Hi, everyone,
Details: Toshiba L855 Laptop with Intel i7. Windows 8.
I've had the computer (came with 8) for five months. No problems. On June 25th, after normal activities (minor video editing, transfer text file to Kindle, checking e-mail) the following happened simultaneously:
The Control Panel opens but all of the icons are missing. It was set to "small icons." It is like the normal Control Panel window but empty.
In the My Documents, Libraries (File Explorer), and any similar window used to view files, the icons for drives, documents, music, videos, etc.. are gone in the left column. Only "magnifying glass" animations are over the Libraries folder and a favorites "star" icon as if searching for the missing items. Other icons, such as drives, are gone.
(Pictures at bottom)
The list of items is available in the main pane, but for example, you can't change the icon type (details, small, large).
Here is the first kicker: If you restart, it comes back correctly. Eventually, however, and I can't seem to find the "reason," the above mentioned problems happen again (simultaneously: Control Panel Empty-Problems within the windows as noted above).
I did a system restore to five days before this happened. It recurred.
The big kicker: I refreshed the PC (reinstallation saving personal files and some settings). It recurred the same way even after the Windows 8 Refresh (which takes about 30 min.).
I did not download or reinstall anything at this point. I thought I took the easy way out, but...
Otherwise, not checking "everything," the PC operates "normally" while this is happening. For example, I've checked e-mail, used the browsers, and opened Notepad.
I'm puzzled, especially after the "refresh." Any help will be appreciated.
-Added: Another wrinkle: The above problems returned to "normal" without a restart. Reason unknown. Then went back to being empty/missing.
Also, I ran ScanDisk--ok.
And I created some shortcuts to "Control Panel" items (System, Updates, Recovery) while the icons were normally visible in the CP. Those shortcuts will open the window for each of the items noted as normal, even with the CP window empty. :huh:
And I've noticed some files do not have previews, just generic icons, as opposed to before this situation.
See pictures below: empty control panel and missing icons for libraries and drives.
Details: Toshiba L855 Laptop with Intel i7. Windows 8.
I've had the computer (came with 8) for five months. No problems. On June 25th, after normal activities (minor video editing, transfer text file to Kindle, checking e-mail) the following happened simultaneously:
The Control Panel opens but all of the icons are missing. It was set to "small icons." It is like the normal Control Panel window but empty.
In the My Documents, Libraries (File Explorer), and any similar window used to view files, the icons for drives, documents, music, videos, etc.. are gone in the left column. Only "magnifying glass" animations are over the Libraries folder and a favorites "star" icon as if searching for the missing items. Other icons, such as drives, are gone.
(Pictures at bottom)
The list of items is available in the main pane, but for example, you can't change the icon type (details, small, large).
Here is the first kicker: If you restart, it comes back correctly. Eventually, however, and I can't seem to find the "reason," the above mentioned problems happen again (simultaneously: Control Panel Empty-Problems within the windows as noted above).
I did a system restore to five days before this happened. It recurred.
The big kicker: I refreshed the PC (reinstallation saving personal files and some settings). It recurred the same way even after the Windows 8 Refresh (which takes about 30 min.).
I did not download or reinstall anything at this point. I thought I took the easy way out, but...
Otherwise, not checking "everything," the PC operates "normally" while this is happening. For example, I've checked e-mail, used the browsers, and opened Notepad.
I'm puzzled, especially after the "refresh." Any help will be appreciated.
-Added: Another wrinkle: The above problems returned to "normal" without a restart. Reason unknown. Then went back to being empty/missing.
Also, I ran ScanDisk--ok.
And I created some shortcuts to "Control Panel" items (System, Updates, Recovery) while the icons were normally visible in the CP. Those shortcuts will open the window for each of the items noted as normal, even with the CP window empty. :huh:
And I've noticed some files do not have previews, just generic icons, as opposed to before this situation.
See pictures below: empty control panel and missing icons for libraries and drives.
Attachments
Last edited:
My Computer
System One
-
- OS
- Windows 8
- Computer type
- Laptop
- System Manufacturer/Model
- Toshiba Satellite L855
- CPU
- Intel Core i7
- Memory
- 6Gb
- Antivirus
- Windows Defender