Puzzling Windows 98SE problem

[Gustavus]

As the title says, I am running Windows 98SE and have been for two years. I have a large number of folders on the desktop -- like 75 -- with various icons associated with them. Every once in a while, a whole bunch of them -- but not all -- will suddenly have the same icon. It is not always the same icon. The Copernic icon may show up for 20 or so of them one time and another time it may be the MatLab icon or the Britannica icon. If I reboot, everything gets the proper icon again. Anyone ever see anything like this and if so do you know what causes it?
Tahnks for your help. This one beats me.

 

[minendo]

I used to have a similar problem and it was always fixed when I rebooted. I think it has something to do with the system resources running low. Next time it happens check to see what your system resources are at. If they are low, you probably have a program or something running that is causing a memory leak.

 

[nater]

I've had that same problem too...I guess there's nothing you can do about it though, and it doesn't really hurt anything, just gets annoying to see an unmatching icon

 

[jlathrop]

To solve that problem, download and install TweakUI from MS. (Version 1.33 now.) Once installed, it can be found in the Control Panel. Open Tweak UI, click on "Repair", then click on "Repair Icons". That almost always takes care of the problem.


P.S. Until the next time of course...

 

[dexmanone]

I go with minendo, sounds like a resource prob of some sort.

 

[ttn1]

I have yet to find a windows OS that does not require a "maintenance" reboot every so often. With 98SE it was on the order of once a week max., while with 2000 it is on the order of 3-4 months max.

I would also say that it is a resources issue. As far as I have seen windows has always done a pretty nasty job of managing memory. Of course, this can't all be blamed on microsoft, as alot of programs are also very bad at properly managing memory. Like swapping virtual memory when the system has 256MB of real memory free.

 

[Fireman]

Nice hit jlathrop.
Solved my quirks in 98SE.
Thanks.

 

[kduncan5]

Gustavus, It's been said that Windows 98 is very poor at memory management. For that reason, I don't have anything I don't absolutely need in the OS's startup procedure. Just the essentials. You can check yours by clicking on Start, Run, type: msconfig, click on the Startup tab.

You also said that you have 75 icons on your desktop????? My GOD!:Q I have 5 icons on mine. Again, just the essentials. My Computer, My Documents, IE, OE, & Recycle Bin. Do you really need all those on your desktop? Are they accessible from the Start Menu? By uncluttering your desktop, you could conceivably begin to improve overall performance. By downloading the aforementioned TweakUI, you have access to other neat stuff too.....

There is another program out there that I like really well for managing items in the startup procedure, not to mention removing obsolete registry entries: RegCleaner

Check items that are running in the background. Ask yourself if you really need all that stuff running all the time. Each item that runs in the background uses system resources (RAM). Each time you access a program, or a new IE window, you use system resources, and Windows98 is very poor at letting go of those resources. Thus, when you shut down & restart your PC, everything is usually back to normal.

Here is a program for freeing & defragmenting RAM, thus improving system resources, and lessening the necessity for shutting down & restarting your PC. The only thing I don't like about this program is that when you bring it up, it goes to the system tray first, then you bring the program up from there. Other than that, it's a dandy program: MPower

Hope this little bit helps. -kd5-