Win Desktop Problems

Please tell us the vitals your system, ie; cpu make and model,
How much ram , pci, type of mouse, video adapter, network, what
kind of Network Adapter, significant software and anything you can
think of. Operating System and version. Updates, Service Packs.
Do you have or did have IE4X and ACTIVE DESKTOP?
There are many variables and we could spend weeks trying to solve
something while I don't know what we're working with. :)

Regards,
Bud

The 1st thing to try would be;
1. temporarily remove any wallpaper.
2. delete ShellIconCache from window directory. Power off, and re-boot. ShellIconCache
will recreate itself.
This in standard proceedure but personally I never delete anything that may be important,
no matter what windows95 is supposed to do.
I move them to me DELETED directory and rename them until I'm sure i don't need it.

regards
Bud

This used to be a reocurring problem with Win3.1 try reducing your screen resolution, or the amount of colours you are trying to use, also even though Netscape et al, work Publisher is a pretty hungry beast, what have you got in the way of Swap file size?  

Nica....

I have a Pentium 166 MHz with 48 MB of RAM.
I have a Diamond Stealth VRAM graphics card with 2 MB of VRAM
Have a MS Mouse Ergonomic v2
 Win95 [4.000.950a]
It is on the desktop, not wallpaper.

the swap file is >20MB

I hope this helps...

-jw

ps- i cant find ShellIconCache

i understand that the broplem on your icons if that you can go to your desktop and right
click by mouse then select properties then appearance tab and select from item: in the left bottom and you find icon , icon spacing horizontal and icon spacing vertical you can adjust from them as you wanna , if you find any broplem again you can tell me and describ your broplem clearly please  ...

Shelliconcache is a hidden file. You'll have to go to My nComputer, view, options, view
and uncheck "hide fills of this type'.

Bud

weinrj,
If you post you e-mail I'll write you and ask to see you screenshot,.....if it's ma reasonable size. Make it a .jpg to transfer. Easily done with lview.

Bud

My address is jwnrb@cybernex.net
Please send me an email, and I will forward you the screen shot to better describe the problem...this has nothing to do with
icons, desktop, resolution, etc...something is corrupted...i reinstalled win95 and even tried to reinstall a registry,...it didnt help.
something is messed up...when you see the screen shot, you'll see what i mean.  thanks

If you are using profiles, you should delete your user profile folder (the one with YOUR login name on it).  It is in the C:\Windows\Profile directory (or wherever you installed Windows 95).  This folder holds information that includes pointers to desktop icons, and the user portion of your registry keys.  When you delete it and restart windows it will be recreated for you from the Default Users folder.

Do NOT delete the entire Profile directory, just the folder with your user name that is in the Profile directory.  If you want to play it even safer, you can just rename your user profile folder (the one with your login name on it).  This will result in your getting a clean desktop again.  Any icons that you added to the desktop will be gone.  You will have to create the shortcusts over again.  The default icons for the desktop will still be there.

Tom

have you tryed to decrese the Video Accelleration under 'Control Panel' - 'System' - 'Performance' then the Graphics button?
Also what drivers are you running for your stealth card?

I've written you about sending the screenshot.
vrerify that you got my e-mail please.
Also, please don't pass it around.

Bud

weinrj,

I had exactly this problem some months ago, a number of the desktop icons changed to pictures about 8 icons high by 3 wide and full of random icon pictures.

It turned out that the w95 registry was corrupt.  I tried fixing it with tweakui but it didn't work.

I ended up deleting the registry and running windows set-up again, I lost alot of the registry contents tho' and had to reinstall a load of stuff afterwords.

Hope this helps - MorFF

Bud, have you received his screenshot? Have any ideas..I would like to see it..can you forward the picture to me please?

Weinrj, have you tried running tweakUI/rebuild icons?
If you wish to delete shelloncache I suggest to do it from DOS..safer that way..

Damir

I sawyour desktop. Ugg.
1st use NO wallpaper.
Second, delete shelliconcache, and reboot.

Damir, I just sent you the picture.

Bud

would i have to delete the registry?  i have tried to re-install and use a backup copy of the
registry, and still nothing happens....

i erased that file you told me to do...i used tweak UI and still nothing....
morFF, please tell me if i have to ERASE the Registry to fix it....thanks

You should still delete the user profile before you delete the entire registry!  The user portion of your registry is held in your user profile.  There is also a folder in your user profile that is used to place icons on the desktop.  No sense in starting over completely if you can fix it be deleting only the HKEY_CURRENT_USER stuff.  This will still leave all of your hardware and most of your software configuration intact.  No sense in deleting EVERYTHING in the registry until you try this.

Tom

What are you guys talking about...........Deleting the registry???

Bud

I agree with Bud.
Bud--anything else i should do??  You saw the pic, so please give me some ideas...

No, I am not talking about deleting the registry!  I am talking about deleting his user profile.  The next time he logs in it would be recreated anyway from the default users profile.  There are several things in a user profile that have an effect on your desktop.  Deleting the registry was someone elses idea.

Tom

weinrj,

I'd go with Tom on this to see if it works.  I had to do a reinstall as I didn't try what he suggests (bah).

Cheers - MorFF

If your problem is with the registry , Why not use RegClean ?? you can probably get it from http://www.32bit.com 's Software Archive.

I'm thinkimng memory, perhaps memory problems, either video card or poor configuration.
I still want you to try and set for no wallpaper.
I still want you to remove, delete Shelliconcache.
------------
I'll be happy to help, and have other registry ideas, but please do this 1st and let me know
if there is any difference.
============THEN
Clean The Garbage From Your Registry
After a major clean up, you notice that the size of registry remains the same. It's just like how
DOS deletes files on the hard disk. The files are not really deleted, they are just floating.
In the registry a removed key becomes an invisible existence to the reg editors. You can export
keys that are recognizable by the editors to a temp file, then use the same temp file to reconstruct
a new registry. And this is how we remove those invisible footprints.
Clean the bedevil out of your registry. But 1st; BACKUP YOUR REGISTRY.
NOTE: This works on most systems. In my personal experience, and others that I know of it
works 90% of the time. If your computer locks up during the process, or does not show 100%
done from "Real Mode Dos", yet stops: Simply reboot and Import MyReg.reg.
Example: C:\Windows>Regedit Myreg.reg
Or, C:\WRP>RESTORE.
WRPV3.ZIP is the Best and easiest Backup/Restore I've Seen. Go To:
http://www.webdev.net/orca/ Search WRP

Step1: Copy all Windows .dat files To a Temp directory.
System.dat and User.dat FOR SURE. [FROM WINDOWS]
Step2: Be sure to have a reg backup already.
Step3: Open reg editor and export "all entries" to a reg file(MyReg.reg). [FROM WINDOWS]
Step4: Power off for 10 seconds then Boot to REAL DOS MODE.
Go to Windows directory.
Step5: Type ATTRIB -H -S -R SYSTEM.DAT and
ATTRIB -H -S -R USER.DAT.
Step6: Delete .dat files, e.g. del *.dat /y
Step7: At C:\Windows>type "regedit /c MyReg.reg", No Quotes.
EXAMPLE: C:\Windows>REGEDIT /c MyReg.reg [enter]
NOTE. If your computer locks up before the import is 100% done,
Simply re-boot and Import from C:\Windows>Regedit Myreg.reg; OR
CD to WRP and type restore.
Everybodys 95 is different, that's why the warning. Works great for me,
and many others. Still, check you system out, keyboard, applications,
modem; everything! FELL SAFE! You have three backups:
1. MrReg.reg
2. WRP Backup
3. You System.dat and User.dat that you saved in step 1.
In one case this method shrunk system.dat from 5.5 to 2.4 MB.
You can only imagine how windows responded to that.. They fly:)
NOTE: IF YOU HAVE MULTIPLE USER PROFILES.
Only thing I have to WARN people of is if they use multiple user profiles
when regedit rebuilds new registry it sets default user.dat in windows
directory belonging to the user which had made MyReg.reg backup.
So it is necessary to copy the original default;
C:\WINDOWS\USER.DAT back to the windows directory.
After the process, please exam your system thoroughly and put it through
it paces. Also keep the backup for a while before updating it.

let me know,
Bud

Oops, I think deleting user profile is not the right way. user.dat in users profile directory IS part of registry - IMPORTANT part. If you delete it you'll probably have to reinstall some/most of your applications!

I think I would try regclean as suggested.. Yeap, I saw the screenshot..looks bad..

I just got an idea!!!..please post here this part of your registry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\Shell Icons

You can extract it to a reg file and than copy/paste it's contents here. It is possible that your icon  library file is damaged. If you're using plus! that file is cool.dll and if you're using default windows icons that file is shel32.dll. Try to extract original file and replace the current one with it. (d:\win95\extract /A win96_02.cab /L c:\temp shell32.dll)

Damir

P.S. It looks like few icon are under the original one, am I correct?

Notice Damir and weinrj,
That in the white spaces on the left you can see what's inside ;Shell32.dll,
I concure Damir. The old one may be corrupt, but, we did format and re-install.

Here's where to get the 'Shell32.dll" Update
http://www.walbeehm.com/win95upd.html 

The latest File           Size            Version     For Win95
SHELL32.DLL      1264640      4.72.2926.1    4.0.0.951

Bud

Bud- I will try the shell thing first..if that works, please answer a question so i can add points to you... If the shell thing fails, i will then try to do that big thing as before...  I erased the shelliconcache and nothing happened.

RebosMan- I will also try to see if what you said works...If it does, i will give you an A and 100 points.  

You have to reject the current answer before I can post an answer.

Something i just thought of.
There may still be an Uninstall string at
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

Look for it.
If you have it let me know. Don't do anything with it. Just tell me.

Bud

weinrj, I would like you to send us registry key I asked you. Shell32 might not help you if you're not using shell32.dll icons (and I'm pretty sure you're not)

Damir

Uninstall is there....
Registry File Contents, as requested

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\Shell Icons]
"29"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\TWEAKUI.CPL,3"
"8"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\cool.dll,0"
"9"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\cool.dll,1"
"20"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\cool.dll,2"
"22"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\cool.dll,3"
"19"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\cool.dll,4"
"24"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\cool.dll,5"
"21"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\cool.dll,6"
"27"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\cool.dll,7"
"6"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\cool.dll,8"
"5"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\cool.dll,9"
"11"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\cool.dll,10"
"3"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\cool.dll,11"
"35"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\cool.dll,12"
"13"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\cool.dll,13"
"38"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\cool.dll,14"
"23"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\cool.dll,15"
"17"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\cool.dll,17"
"4"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\cool.dll,18"
"37"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\cool.dll,19"
"31"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\cool.dll,20"
"32"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\cool.dll,21"
"16"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\cool.dll,22"
"36"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\cool.dll,24"
"40"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\cool.dll,26"
"33"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\cool.dll,27"
"15"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\cool.dll,28"
"10"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\cool.dll,29"
"26"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\cool.dll,32"
"25"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\cool.dll,33"
"28"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\cool.dll,34"
"0"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\cool.dll,37"

cool.dll is part of MS Plus
Try removing plus before doing anything else.
That should reset your icons to their desktop defaults.
Then if that works backup your registry and then reinstall plus.

nope...didn't work.

Hm, can you download the program More Properties 2.xx (it can be found at www.download.com or www.winsite.com). This program has an option to change system icon appearance. Please try to change your system icons with it.. Use other icon lib file (not cool.dll).
You can use any files with ico extension too.. If this does not work than I think we're looking in the wrong way - it might be completely different problem that's causing this (perhaps even video drivers)

See what happens.

Damir

I think the problem lies somewhere...No in video probs, etc...I had used the same configurations before.  Never had a problem....The problem started after an other problem I had...I reinstalled windows...Everything was fine...Two days later the reg crashed, asked me i click restore/restart..did and now i am where i am now....

1st,
Get and install
WRPV3.ZIP is the Best and easiest Registry Backup/Restore I've Seen. Go To:
http://www.webdev.net/orca/ and Search WRP: Install and backup.
This is a well written batch file driven bakup and restore, so it writes nothing
to your system. Far better than Microsofts URU. Then remove it from your startup folder.
we don't want to make bad backups every bootup. Only when you want.

2nd
Look thru your uninstall section and see if there are any programs that you have removed that still have an uninstall string. If so, run the uninstall string at 'Start|Run".
Make a full registry export Before you do this and after, then compare them to see what if anything has changed.
You can dothis with:
Wmatch.exe. This small free utility can be obtained from
http://ftpsearch.ntnu.no/. It's 199.526 in size.
PURPOSE
WMATCH lets you place the filenames of two directories in side-by-side windows, and then shows you which files are the same and which are different.
---------
In looking at you picture, i see some shell32.dll icons in thje far left, white areas that are somehow being forced to that area, like the "chip" at the top left corner of "Front Page
Editor'. That chip is a shell32.dll icon?????
--------------
see these articles on MS PLUS You'll see that Ms Plus can cause many problems.
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q135/9/50.asp
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q133/2/48.asp
This section of
Microsoft Plus!
Article ID     Article Description at
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q141/6/02.asp

Bud

You did run regclean, did you?
Also I'll send you registry compacting method..it might help too..

Set:
    1. [vcache] (in system.ini)
         MaxFileCache=8192

     2. LocalLoadHigh=1 to the [386Enh] section of SYSTEM.INI.

     3. The setting labeled Typical Role of This Machine determines how much space is set
     aside in main memory to handle path and filename caching.
     The default Desktop Computer choice allocates space for a paltry 32
     paths and 677 filenames, whereas the Network Server  choice bumps
     those settings up to 64 paths and 2,729 filenames.

     4. Please use regclean to clean your registry from possible problems (this might slow
     your computer down too..)

     5. Registry keeps deleted data too.
     It acts simmilar like MSDOS undelete. The data remains in registry but it is not visible
     to you. So we use regedit to export only visible data and than rebuild registry from that
     data. (it helps us get rid of unwanted data). Here's the procedure:

     1. Make backup copies of system.dat (and system.da0) and user.dat (user.da0). Be
     carefull, if you use multiple user profiles than your user.dat is located in
     \WINDOWS\Profiles\user_name\USER.DAT, system dat is always in \windows. If you
     have multiple user profiles than backup both \windows user.dat (user.da0) and
     \windows\profiles\user_name\user.dat (user.da0)

     2. Do you have MS regclean? If not than download it from Microsoft. This is very
     important!! Regclean cleans registry from all the trash, dead links etc. so regedit can
     export it normally. I was not able to export registry untill I cleaned it with regclean!
     Run regclean and have it clean all the errors it can find. If you want to undo the actions
     regclean did in registry just doubleclick on result file regclean makes (looks like:
     COMPUTER_NAME XX XX XX (date).reg) That will import all the changes back to the
     registry.

     3. Restart computer. When starting (when displays "starting Windows95" message)
     press F8 and select "safe mode command prompt only" (should be the last item in the
     list)

     4. Go to \windows and enter:
     (I'll take for example that you have windows installed in C drive in directory Windows)
     In case you don't have multiple user profiles:

     regedit /L:c:\windows\system.dat /R:c:\windows\user.dat /E myreg.reg

     In case you have multiple user profiles: (change "user_name" with your user name,
     name of directory under \windows\profiles where your user data are stored ex. if your
     user name is John it will look like \windows\profiles\john\

     regedit /L:c:\windows\system.dat /R:c:\windows\profiles\user_name\user.dat /E
     myreg.reg

     Wait for regedit to return to command prompt. If it doesn't return to the command
     prompt, than something must be wrong!

     5. Type (in c:\windows):
     attrib -s -h -r system.dat
     attrib -s -h -r system.da0
     attrib -s -h -r user.dat (if use multiple user profiles do this in your user directory:
     \windows\profiles\user_name\)
     attrib -s -h -r user.da0 (if use multiple user profiles do this in your user directory
     \windows\profiles\user_name\)

     Now DELETE system.dat, system.da0 (in \windows) user.dat and user.da0 (OR from
     \windows\profiles\user_name IF you use multiple user profiles, if that's the case,
     LEAVE those in \windows directory. DO NOT DELETE THEM, delete only those from
     your user directory. If you do not have multiple user profiles, than you need to delete
     the ones from \windows directory)

     6. Enter (in \windows directory)

     regedit /L:c:\windows\system.dat /R:c:\windows\user.dat /C myreg.reg

     7. Reboot your computer (DO NOT START WINDOWS WITH "WIN"!!)

     8. If any kind of error happens, you can copy system.dat & user.dat files you have
     backuped before, back to \windows directory.

     9. Now you can compare sizes of old system.dat & user.dat and new ones (to view
     them in explorer you have to turn on "show all files" option in Windows explorer view
     menu)

Damir

I got your pictures.
Lets rule out you monitor....no matter how good or new.
Can you swap with a friend, or have another motitor you can get your hands on??

Bud

I got your pictures.
Lets rule out you monitor....no matter how good or new.
Can you swap with a friend, or have another motitor you can get your hands on??

Plus lets rebuild your file extentions.
As it still appeares that a shell32.dll icon is being forced.
=========
Windows\inf\shell.inf Reset All Associations
The solution is to go to Windows\inf\shell.inf and right click on the inf file,
then Click Install. This resets all associations to their default.

Bud

ok...i tried two other monitors...Both give me the same display.
i wonder what i could be?

ok...i tried two other monitors...Both give me the same display.
i wonder what it could be?

I think you need a new video card, but we'll try to fix this 1st.

Did you
Windows\inf\shell.inf Reset All Associations
      The solution is to go to Windows\inf\shell.inf and right click on the inf file,
      then Click Install. This resets all associations to their default.

I did that...Didn't work...I am going to try to run windows in Safe Mode and see what happens...I will post the results later on....I dont think this is hardware related.
This problem just happened after win95 was re-installed...then after i restored the registry.

I now deeply regret that i even re-installed that damn registry...things were working before i did that....

PS- i did run reg-clean

Go to
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Pines/2857/ and at the bottom of the page there's a button that says Teach me.
About the 4th ?? page you see a regcleaning method that you'll download, called
SmallReg.

Bud

Ok, i tried that...didnt work as well...but, i do have some more information that might be useful.

I tried Safe Mode...Still happens, so it isnt conflicts.
I moved the registry else-where, windows loaded with nothing...several problems loaded up, but I didnt't care...the desktop problem disapeared....[I moved system.dat]  

I put it back, the problems came back.

So, it must lie in the registry.

I reinstalled win95, again...still nothing.

The problem doesnt happen until everything is loaded...when the desktop loads its icons, then the problem happens.

I still think when it re-installed, (first time) when it asked do you wish to keep a newer file, i must of clicked no on one of them by accident.

Just a thought on some info that hopefully might help...I will re-install Norton Utilities and maybe it can help....please!!!!

thanks

I FIXED IT!!  EVERYTHING IS NOW WORKING....WHEN I REINSTALLED NU3, I EXPECTED TO RUN NDD, AND OTHERZ, BUT, INSTEAD, THE INSTALLATION PROCESS FIXED WHAT EVER GOT MESSED...THANKS ALL OF YOU FOR BEING SO PATIENT WITH ME!

Oh great, glad you solved it.. I would really like to know what was wrong... perhaps NU overwrote some parts of registry that were damaged?

Damir

I've seen many bazaar things on this forum.
Just goes to prove there are no 'Carved in granite Answeres".

Bud

Geez. Norton going to heck in a handbasket ... What's next ?? Micro$oft will write the persect O/S ?? ( Evil Grin )

weinrj,
Write linda@experts-exchange.com and ask her to give your points back, and to remove this question.

Thanks, Bud

I'm posting what finally worked as an answer.  There seems to be a lot of useful information here.

Linda Gardner
Customer Service @ Experts Exchange

Comment
     From: weinrj
                                       Date: Sunday, May 24 1998 - 01:15PM PDT

     I FIXED IT!!  EVERYTHING IS NOW WORKING....WHEN I REINSTALLED
     NU3, I EXPECTED TO RUN NDD, AND OTHERZ, BUT, INSTEAD, THE
     INSTALLATION PROCESS FIXED WHAT EVER GOT
     MESSED...