icon changes to genric in start menu [Archive]

fireflyrsmr

11-12-2002, 11:44 PM

i have been having trouble with a couple of programs (always the same ones) where the shortcut icons that came with the progams change to that generic rectangle window thing. if i go in and remove and reload in the startup folder they come back. it's an ipaq 3670 with about 30 megs of free space so i can't imagine a memory problem (as in running out). it's a very small aggravation but i thought i'd ask. the two programs are personal health & diet manager 2.0 and handbase 3.0. :?

Unreal32

11-13-2002, 12:13 AM

Do you have them on removable media, like storage cards? If so, that could be why.

fireflyrsmr

11-13-2002, 01:22 AM

nope - the icon is under my device\windows\start menu. it seems that any change to the contents of the start menu folder jolts the icon back to working. funny these computers.

Steven Cedrone

11-13-2002, 01:43 AM

nope - the icon is under my device\windows\start menu. it seems that any change to the contents of the start menu folder jolts the icon back to working. funny these computers.

Not the icon, the program itself. Did you load the executable on a storage card?

Steve

fireflyrsmr

11-13-2002, 02:12 AM

yes. :roll: i assume that is a problem of some kind since you guys are asking. can i do anything about it. i try and keep as much free space in the machine as possible. i assume that is good practice - yes? if so then i'll just live with it. can you explain why it happens though - just for education sake?

thanks - interchanges like this cause me to love the web and this site in particular.

Pony99CA

11-13-2002, 03:40 AM

yes. :roll: i assume that is a problem of some kind since you guys are asking. can i do anything about it. i try and keep as much free space in the machine as possible. i assume that is good practice - yes? if so then i'll just live with it. can you explain why it happens though - just for education sake?

I think it's a known bug. I tried to get around it by creating a shortcut to a file on my storage card in \ProgramFiles on my iPAQ 3870, then creating a shortcut in the Start Menu that pointed to that shortcut. It didn't work. :-(

As for why it happens, I have two guesses, one software, one hardware. The software version would indicate that the operating system doesn't check removable media for icons when booting up, but does when you change the Start Menu. The hardware version would indicate that the removable media takes longer to "warm up" than main memory, and the process that sets up start menu icons is run before the removable memory is ready.

Steve

BobWitt

11-13-2002, 03:41 AM

What I have found is that after a warm boot the Icons are "generic" - likely due to the time required to activate the storage card is too long, or occurs later in the boot process (after the start menu is loaded)...

Then opening "Start | Settings | Menus" checking and unchecking the "problem" application, then pressing "OK" restores these Icons until the next warm boot...

I'm "driving" a HP J568...

Bob

fireflyrsmr

11-13-2002, 04:06 AM

thanks BobWitt. i'll give that a shot next time the generic shows up.

Rirath

11-13-2002, 04:43 AM

I'll try that as well, it sounds like it just might work. I've noticed the problem several times before. The Jornada 525's RAM is just about non existant and 95% of my programs are on a CF card. It's certainly a small issue, but I dislike bugs I can't kill.

Pony99CA

11-13-2002, 02:56 PM

What I have found is that after a warm boot the Icons are "generic" - likely due to the time required to activate the storage card is too long, or occurs later in the boot process (after the start menu is loaded)...

Then opening "Start | Settings | Menus" checking and unchecking the "problem" application, then pressing "OK" restores these Icons until the next warm boot...

There's one potential problem with that on Pocket PC 2002 devices. If you have nine or more program icons in your Start Menu, the Menus applet won't allow you to check another one.

In that case, you have no choice but to go to the \Windows\Start Menu directory. I cut a shortcut from Start Menu, paste it in Programs, then cut it from Programs and paste it back in the Start Menu. Renaming a shortuct and renaming it back might be even simpler.

I know why they limit the number of programs in the Start Menu to nine (to ensure the Programs, Settings, Find and Help items display without scrolling), but given that most installers don't respect that limit, and that you can work around it as described above, I think this is a silly restriction. Pocket PC 2000 didn't have it.

Steve