Icon Packager won't restore Windows default icons

You should probably email support@stardock.com on this matt355.

Okay, thanks.

Incidentally, how do you contact support? Maybe I'm blind, but I don't see a link anywhere on the Stardock site.--

NEVER MIND- I just found it!

Try one or both of the fixes found here. https://forums.wincustomize.com/436401/page/1/#3490071

0) backup your registry, just in case (I recommend also to create a restore point)

1) start regedit

2) navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer and expand it

3) find "Shell Icons" key (note: this key does not normally exist in fresh Windows 8 installation, I guess IconPackager adds it)

4) delete it (or rename it if you are not sure)

5) restart your computer

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Open: C:\Users\[USERNAME]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer

Replace [USERNAME] with the username you're using.  Delete everything in that directory.  This is the icon cache for Windows Explorer.  After you do that, reapply the  default theme in IconPackager.

Also, in IP settings, there are Repair Shell Icons and Rebuild Icon Cache buttons. Those may work after repeated tries with Win 8, they only worked for me after multiple tries and reboots on Vista and Win 7 so ymmv.

I was about to install.. now i am not..

Stardock tech support was helpful at first...but they haven't replied to my last two messages. Problem is NOT resolved.

Have you tried Wizard1956's way,especially on deleting "Shell Icons" on registry part?? Normally,it should be back to Windows default icons.   

I'm hesitant to mess around in the registry.

Wizard1956 also noted the "repair" buttons...I tried those but they didn't work. However, the "repair shell icons" buttons was grayed out, so I can't try that one. I told this to Stardock, but did not receive a response.

Afraid to tell you,that registry way is the best way to restore your icons,if wasn't that dangerous,simply making backup of it before you proceed. I myself done that before. 

"Stardock tech support was helpful at first...but they haven't replied to my last two messages."

Every time you send support an email it throws you back to the end of the line, similar to hanging up on a telephone support number.  Best thing to do is wait for a response from them.

After a few days if there is no contact either way you may receive an automated email saying they're going to close the ticket.  Just reply to that email and it'll keep it open.

Thanks, everyone. I think I'll wait to hear from Stardock before I go messing around in the registry. For now, I was able to restore the shell icons by uninstalling IP and then reinstalling it. However, now I'm afraid to use it!

problem will never be resolved i guess..!!!

Please make sure to check your junk folder in case our responses went there.

Stardock got back to me with a rather cryptic message that they could find no solution to the problem at the moment, but weren't shelving it, either.

Thanks to everyone who responded here. This is a very friendly and helpful forum.

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This is the fix.. stated in other posts as well, if you have uninstalled Icon Packager and it removed file icons as well on .exe files and Start Menu or others...

Go to 'Start' open run command, type in Regedit.

In the new window of Registry Editor go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shellex and delete the subkey/folder 'IconHandler'

Delete the whole folder, it is unnecessary.

This will bring back any/all icons you have lost!

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I had uninstalled IconPackager in preparation for an upgrade to Windows 10.  After rebooting the machine, all of the images within many icons were gone.  Interestingly though some icons retained their image.  The icons worked when you clicked on them so they weren't broken shortcuts but because the image on the icon was missing you couldn't tell what the icon was for.  The missing icon images were also missing throughout the files in Windows Explorer.

The instructions by xSnapz to delete the IconHandler key in the registry worked for me.  And this after I had tried and failed to correct the problem using all of the other methods posted here.  Thanks xSnapz for the post.  It was really aggravating trying to find a solution.

Thanks. Though I'm always hesitant to mess around with the registry.

Wizard1956 ... I saw your post but in my case I did not have the "Shell Icons" key in my registry file.  I could have missed it.  So I moved on to another solution in the posts that followed. 

But kudos if this solution works for others.

Worked.