SOLVED Windows XP .htm file icon blank

[c627627]

.htm files (not web page link files) started having blank icons and I could not change them using the usual approach of repairing icons, or changing Folder options > File Types TAB > htm > Advanced > Change icons

Even registry changes did not help.


Downloaded this htmliconfix.zip file and it fixed it.
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/htmicon.htm (scroll down)

What did it to, what did it change, I want to reimage and figure this out manually without using the exe file. Any ideas?


EDIT:
This worked in Windows 7

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\FirefoxHTML

Delete the ShellEx\IconHandler registry key entry.

Then I saved this as a Rebuild.bat file then run it. Then Reboot.

taskkill /im explorer.exe /f
CD %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local
attrib -h iconcache.db
del iconcache.db
explorer.exe

 

[Psycogeec]

this might show you
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm
Kellys corner mostly VB scripts and registry entries
see number 162 ??
download without running somehow, then analise in notepad.

probably some class entry and in shell explorer section, thing that goes in the registry.

this is one of few sites i have on trusted sites, so i can run thier scripts, but be WARY carefull, things have ramifications, and there are AUTO thing there.

 

[Psycogeec]

other methods
use Regshot, take picture of registry in first shot
make any changes
take picture of registry in second shot
hit compare
see differecnes, along with tons of other junk that you didnt know was changing

 

[c627627]

I know that exe from post #1 worked in XP. I rebooted into Win7 where I had the same problem. Tried that number 162 reg. No luck.

Too the regshot, but the exe wouldn't work in Win7. I reimaged XP but when I rebooted into XP, the problem wasn't part of the image so good for problem solution but I wanted to try to see what the manual fix was while it was broken. Oh well.

 

[Psycogeec]

w7 i cant answer, but did you rebuild the icon cache each time?
just toss out this file IconCache.db either reboot, or task end explorer and re-run explorer
(tweakUI also has rebuild in repair section does same thing)

also the icons are aquired from a dll or exe usually, if mabey IE or some parts of it was removed itself ?
mabey something that occured when putting on another browser items that wants to use a new one?
http://blog.borngeek.com/2007/10/07/fixing-broken-html-document-icons/
^ happened to this guy with some build of firefox

full re-associations registries (DIFFERENT)
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm
for when a virus screws up what the icons and some menues actually go to.

if i guess long enough i will get it.
.

 

[c627627]

Yes, thank you Psycogeec. Good find. This worked in Windows 7

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\FirefoxHTML

Delete the ShellEx\IconHandler registry key entry.


Now they said, browse to the Documents and Settings\{username}\Local Settings\Application Data folder.
Delete the iconcache.db file. It's hidden, so you may need to tweak your Windows Explorer settings to see it.
Reboot.

However, I simply saved this as a Rebuild.bat file then run it. Then Reboot.

taskkill /im explorer.exe /f
CD %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local
attrib -h iconcache.db
del iconcache.db
explorer.exe

 

[Psycogeec]

i am glad you figured it out
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Opera.HTML
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\FirefoxHTML

whos next, chrome? dolphin? maxthon? or any one of the 200 other browsers out there.

i do not understand how these break the systems one?
or knocks out the system one, AND pulling them fixes it.
to Fix do you have to do Both? Recreate original, AND pull the changed one?

its not important , just wondering.

 

[c627627]

It was the ShellEx\IconHandler registry key entry undrneath those entries..

The IconHandler needed to be deleted. It appears to override the usual things we know about from before. I suspect a Firefox build caused this too but the probelm is resolved.