I have a Compaq pres., which uses windows ME, and all my desk top icons have turned into black squares. Help?

Answer 1

The icon cache is probably damaged (may be from insufficient virtual memory allocation or registry errors). You need to rebuild it!
You could try this:
http://www.gold-software.com/RefreshEm-review13707.htm

Answer 2

You know I had that happen to me once. It's the "shellcacheicon" file. Basically you delete it and reboot and it refreshes itself.

Found this in Help & Support for you. I would assume that ME will work as 98. Here are the instructions: Make sure to BOOT TO SAFE MODE like it says.

Windows 98
1. Restart Windows in Safe mode. To do so, restart your computer, press and hold down the CTRL key after your computer completes the Power On Self Test (POST), and then choose Safe Mode from the Startup menu. For more information about Windows 98 startup, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
ARTICLE-ID: 178548 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/178548/EN-US/)
TITLE : No "Starting Windows 98" Message at Startup
2. Use Windows Explorer to remove the ShellIconCache file from the Windows folder.

NOTE: You need to be able to view hidden files to see the ShellIconCache file. To view hidden files in Windows 98, click Folder Options on the View menu in Windows Explorer, click the View tab, click Show All Files, and then click OK.
3. Restart your computer

Answer 3

.
Windows ME is DOS based, just as is 98, and 95.
It hates graphics, and wants to kill them. It wants to go back to being DOS.
...and sooner or later it will revolt totally and commit suicide.

Shut down and Restart.

Your only option here, since it's end time is nearing, is to only run ONE program at a time, particularly memory hoggy programs like WORD, Power Point, Photo *(any), Excel, and EMAILs....
Maybe even install more memory.

But I forwarn you, that you need to upgrade to W2K or WXP if you want the pleasure of not crashing, or getting blue screens, or finally a FATAL SCREEN OF DEATH.

Back up all your "stuff" on CD now, or any other external storage.

stw

Answer 4

Mine is doing that, it the vista taking part in up. What i do is to coach off the computing device and then restart it returned, and it would come back to wide-spread. Does yours additionally look to crash better than ordinary?