Desktop ICONS disappeared/changed

J

John Blaustein

Hi...

I'm using Office 2000 -- Word and Excel only. Windows XP Home SP2. All XP
and Office updates applied.

For some reason, all the icons for Word and Excel changed today from the
Office icons to the "standard DOS-style icon" -- little white rectangle with
blue bar at the top. When I right click one of these icons and select
Properties, the "Change Icon" button is grayed out.

Not only did all the Word and Excel icons disappear (change to the DOS-style
icon), but the Start>All Programs icons for "New Office Document," and "Open
Office Document" changed to that standard DOS-style icon. Also, Start>All
Programs>Microsoft Office Tools -- all icons are gone, replaced by the
generic icon.

I am also using FrontPage 2003, and the same thing happened with that icon.

I am able to restore the icon by finding the .EXE file for each program and
right-dragging it to the desktop (or Start Menu folder) and selecting create
shortcut here.

Can someone tell me what's going on here? This is very strange behavior and
only just happened.

Thank you.

John
 
J

John Blaustein

Follow-up to initial post.....

When I try to run Office Update (from the Windows Update site), Office
Update is unable to run. I get an error page -- see below.

Something has become corrupted, but I have no idea what, or how to fix it.
I have not deleted any .MSP files; I have admin. privileges; my network is
working correctly. Windows Update seems to install "Installer" updates, but
I have done nothing other than installed recommended Windows Updates.

John

---------------ERROR MESSAGE--------------

Office Update is unable to check for updates Help

The Office Update site is unable to check for updates on this
computer. This may be happening because of one of the following reasons:

a.. You do not have administrative privileges for this computer.
b.. There is a network problem and the detection catalog used by the
Office Update site failed to download. Go back to the Downloads home page
and try running detection again.
c.. Windows Installer patch files (.MSP files) from previously
applied Office updates are missing from the \Windows\Installer hidden
directory on your computer. MSP files are stored on your computer after
update installation completes because they need to be referenced for future
update operations. If the files are missing you will not be able to apply
Office updates. You may also be unable to uninstall Office products as a
result of the same problem. Please contact Microsoft Product Support
Services for assistance.
d.. You installed Office updates in the past and then upgraded from
Windows Installer version 1.0 to Windows Installer version 1.1. For more
information see the KB article Windows Installer May Prompt for Install
Source if Unavailable.
 
J

John Blaustein

Follow-up to initial post.....

When I try to run Office Update (from the Windows Update site), Office
Update is unable to run. I get an error page -- see below.

Something has become corrupted, but I have no idea what, or how to fix it.
I have not deleted any .MSP files; I have admin. privileges; my network is
working correctly. Windows Update seems to install "Installer" updates, but
I have done nothing other than installed recommended Windows Updates.

John

---------------ERROR MESSAGE--------------

Office Update is unable to check for updates Help

The Office Update site is unable to check for updates on this
computer. This may be happening because of one of the following reasons:

a.. You do not have administrative privileges for this computer.
b.. There is a network problem and the detection catalog used by the
Office Update site failed to download. Go back to the Downloads home page
and try running detection again.
c.. Windows Installer patch files (.MSP files) from previously
applied Office updates are missing from the \Windows\Installer hidden
directory on your computer. MSP files are stored on your computer after
update installation completes because they need to be referenced for future
update operations. If the files are missing you will not be able to apply
Office updates. You may also be unable to uninstall Office products as a
result of the same problem. Please contact Microsoft Product Support
Services for assistance.
d.. You installed Office updates in the past and then upgraded from
Windows Installer version 1.0 to Windows Installer version 1.1. For more
information see the KB article Windows Installer May Prompt for Install
Source if Unavailable.
 
J

John Blaustein

Follow-up to initial post.....

When I try to run Office Update (from the Windows Update site), Office
Update is unable to run. I get an error page -- see below.

Something has become corrupted, but I have no idea what, or how to fix it.
I have not deleted any .MSP files; I have admin. privileges; my network is
working correctly. Windows Update seems to install "Installer" updates, but
I have done nothing other than installed recommended Windows Updates.

John

---------------ERROR MESSAGE--------------

Office Update is unable to check for updates Help

The Office Update site is unable to check for updates on this
computer. This may be happening because of one of the following reasons:

a.. You do not have administrative privileges for this computer.
b.. There is a network problem and the detection catalog used by the
Office Update site failed to download. Go back to the Downloads home page
and try running detection again.
c.. Windows Installer patch files (.MSP files) from previously
applied Office updates are missing from the \Windows\Installer hidden
directory on your computer. MSP files are stored on your computer after
update installation completes because they need to be referenced for future
update operations. If the files are missing you will not be able to apply
Office updates. You may also be unable to uninstall Office products as a
result of the same problem. Please contact Microsoft Product Support
Services for assistance.
d.. You installed Office updates in the past and then upgraded from
Windows Installer version 1.0 to Windows Installer version 1.1. For more
information see the KB article Windows Installer May Prompt for Install
Source if Unavailable.
 
J

John Blaustein

Follow-up to initial post.....

When I try to run Office Update (from the Windows Update site), Office
Update is unable to run. I get an error page -- see below.

Something has become corrupted, but I have no idea what, or how to fix it.
I have not deleted any .MSP files; I have admin. privileges; my network is
working correctly. Windows Update seems to install "Installer" updates, but
I have done nothing other than installed recommended Windows Updates.

John

---------------ERROR MESSAGE--------------

Office Update is unable to check for updates Help

The Office Update site is unable to check for updates on this
computer. This may be happening because of one of the following reasons:

a.. You do not have administrative privileges for this computer.
b.. There is a network problem and the detection catalog used by the
Office Update site failed to download. Go back to the Downloads home page
and try running detection again.
c.. Windows Installer patch files (.MSP files) from previously
applied Office updates are missing from the \Windows\Installer hidden
directory on your computer. MSP files are stored on your computer after
update installation completes because they need to be referenced for future
update operations. If the files are missing you will not be able to apply
Office updates. You may also be unable to uninstall Office products as a
result of the same problem. Please contact Microsoft Product Support
Services for assistance.
d.. You installed Office updates in the past and then upgraded from
Windows Installer version 1.0 to Windows Installer version 1.1. For more
information see the KB article Windows Installer May Prompt for Install
Source if Unavailable.
 
J

John Blaustein

Follow-up to initial post.....

When I try to run Office Update (from the Windows Update site), Office
Update is unable to run. I get an error page -- see below.

Something has become corrupted, but I have no idea what, or how to fix it.
I have not deleted any .MSP files; I have admin. privileges; my network is
working correctly. Windows Update seems to install "Installer" updates, but
I have done nothing other than installed recommended Windows Updates.

John

---------------ERROR MESSAGE--------------

Office Update is unable to check for updates Help

The Office Update site is unable to check for updates on this
computer. This may be happening because of one of the following reasons:

a.. You do not have administrative privileges for this computer.
b.. There is a network problem and the detection catalog used by the
Office Update site failed to download. Go back to the Downloads home page
and try running detection again.
c.. Windows Installer patch files (.MSP files) from previously
applied Office updates are missing from the \Windows\Installer hidden
directory on your computer. MSP files are stored on your computer after
update installation completes because they need to be referenced for future
update operations. If the files are missing you will not be able to apply
Office updates. You may also be unable to uninstall Office products as a
result of the same problem. Please contact Microsoft Product Support
Services for assistance.
d.. You installed Office updates in the past and then upgraded from
Windows Installer version 1.0 to Windows Installer version 1.1. For more
information see the KB article Windows Installer May Prompt for Install
Source if Unavailable.
 
J

John Blaustein

Follow-up to initial post.....

When I try to run Office Update (from the Windows Update site), Office
Update is unable to run. I get an error page -- see below.

Something has become corrupted, but I have no idea what, or how to fix it.
I have not deleted any .MSP files; I have admin. privileges; my network is
working correctly. Windows Update seems to install "Installer" updates, but
I have done nothing other than installed recommended Windows Updates.

John

---------------ERROR MESSAGE--------------

Office Update is unable to check for updates Help

The Office Update site is unable to check for updates on this
computer. This may be happening because of one of the following reasons:

a.. You do not have administrative privileges for this computer.
b.. There is a network problem and the detection catalog used by the
Office Update site failed to download. Go back to the Downloads home page
and try running detection again.
c.. Windows Installer patch files (.MSP files) from previously
applied Office updates are missing from the \Windows\Installer hidden
directory on your computer. MSP files are stored on your computer after
update installation completes because they need to be referenced for future
update operations. If the files are missing you will not be able to apply
Office updates. You may also be unable to uninstall Office products as a
result of the same problem. Please contact Microsoft Product Support
Services for assistance.
d.. You installed Office updates in the past and then upgraded from
Windows Installer version 1.0 to Windows Installer version 1.1. For more
information see the KB article Windows Installer May Prompt for Install
Source if Unavailable.
 
J

John Blaustein

Follow-up to initial post.....

When I try to run Office Update (from the Windows Update site), Office
Update is unable to run. I get an error page -- see below.

Something has become corrupted, but I have no idea what, or how to fix it.
I have not deleted any .MSP files; I have admin. privileges; my network is
working correctly. Windows Update seems to install "Installer" updates, but
I have done nothing other than installed recommended Windows Updates.

John

---------------ERROR MESSAGE--------------

Office Update is unable to check for updates Help

The Office Update site is unable to check for updates on this
computer. This may be happening because of one of the following reasons:

a.. You do not have administrative privileges for this computer.
b.. There is a network problem and the detection catalog used by the
Office Update site failed to download. Go back to the Downloads home page
and try running detection again.
c.. Windows Installer patch files (.MSP files) from previously
applied Office updates are missing from the \Windows\Installer hidden
directory on your computer. MSP files are stored on your computer after
update installation completes because they need to be referenced for future
update operations. If the files are missing you will not be able to apply
Office updates. You may also be unable to uninstall Office products as a
result of the same problem. Please contact Microsoft Product Support
Services for assistance.
d.. You installed Office updates in the past and then upgraded from
Windows Installer version 1.0 to Windows Installer version 1.1. For more
information see the KB article Windows Installer May Prompt for Install
Source if Unavailable.
 
J

John Blaustein

Follow-up to initial post.....

When I try to run Office Update (from the Windows Update site), Office
Update is unable to run. I get an error page -- see below.

Something has become corrupted, but I have no idea what, or how to fix it.
I have not deleted any .MSP files; I have admin. privileges; my network is
working correctly. Windows Update seems to install "Installer" updates, but
I have done nothing other than installed recommended Windows Updates.

John

---------------ERROR MESSAGE--------------

Office Update is unable to check for updates Help

The Office Update site is unable to check for updates on this
computer. This may be happening because of one of the following reasons:

a.. You do not have administrative privileges for this computer.
b.. There is a network problem and the detection catalog used by the
Office Update site failed to download. Go back to the Downloads home page
and try running detection again.
c.. Windows Installer patch files (.MSP files) from previously
applied Office updates are missing from the \Windows\Installer hidden
directory on your computer. MSP files are stored on your computer after
update installation completes because they need to be referenced for future
update operations. If the files are missing you will not be able to apply
Office updates. You may also be unable to uninstall Office products as a
result of the same problem. Please contact Microsoft Product Support
Services for assistance.
d.. You installed Office updates in the past and then upgraded from
Windows Installer version 1.0 to Windows Installer version 1.1. For more
information see the KB article Windows Installer May Prompt for Install
Source if Unavailable.
 
J

John Blaustein

Another follow-up.....

Now, other desktop icons are disappearing, being replaced with the generic
DOS-style icon.

Help!

John
 
J

John Blaustein

Another follow-up.....

Now, other desktop icons are disappearing, being replaced with the generic
DOS-style icon.

Help!

John
 
J

John Blaustein

Another follow-up.....

Now, other desktop icons are disappearing, being replaced with the generic
DOS-style icon.

Help!

John
 
J

John Blaustein

Another follow-up.....

Now, other desktop icons are disappearing, being replaced with the generic
DOS-style icon.

Help!

John
 
J

John Blaustein

Another follow-up.....

Now, other desktop icons are disappearing, being replaced with the generic
DOS-style icon.

Help!

John
 
J

John Blaustein

Another follow-up.....

Now, other desktop icons are disappearing, being replaced with the generic
DOS-style icon.

Help!

John
 
J

John Blaustein

Another follow-up.....

Now, other desktop icons are disappearing, being replaced with the generic
DOS-style icon.

Help!

John
 
J

John Blaustein

Another follow-up.....

Now, other desktop icons are disappearing, being replaced with the generic
DOS-style icon.

Help!

John
 
J

JoAnn Paules [MSFT MVP]

This would concern me enough to start backing up my important files. I don't
know what's causing it but it doesn't sound good.
 
J

JoAnn Paules [MSFT MVP]

This would concern me enough to start backing up my important files. I don't
know what's causing it but it doesn't sound good.
 
J

JoAnn Paules [MSFT MVP]

This would concern me enough to start backing up my important files. I don't
know what's causing it but it doesn't sound good.
 

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Similar Threads

Word Help - Probably a simple answer... 0
Lost my icons!!! Please help! 2
Trial ICON on Desktop Suppose To Change ? 0
HELP: Disappearing Excel Attachment Icon After Clicking on It 2
Office 2019 for mac, will it still…? 0
Desktop icons 0
Desktop Icons disappeared 9
Need help modifying code 0

Top