Windows 10 blank taskbar icons

Mouse · 08 Feb 2021

I expect after a bit of housekeeping clearing drive space using disk cleaner ive lost most default icons from taskbar. Might have been just bad timing but was the last thing I remember doing to try get 2004 to install.

Image > taskbar — ImgBB

Missing icon next to command is the Calculator but any system setting / Help / Dell (its a Dell laptop) config are all missing.
Oddly icon looks ok from start menu

OS : Windows 10 Pro 1909 different issue im not concerned about atm 2004 will not install but stops me from trying to upgrade out of this problem

Ive tried everything found online but nothing seems to help so hoping someone here seen this before.

Things tried :
deleted > %localappdata%\AppData\Local\IconCache.db
deleted > %localappdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\icon & thumb cache files
sfc /scannow (did not find anything)
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth (no help either)
Creating shortcut / changing icon also didnt work as a fudge

At this point I ran out of things to try as OS re install is not an option (remote working + company laptop)

Thanks in advance

Ghot · 08 Feb 2021

Hello @Mouse , welcome to Ten Forums.

You could do an In-Place Upgrade, which will repair Windows and leave all your programs and files.
Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade

Here is the short version of the In-place upgrade tutorial...

DISABLE non-Microsoft:
a) antivirus software
b) firewall software
c) drive encryption software

Make a full OS backup with a program like Macrium Reflect (free)
Macrium Software | Macrium Reflect Free

Go here and get the Media Creation Tool and save it to your desktop.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/soft...load/windows10

RUN the Media Creation Tool and use it to: Create an ISO image... save IT to your desktop.
This will be the latest version of the ISO image.

For older ISO image versions, go here instead... <---- like if you wanted 2004 instead of 20H2.
Download Windows 10 ISO File

Right click the ISO image and choose: MOUNT
Open File Explorer and you will see a new drive letter. It will look like a DVD optical drive.
Double click the new drive letter to open it.
Find setup.exe and double click it to start the in-place upgrade.

Choose the Keep personal files and apps option.

After it's all done... to UNmount the ISO image, right click the new drive letter and choose: EJECT.

The ONLY thing you will lose is some of your personalizations. Your programs and data will be intact.

/edit

I also couldn't install the 2004 Feature Update. I just did an In-Place Upgrade and it fixed everything.
Haven't had any problems since.

Mouse · 08 Feb 2021

Ghot, Thanks for the suggestion but would be the last option basically sending laptop back to the office. Any OS reinstall would would need company IT team intervention. Normally wouldnt be a problem but with current covid crazy would take me offline for over a day. I feel this would be like hitting laptop with a sledgehammer for an icon display issue. Unless anything in place could be done I may have to ignore the icon problem.

As its a company machine drive encryption is enabled but I would not have the master key to unlock / disable. Also asset + virus software but could get around those using pstools.

CChamp · 08 Feb 2021

Don't know if this is the same thing or not but I have had the same thing with Dropbox in my start menu for a few months now. Have tried everything I can think of including Uninstall and Reinstall with the same results. Dropbox works fine just no icon.