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XP Service Pack 3 fails to fix the problem of “Mystery Internet Explorer Icons”: These icons are being over-laid on all CD/DVD explorer views after Internet Explorer 7 is installed. Yes we can rebuild the icon caches only to have it over-flow repeatedly. Microsoft knows that the problem only happens when you select anything other than the smallest icons for your desktop. Microsoft know the easiest an most reliable way to cure it is change the desktop icon size in “Display Properties/Appearance/Effects” back to small. Microsoft knows that if you re-apply large icons then all is fine for a while. Why is there no hot fix available? I have to assume that they “Microsoft” are themselves baffled! Has anyone created a fix ; Perhaps similar to the “ToolTip Fixer” that corrects those hidden messages that are obscured by the system-tray (Sorry Notification Area)?

Recent Discovery (20 min before this update): I have just done a test and found that when I turn off system restore my \windows\winsxs folder Doubles in size to more than 6GB. Windows seems to have move all the uninstall manifests to the winsxs folder. Should I create a restore point and let disk cleanup remove all restore points except last (mine)? I will try this next. I have: I turned off System Restore ran the option to delete system restore points & shadow copies and my winsxs folder returned to about 3GB in size. I am still wondering whats going on! ************************* Hi all, This is my first post and I would very interested in any comments. Preamble: Previous versions of Window (XP, 2000) after hofixes were installed they where downloaded to “%systemRoot%\SoftwareDistribution\Download folder” and the backup file stored as hidden folders $un* in the %systemRoot% directory. When my system is working properly I would normally delete all uninstall folders. I Use “dial-a-Fix” to empty my download folder above (I keep a copy of all folders and replace them in other installations before starting windows update). I then use CCleaner to selecting only the “installer” option to remove all references to uninstallers from “Add Remove Programs”. i.e. it removes the long list of updates. I don’t use /n or /nobackup option when manually installing hotfixes ; you can’t remove them from the “Add Remove Programs” updates list if you do (remove will be missing). Similarly I always modify the “svcpack.inf” if I have integrated (slipstreamed) any hotfixes by taking out “/n” switch so updates can be removed from the “Add Remove Programs” list. (It will important for System restore to be turned off or it will back up the files that you have deleted and your partition size will grow and not shrink) I am one of those people who hates list with unneeded items and yes, I always make sure my system drive is “C” for what-ever partition I boot from. My Question: I am still new to Vista. I can empty the “downloads folder”. 1) Where are the uninstall files stored? 2) Are there any pitfalls in deleting them? It has taken me a long to get to the question but any feedback will be of interest. Thanks