Pls Help with blank icons after uninstall

[sooz]

I had upgraded to paintshop pro x6 and figured I didn't need to keep my copy of x2 installed but after I uninstalled the older one I lost most of my desktop application icons, specifically all the gaming ones for some reason. I tried making PSPx6 the default for displaying the icons but that didn't work. I have tried everything since yesterday and I am at my wit's end. Today, out of desperation I reinstalled x2 hoping that would bring back my icons but no. I have hunted all over the internet typing in every variation I could find to get some answers and nothing works. Most of those programs would need to be completely reinstalled with the icon blank, I hope I don't have to do that. Has anyone else ever had this problem and is there an answer? At this point I cant get PSP2 to show up when I open the option to set certain programs as the default file association. Also, it wants to upgrade to Ultimate which I think I had before but I don't know whether I should do that. The program itself seems fine but I had to start it by holding shift and pressing on the icon to reset it to default but it still hasn't gone back to displaying my other icons.
My brain is a little cooked from two days of trying to sort this mess out.
Can anyone help please?

[Ken Berry]

Welcome to the forums!

However, I can't for the life of me understand why uninstalling one program should make icons of completely unrelated programs blank. When you click on the blank icons, do those programs start?

If so, then right click on the icon, and select Properties down at the bottom of the drop down menu which appears. On the Shortcut tab which appears by default, you will see down towards the bottom a 'Change Icon' button. Click that. Does the original icon show there? If so, simply click on it to select it, then click the OK button to close that window and another OK to click out of the Shortcut tab. (You may need to accept that you need Admin privileges to do this.)

If that works, try it with all the other blank icons.

[sooz]

Hi thank you for responding. No those programs do not start and clicking on the change icon only shows me windows icons, several but no original icon. Believe I am just as baffled as you are and strangely it is only my gaming icons. This happened once before when I uninstalled PSP x2. I just don't understand it and cannot seem to fix it. Last time, reinstalling the software put my icons back. I have even tried setting my PSPx6 as the default for opening any that it can but that didn't solve this. I am just at my wits end with this issue. I have no idea what to try next.

[Kathy_9]

Have you tried a system restore to a date/time prior to the disappearing icons?

[JoeB]

Like everyone else I have no idea what's up with your system when uninstalling a program would remove the image on your gaming application icons and leave blank icons in their place. However, it's not fatal because icons are just shortcuts to the applications. Right click a blank space on your desktop and select New>Shortcut from the context menu, browse to a gaming application, select the executable and click OK and Windows will place the correct icon for that application on your desktop.

[sooz]

Good afternoon all, and thank you for responding to my strange dilemma.
Kathy, yes I did try a system restore which would have fixed everything and not only did it fail, it told me that due to the failure it had deleted all my restore points. I was not happy. Dang computer has developed an attitude and a personality disorder.
Joe, I am going to try your idea, that is one thing I haven't tried yet. thank you, will let you know how it goes.

update. I tried rightclicking and creating new shortcuts but all of my .exe buttons are also the lovely windows default icon, the white box with the green thing, looks like a monitor. I read that I can force windows to delete the icons cache which apparently in windows 8.1 is hidden in the explorer file but I cant get the command prompt to recognize the path. (bangs head slowly on desk) At this point it just seems like it started with psp and has cascaded. I am thinking this is just a system issue of some sort and I may need to re install windows over the Canada Day long weekend. That is unfortunate but, I have lost a week trying to straighten this out. Enough already? thank you very much for trying to help and if anyone else has any more suggestion I'm open to them. Have a good evening everyone.