Office Icons are all missing/replaced by generic white icons

Anonymous
2010-08-03T08:01:12+00:00

For some reason all my office products (word, excel, outlook, access etc.) icons in the start menu and desktop task bar have all been replaced by the generic white icons.

I am unable to uninstall or repair this. I believe (from what I've read on the internet) that it is connected to the "C:\windows\installer" folder and the Office installer files.

Can this problem be solved without having to re-install windows ( as that is the only way I think its possible to be albe to reset the office suite).

Cheers,

Jurgens

Microsoft 365 and Office | Install, redeem, activate | For home | Windows

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Anonymous
2011-09-24T16:39:18+00:00

I had the same issue as everyone here and I think I've FINALLY figured out a solution!

Go to c:/Program Files/Microsoft Office/Office 14

Right click on each program icon individually and unpin from BOTH your Taskbar and/or Start Menu. (e.g. EXCEL.EXE, MSACCESS.EXE, MSPUB.EXE, OUTLOOK.EXE, POWERPNT.EXE, WINWORD.EXE, etc.)

Then right click and select  "Pin to Start Menu" (not to Taskbar).

Do this for each program you want to eventually make it onto your Taskbar.

Now go to Start and then for each program (that should now show in start menu with the actual Microsoft Office icon), right click and select "Pin to Taskbar".

You can then Remove each one from the Start Menu if you wish by right clicking again and selecting "Remove from this List".

Your icons should now be back to their original format.

I've rebooted my system several times so far and the icons have remained.

Hopefully this will work for everyone else as well!

Good Luck!!!

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  1. Anonymous
    2011-09-27T05:01:54+00:00

    I've got the Office 14 thing open and I'm at a loss.... I don't see EXCEL.EXE  or POWERPNT.EXE.. etc.

    There's:

    AUTHZAX.DLL

    BCSLaunch.dll

    Custom.propdesc

    IEAWSDC.DLL

    ...and so on.

    I feel so computer dumb. BUt this is driving me crazy not having the appropriate icons.

    ***.....5 minutes later***

    Nevermind! i went back to Gateway (C:) and went into Program Files (x86) and they were in that one.  Unpinning and repinning them totally worked! Thank you so much JDCarter2000!

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  2. Anonymous
    2011-09-30T14:09:43+00:00

    Thanks, this works for the icon on taskbar & startmenu.

    But browsing files in explorer will not show proper icons. I will try to find way to uninstall and reinstall office.

    Icons disappear when {GUID} folders are deleted from C:\Windows\Installer. CCleaner apparently will do this, though I don't use CCleaner and I'm experiencing the problem.  I do, however, use Revo Uninstaller, and I am wondering if it is the culprit.

    The problem is discussed here .  Read WindowsStar's response, and follow his link.

    This is the exact problem, because I accidentally delete C:\Windows\Installer myself to save space in drive C thinking it store installation files that I don't need anymore.

    I tried hours to uninstall & reinstall but no luck. Last resort to system image restore

    I upload the Subfolder that belongs to Office 2010 32bit here, if someone want to test if it works:

    C:\Windows\Installer{91140000-0011-0000-0000-0000000FF1CE}

    {91140000-0011-0000-0000-0000000FF1CE}.zip

    I figured this out using free“**FileTypesMan v1.61”**suggested by WindowsStar inhttp://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/51078-microsoft-icons.html#post474320

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  3. Anonymous
    2011-12-17T21:32:53+00:00

    thank you. big help! worked quickly and easily.

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  4. Anonymous
    2011-12-18T01:32:07+00:00

    What office 14 "thing" do you have open?

    I'm guessing you proably have a "Click-2-Run" installation. Either you are talking about Office 2010 Starter, or you bought an online download and MS "snuck" it to your without notice. 

    Can you run any of the Office apps?

    Am I running Click 2 Run?

    The quickest way to verify you have a CTR installation is go into Windows Explorer and look for an unexplained Q:\ (or R:) drive.

    Another method of checking: Go to help panel of any working app: File tab / Help command and look at the Right side of the Backstage panel. It should say "Product Activated" for MSI install or "Click-to-Run Product Updates".

    If you installed Office 2010 using Click to Run technology, there are no Office files on the C drive, but on a virtual Q drive. "Microsoft Office Client Virtualization Handler" will appear in the list of programs. Associate the Office files with that

    Also see http://www.officeforlawyers.com/outlook/tips/2010beta.html for tips about uninstalling Click-to-run version.

    CTR Introduction (Identify CTR installation) - https://office.microsoft.com/en-ca/excel-help/click-to-run-introduction-HA101850493.aspx?CTT=3

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