Hard drive icon is missing...

Hi, I just got a new laptop pre-installed w/ Windows 7. Everything works fine, but when I go into Windows Explorer I'm missing an icon for my hard drive. On the left side, there are five main categories: Favorites, Libraries, Homegroup, Computer, and Network. Some of the categories have subcategories underneath. Under the fourth category, Computer, my hard drive is listed as a subcategory. It is labeled HPLJP1000_1500(C). Just to the left of each category/subcategory, there is an icon that corresponds with each item. To the left of "Computer" there is an icon with a computer. But to the left of "HPLJP...", there is just the missing-icon icon. It's very small, but it appears that it resembles a white piece of paper with the top right corner folded over with a window in the middle with some icons inside of that window; just a generic placeholder icon I guess. I know this is vague, if you need more details let me know, but I would GREATLY appreciate it if anyone can help me out. It's driving me crazy!

Craig

Here's another picture. Hopefully it comes out more clear...

Craig:
Have you tried rebuilding the icon cache database, if not, take a look at this article. Rebuild The Icon Cache In Windows 7 or Vista

Hi Randy,
Yes, I did try that already. No luck...
Craig

Hi Craig, see my post here below post #10

link D drive icon missing

This shows how to use Fresh UI a free applet to change your drive icons.

If you are comfortable taking a look at the registry. Take a look at HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\DriveIcons and see if you have anything weird in there. I attached a screen shot from mine and the drive icons are displaying properly.

Also in the registry you can check HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\DefaultIcon and see if there is anything weird in there it should have a value of %SystemRoot%\System32\shell32.dll,8 see attachment. Also make sure there is nothing called autorun.inf in the root of Drive C, I don't suspect there would be but it never hurts to look.

Hello again Randy,
I checked both of the registry entries that you referenced; and both appear the same as yours do. However, there IS an autorun.inf in the root of C; although it appears to reference my HP printer. Here's the text:

[autorun]
shellexecute=P1000_P1500.exe
icon=P1000_P1500.exe,0
label=HPLJP1000_1500

[Version]
Manufacturer=HP
ProductSeries=LaserJet P1000 and P1500 series
PreloadLaunchPad=hpzpad01.dat
PreloadRestingPad=%sourcepath%hpzprl03.dat

And Frank, thanks for the tip and I may end up using an applet like Fresh UI eventually, but I'm really curious to see what is causing the error beforehand. But I'll definitely keep it in mind.

Thanks again,
Craig

You need to get rid of it. If you are uncomfortable deleteing it just create a new folder and put it in that folder. It just can't be in the root of the C drive

It looks like that may in some way be responsible for the label that exists on your C drive. I agree about finding the actual answer before resorting to third party programs for tweaking. I use a lot of third party programs but, when something is wrong with the core operating system I, like you, prefer to find out it's cause.