IE8 Favorites Icons all missing and not working

[JayJay]

Ran into a strange problem that appears once in a great while and I have never found a fix for it ...

Windows XP Home

Internet explorer 8

After finding an infection using Combofix to clean up, everything works perfect EXCEPT the Favorites portion of Internet Explorer. When I go to the Favorites in IE, the 'normal' Blue E icons are all missing ... not just Favicons, but ALL IE URL icons. Of course, the link does not work either ... you click on one and nothing.

I cannot seem to figure out how to fix this. I've done a complete IE reset, no difference.

Does anyone know how to fix this short of a complete reinstall of Windows?

Thank you.

[daledoc1]

Hello and welcome, JayJay:

As these issues started with what you describe as an infection, please follow the recommendations in this pinned topic: Available Assistance For Possibly Infected Computers.

A qualified helper will guide you through the cleanup process.

>>If the computer is so crippled by the infection that you cannot run the requested preliminary tools, then please just start a new topic OR helpdesk ticket anyway, explaining the situation.

In the interim, it would be best NOT to run on your own any more of the powerful malware removal tools, such as Combofix.

Doing so without expert help can cause serious system damage, making it harder to recover your system.

Thanks,

daledoc1

[exile360]

It's likely that the infection you had altered/broke the shortcuts in your favorites. You may need to remove all of then and re-create them by visiting those pages again and adding them to your favorites. I have heard of infections that do this so that all of your favorites redirect to a malicious page (something which the tools your helper had you run fixed, but unfortunately I don't think there's any way for it to restore them back to what they were before they were altered to go to the malicious page).