Solved Should I be able to use ICO files for Desktop Shortcut Icons?

AndyTampa

Member
Some new software created shortcuts on the desktop to a couple of its sites. The shortcut icons were significant to the site. But after a reboot, the icons reverted to generic Windows internet shortcut icons. I went into the properties of each shortcut and chose to change the icon, then browsed to the ICO files that I wanted to use. I selected them and applied them, but they don't change on the desktop. This is also occurring on my Windows 8.1 laptop.

Am I missing something? When looking for icons, shouldn't icon files be perfect?
 

My Computer

System One

  • Operating System
    Windows Vista Home Premium SP2, 32-bit
    Manufacturer/Model
    Retrofitted Refurbished Gateway
    CPU
    AMD
    Motherboard
    ASUS M3A78-EM
    Memory
    4 GB
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer 22-in Flat Screen Monitor
    Keyboard
    Logitech K350 Wireless Keyboard
    Mouse
    Logitech M705 Wireless Mouse
I would load the icons in an icon editor. You can get the last free version of IcoFX on this page:
Last Freeware version: All Programs (listed alphabetically)

or use another. When loaded it should tell you the size of the icons, color depth etc..
Maybe they are not standard size or some other weird problem. Usually when Windows just drops an icon it shows a blank page icon instead. So it may be the icons themselves.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavilion m9515y
    CPU
    Phenom X4 9850
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Some Radeon Cheapie with 512 MB Ram
    Monitor(s) Displays
    CRT
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024
    Hard Drives
    750 GB SATA 3G
    2 SIIG Superspeed docks w/WD Caviar Black Sata II or III
That may be a viable work-around, but my question remains unanswered. Should shortcuts be able to use ICO files?

I don't know the source of the original shortcut icons when the software was loaded and the shortcuts created, but I found the ICO files in the program's folder. I assume that's what was used. Still, will Windows Shortcuts use ICO files or must they be inside a DLL?
 

My Computer

System One

  • Operating System
    Windows Vista Home Premium SP2, 32-bit
    Manufacturer/Model
    Retrofitted Refurbished Gateway
    CPU
    AMD
    Motherboard
    ASUS M3A78-EM
    Memory
    4 GB
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer 22-in Flat Screen Monitor
    Keyboard
    Logitech K350 Wireless Keyboard
    Mouse
    Logitech M705 Wireless Mouse
The change icon button knows how to load icons from .ico .exe .dll and perhaps several other file types. So yes it should load directly from an .ico file.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavilion m9515y
    CPU
    Phenom X4 9850
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Some Radeon Cheapie with 512 MB Ram
    Monitor(s) Displays
    CRT
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024
    Hard Drives
    750 GB SATA 3G
    2 SIIG Superspeed docks w/WD Caviar Black Sata II or III
I had to reload the software, and the icons appear to be stable for now. I went into the properties of each and they are all URL shortcuts. When I click Change Icon, the file shown is SHELL32.dll. If I lose them again, I'll try seeing what they look like in an icon editor. I've had Microangelo loaded for years and never used it.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Operating System
    Windows Vista Home Premium SP2, 32-bit
    Manufacturer/Model
    Retrofitted Refurbished Gateway
    CPU
    AMD
    Motherboard
    ASUS M3A78-EM
    Memory
    4 GB
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer 22-in Flat Screen Monitor
    Keyboard
    Logitech K350 Wireless Keyboard
    Mouse
    Logitech M705 Wireless Mouse
If they get the icon from shell32.dll there should be an index number. Shell32.dll has hundreds of icons. The index might be -64 as an example. If you make a note of it you may be able to load it back without having to paint. :)
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavilion m9515y
    CPU
    Phenom X4 9850
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Some Radeon Cheapie with 512 MB Ram
    Monitor(s) Displays
    CRT
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024
    Hard Drives
    750 GB SATA 3G
    2 SIIG Superspeed docks w/WD Caviar Black Sata II or III
If they get the icon from shell32.dll there should be an index number. Shell32.dll has hundreds of icons. The index might be -64 as an example. If you make a note of it you may be able to load it back without having to paint. :)

No, they don't get their icons from SHELL32.dll. The icons are specific to the application (WD MyCloud). I thought going into Change Icon would tell me where they're coming from, but it didn't.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Operating System
    Windows Vista Home Premium SP2, 32-bit
    Manufacturer/Model
    Retrofitted Refurbished Gateway
    CPU
    AMD
    Motherboard
    ASUS M3A78-EM
    Memory
    4 GB
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer 22-in Flat Screen Monitor
    Keyboard
    Logitech K350 Wireless Keyboard
    Mouse
    Logitech M705 Wireless Mouse
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