Missing icons after uninstalling Fences

from Stardock Forums

Hello all,

I was excited to see fences and downloaded and install in July ver .96, I think, and for the most part pleased.  It seemed to slow my system down some, though it is beta and to be expected. 

On August 31, it notified me that it had expired.  I decided to uninstall it for now and wait till the pro version came out. 

I have a Vista 32bit laptop, with one Admin acccount and two standard user accounts. 

I went to my admin account, call it #1 and uninstalled Fences. 

My old desktop with icons came back and I logged out. 

Went to my normal standard user account, call it #2 and logged in. 

My desktop was void of all icons, not even default icons. 

I logged out and went to my backup account,, call it #3 and the same was there. 

I pulled up windows explorer and went to #2 and #3 desktop folders and the icons for the respective desktops were there. 

I figured that I would reinstall Fences and uninstall it again, just incase there had been an error. 

Reinstalled, and this time I logged into my #2 account (standard user) and ran the uninstall utility. 

It asked for my admin password, I gave it, it uninstalled and my desktop was back to Pre-Fences icons. 

I was happy. 

Logged into my #1 account and now that accounts icons are missing, not even default icons, but they are present in windows explorers desktop folder. 

I can't even manually place them on the desktop. 

Went to #3's account and the same as #1's. 

I have searched the forums and found no mention of multiple accounts/uninstall problems. 

I am sorta stuck now, though I can use the accounts by launching the programs from the start menu, 

I like the icons on my desktop.  Is there someone with more bain cells than I have that could help,  it would be greatly appreciated. 

Thanks in advance.

21,082 views 16 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top

does vista have an equivalent of xp's - right click desktop > arrange icons by > show desktop icons?

Multiplicity - Control multiple PCs using one keyboard and mouse
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top

so, I'm guessing toggling that action doesn't help?

 

 

Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top

crap

 

wife won't let me install/uninstall on her vista laptop to see what happens, so I go nothing other than

 

BUMP

 

 

unless, maybe... did you have fences running on all the accounts?

did you disable Fences on all account prior to uninstalling?

 

 

 

Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top

When I installed Fences, it automatically was installed on all accounts.  I didn't think about disabling it in each account before uninstalling.

Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top

installed yes, but was it being used on the other accounts?

if not, did you disable fences and go back to default desktop before uninstalling?

how did you uninstall? Impulse?

have you tried reinstalling fences to see if the icons come back? then disabling (i'd check each account to be sure) then uninstalling?

Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top

according to this post:

 

https://forums.wincustomize.com/339253

 

fences does initiate setup on each account

Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top

and... yes it does

only installed the other day, went into wife's account - hasn't been logged into for a couple of weeks

fences config pops up

x'd the window

right clicked the desktop - fences menu in right click options

opened fences

 

tools > other tools > enable fences is checke

unchecked and got:

 

Warning enabling/disabling fences is not recommended. ... Also, you run the risk of creating instabilities.   continue anyway?

Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Silliy question . . but if you double-click the desktop, everything is hidden.  Perhaps could you have double-clicked?

what happens if you double-click now?

Reply #11 from Stardock Forums Top

Hey Bichur, I did reinstall after the first uninstall, which I used the Fences uninstall both times.  When I reinstalled the second time all the icons came back in their respective "fences".  I uninstalled again using fence's uninstall, didn't even notice impulse was installed untill later and had a time getting it uninstalled, and when I was asked if I wanted to remove all files fences used I said yes.  Maybe that wasn't too smart, but the first time I uninstalled I said no to that question.  The results were the same.  So I reinstalled again, this time my icons didn't come back in the accounts I was having problems with.  Still the icons are listed in windows explorer "Desktop" folder, so I know that they are there.  I can click on them in explorer and they work.  I never disabled the fences before uninstalling.  Didn't think that I needed to but it might have been a good idea.

Zubaz,  no question is too silly, am willing to try anything.  But yes, that was the first thing that I tried.  It was a feature that I really liked about the program and was used to using quite a bit.  I am going to try to reinstall one more time and then try to disable each account and uninstall.

Will let you know how it goes.  By the way, thanks for the help your are giving me, I appreciate it.

Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top

you

I did reinstall after the first uninstall, which I used the Fences uninstall both times. When I reinstalled the second time all the icons came back in their respective "fences". I uninstalled again using fence's uninstall,
End of quote

 

okay, try this

reinstall fences (you'll probably get Impulse back again)

once installed, just close the window and reboot

see if the icons come back in the respective fences

go into the other accounts first and disable fences

the in your account use the snapshot thingy to put your back - i'm thinking if the respective fences showed up on a reinstall, then the original desktop snapshot might be there also

then disable fences

then use Impulse to uninstall fences reboot and check the accounts

if all's well then use use add/remove to uninstall Impulse

 

------------------------------

 

damn Z, I just got home from work and was playing with fences when the double click idea hit me... so once I'm up and running I log in to... find you already posted it...  o_O

Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top

a lot of customization software uninstalls much better if you set everything back to default and unload or disable first

Reply #15 from Stardock Forums Top

Sorry it took me so long to get back,  had to go into the hospital for surgery.  I appericate all the help fellows but while I was under the knife my six year old got hold of the computer and FUBAR-ed the install.  Had to reinstall.  Didn't want to go down that path but so be it.  Again thanks for the help.

Reply #16 from Stardock Forums Top

[FIX] I had the same problem not long ago but fixed by going to startup folder in the start menu (windows 7) where you will see a fences shortcut which no longer works then right click it and delete it. I know the OP doesn't need a fix any more but for anyone else who needs help with this problem.