I use a Dell XPS 1330 with Windows Vista Ultimate OS installed. Seeing the same Aero theme bored me and in the process of using configuring to use different themes, installed programs that are not supported for patching Vista styles like Style XP, Starkdock Theme Manager with XP styles.
Even thought, it gave me an error saying this is not supported on Vista, I forced it to apply the theme and it messed up the all the icons for files and folders. They all look like the screenshot here. All the below attempts to repair the icons didn’t work.
- I have uninstall Style XP etc to repair the icons.
- Tried Vista Repair Options through DVD.
- Tried to restore system files using sfc /scannow
- There is no proper System Restore point.
Solution : Enter ‘regedit’ in Search box and Open Registry Editor; Navigate and delete the entry HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Explorer\Shell Icons
Exit Registry Editor, Logoff and login to see the icons restored. The software uninstaller blanks out the values, rather than deleting them.