How to restore desktop and start menu icons after deleting shortcuts from desktop

Hello there.

I wanted to clean up my desktop a bit so I deleted multiple shortcuts from my desktop because I had some icons already in Start Menu. So, I deleted the shortcuts that were on desktop and Start Menu and emptied my Recycle Bin so I cannot retrieve them. And now the icons on Start Menu have gone "blank" (see the image)

The upper foobar2000 icon is from Desktop and the other one is from Start Menu.

How can I retrieve the icons? I tried creating new shortcuts and pinning them again to Start Menu and pasting the shortcuts but it didn't help. I also tried System Restoring but it didn't help either.

Check out this site for all the information you'll need to restore your desktop icons!

Restore Missing Desktop Icons in Windows 7 or Vista - How-To Geek

I hope this helps!

Brett M,
Windows Outreach Team

inffy:
Hello and welcome to the forums.
Are those the only two icons that you are having trouble with.
Typically those type of images are associated with shortcuts that have a broken link, which can be a product of anything from deleting or moving the actual executeable that launchs the program, to an incomplete uninstall of the program that left some shortcuts here and there.
Just delete the old ones and create new ones. You can google the process, since there are various methods, but generally just right click on desktop, choose new, shortcut, browse to the .EXE, give it a name finish the wizard or just browse to the .EXE yourself, right click and drag it to the desktop and choose create shortcut here.
You should then be able to pin it where you want it.

Originally Posted by Trouble

inffy:
Hello and welcome to the forums.
Are those the only two icons that you are having trouble with.
Typically those type of images are associated with shortcuts that have a broken link, which can be a product of anything from deleting or moving the actual executeable that launchs the program, to an incomplete uninstall of the program that left some shortcuts here and there.
Just delete the old ones and create new ones. You can google the process, since there are various methods, but generally just right click on desktop, choose new, shortcut, browse to the .EXE, give it a name finish the wizard or just browse to the .EXE yourself, right click and drag it to the desktop and choose create shortcut here.
You should then be able to pin it where you want it.

I tried creating new one the way you mentioned but it just won't recognize the foobar icon. But when I right click on the shortcut/program and go to Properties, it shows the image it should be showing on the desktop and Start Menu. See the image

There was a Microsoft Update that would disable the shortcut images Microsoft Security Advisory (2286198): Vulnerability in Windows Shell Could Allow Remote Code Execution The Fix it disables .LNK and .PIF file functionality automatically on a computer that is running Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, or Windows Server R2.

Complete details about the Fix it solution to both enable the workaround and disable it after a security update has been released are available in Microsoft KB 2286198.

- Captain

I assume that you've attempted to use the change icon button, without getting the proper results....so,
try purging your thumbnail cache.
Open explorer, right click your system disk and choose properties
On the general tab select the disk cleanup button
You can select or deselect anything you want, generally the defaults are fine, just make sure you leave thumbnails selected.

Originally Posted by Trouble

I assume that you've attempted to use the change icon button, without getting the proper results....so,
try purging your thumbnail cache.
Open explorer, right click your system disk and choose properties
On the general tab select the disk cleanup button
You can select or deselect anything you want, generally the defaults are fine, just make sure you leave thumbnails selected.

This didn't work unfortunately either.

The only time I have ever been able to restore an icon in the situation you're describing is to uninstall and then reinstall the program.

I know it's a P.I.T.A. but it does work.

Nibs

I think Nibiru2012 has the right idea, yes it's a pain but it will probably resolve your issue.
I tried Captain Jack's link to the knowledge base article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2286198
Pretty cool...there's an enable work around fix it and a disable work around fix it and they both work. But unfortunately it had no effect on my desktop short cuts, nor the short cuts in my jump list but it did adjust all my short cuts in my program menu to just plain white symbols. So I don't think that it applies to your particular issue.
Keep us posted on your progress.

I don't feel like reinstalling foobar2000, I'd lose all my playlists and it's P.I.T.A. to redo them.