I found a registry hack that will place a transparent icon instead of the regular one. Will have to wait a bit though.. currently doing a update of Vista... 48 updates.. Not one to do this often enough And a tweakUI would be perfect... if there was one

12-21-2008, 10:22 PM	#8
Ralph Retired Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Edmonton Alberta Ca Posts: 2,443	Originally posted by feldon32: http://www.winvistaclub.com/Ultimate...s_Tweaker.html Thank you.. That seems to have done the trick... at least I was able to put the arrows back on the shortcuts.. {edit} and taking them off works as well It seems... somehow I (or something else) installed Winbubbles16. It writes a path to a transparent icon that replaces the icon #29 in the Shell32.dll. The folder that this "junk" was in somehow got deleted and thus the registry pointed to a non existing folder. For some reason... one could not modify or delete that entry in the registry.. Very strange... and wasted a good part of my afternoon. I did try to install the latest version of WinBubbles1.76.. however ran into some suspicious "stuff" when I kept getting "unlockforus".. was preventing writing to the registry. Anyone have any information on this program or the unlockforus routine? Seems like a scam to me

12-21-2008, 11:09 PM	#10
Ralph Retired Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Edmonton Alberta Ca Posts: 2,443	Thanks... I had a bad feeling about it. Still do not know how it initially got on my system?