Hi, Every so often when I install new software on my PC some icons change and look like the .exe file icon. The icons that change are usually jpgs or gifs. They still keep their origional extension though. Is there anything I can do to have the icons stay in their proper format? Thanks Hopefully my advice will help you...Please post back with your results....thanks

XpUser4Real, seems to me I recall something (Spybot?) that locks your homepage and won't allow any change??? HTH. Ed in Texas.

when you install a new image processing software, a lot of these programs simply grab the file extension without asking permission (unless you choose custom install). example: by default those images are associated with windows picture & fax viewer and you will see the wpfv icon used for image shortcuts. now you install adobe photoshop and all image icons change to adobe photoshop now you buy a new digital camera that ships with ulead photo studio. once installed all image icons have changed to ulead. Today's subliminal thought is: 'Calm down ... it's only ones and zeros.' icq 10183575

Thanks for the replies. Ed, thanks but it's on the desktop that this is happening Mattie, that seems to be the problem like you described. Is there anything I can do to prevent the icons from changing besides like you say do a custom install? Hopefully my advice will help you...Please post back with your results....thanks

XpUser4Real, If you don't want those desktop shortcut icons to show the program icon they're associated with just right click the shortcut, choose Properties, under the Shortcut tab click the Change Icon button and choose or browse to the icon you want and hilite it, click OK/Apply/OK. Tufenuf

Thanks Tufenuf. What I want to do , is if it is a jpg icon, keep the proper icon associated with windows fax and pic viewer. I already tried what you suggested and it still changes when I install a new program. For instance, I D/L'd a different program to my desktop. Say it was regscrubxp. The exe icon looks like a PC with a box of floppies in front of it. Once I execute the program, the Jpgs on my desktop change to that icon look, but still open with the fax viewer. The icon changes and that's what I would like to prevent happening. They keep that look even after a reboot. I'd like to lock them somehow to prevent this from happening. Iv'e done sfc /scannow to replace any corrupted files and really don't know what else to do. Thanks for your reply Hopefully my advice will help you...Please post back with your results....thanks

XpUser4Real, That's an odd problem indeed. Just for the heck of it start your computer in SAFE mode then restart it in Normal mode which should rebuild the iconcache.db file and see it the problem persists. It's worth a try. Tufenuf