Broken desktop icons after Steam redownload

[Nevander]

So I deleted everything except Steam.exe, SteamApps, and userdata to redownload all the Steam files, and now every game shortcut on my desktop is a piece of paper and or a broken icon image. I assume it has something to do with the Steam files being deleted and recreated and the icons aren't smart enough to keep them there.

Seems like this would be a common problem. What's the fix?

[Harold]

The shortcuts are usually changed to this iicon because the directory of the game/program has changed or moved.

Using Windows: if you go to your steam libary and you move the SteamApps folder and the Steam.dll file (which should be found in the same place as the Steamapps folder) to an alternative location, tempoary. Then uninstall and re-install steam,

Using Steam: Go into your steam settings and setup a new game library location to wherever you wish. I recommend making it in the same place as before (see below as to why)

Using Windows: Go to the newly created libary that you made with Steam and delete the SteamApps folder and Steam.dll and place the one you moved in originally with all of your downloaded library in its place. Fully exit steam and start it again and you will find your games are installed (you will have to validate integrity again)

As for the shortcuts, the only way to do this is either to re-create them manually via Windows explorer or make sure your set the libary path (2nd step) to the same general location of the shortcuts.

When i say general location, if you right click on any game shortcut and click properties you will see the path it relates to, make sure the libary path is the same up until the Steamapps location, as every game has it's own folder. For example: if the shortcut loation says it relates to D;\Games\Steam\Steamapps\'Game Here'\bin\Game.exe make sure your steam libary location is D:\Games\Steam\

I hope this is not confusing, feel free to ask if it is as it is easier done than said!

As for games saves, repeat the same process for there folders, it is harder to explain as all games use different locations, the concept still applies though

[Nevander]

The thing is, the directories of all my games didn't move. Only the Steam files were deleted and re-downloaded. Why did it forget all the icons? It makes no sense.

[Nevander]

Ok Steam forget you... just going to make direct shortcuts to the EXEs from now on. Apparently the internet shortcut method Steam does by default is now broken. Nice program.

[Nevander]

Sorry to bump this again but I've tried a ton of different things and nothing seems to work. I've tried:

- Recreating the shortcuts
- copy and pasting icons into Steam\steam\games and changing the name of the exe/icon to the right appid
- deleting the iconcache and remaking it
- changing the shortcut icon to the game's exe, the shortcut just reverts to the paper icon on its own

Only thing I haven't tried is an actual real reinstall of Steam or a reinstall of a game. There something about the Steam\steam\games folder that I noticed... before I deleted the Steam files to re-download them all, a ton of game EXEs and icons where in there and now there's only a few and for games I don't even own. I have a hunch the correct icons get downloaded when a new game does, so maybe re-downloading a game is the only way to automatically fix it, but I have no idea.

My Steam game icons are also missing in control panel too.

[zaraneth6]

If you could try to recover your icon files (.ico) using an undeleter program.

Then all you would have to do is copy and paste them to the steam\steam\games\ folder in your "Program Files/Program Files (x86)" folder which ever is the correct one for your OS and restart.

Note: Games folder containing the icons must be in the original location that steam was installed in to start with or it will not work.

[Nevander]

I had found how to fix it: re-download each game or verify the game cache. The icon will be restored to both the desktop and Programs and Features.

[sadadasd]

oe callate oe

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

I realize this is nearly a year later, but I had the same problem and found a solution. It's really quite simple--delete the shortcut, then go into the game's properties in steam and tell it to make a new shortcut. The new shortcut will have the proper icon.

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

Actually I was wrong. First you must "verify the integrity of the local files" then you can delete and recreate the shortcut. Bit of a trouble for one icon.

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

One more thing. Deleting the origianal shortcut isn't necessary. And I think that's as much as I can do no this subject. Hope that helps the next person out there.

EDIT: I lied. One more thing. It is not necessary to complete the file check, since it seems like the icon is the first thing it checks. Star the file verification, while that is going on, click the make a shortcut button and as soon as the icon is fixed you can cancel the file verification. Cuts the process down to seconds for each game.

[Major Issue]

Wow, thanks! This actually works.

Originally posted by catwhowalksbyhimself:

...
EDIT: I lied. One more thing. It is not necessary to complete the file check, since it seems like the icon is the first thing it checks. Star the file verification, while that is going on, click the make a shortcut button and as soon as the icon is fixed you can cancel the file verification. Cuts the process down to seconds for each game.