Some of the icons on my desktop are generic Internet Explorer pictures but
others are specific to the location they represent. These seem to be only
shortcuts. For example, Chase bank is custom, but Cingular is generic.
Where do these come from, and why do they vary?

The author of the web page can use a favicon.ico if so desired.
Some do, some don't.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Favicon

....Alan
--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP Windows - Internet Explorer
http://dts-l.com/index.htm



On Fri, 11 Apr 2008 19:02:54 -0500, in
microsoft.public.windowsxp.general, "Paul H"
<NoSpamphobergNoSpam@att.net> wrote:

>Some of the icons on my desktop are generic Internet Explorer pictures but
>others are specific to the location they represent. These seem to be only
>shortcuts. For example, Chase bank is custom, but Cingular is generic.
>Where do these come from, and why do they vary?
>

On Apr 11, 8:02*pm, "Paul H" <NoSpamphobergNoS...@att.net> wrote:
> Some of the icons on my desktop are generic Internet Explorer pictures but
> others are specific to the location they represent. *These seem to be only
> shortcuts. *For example, Chase bank is custom, but Cingular is generic.
> Where do these come from, and why do they vary?

Hello Paul,

If the site has a unique favicon:

To restore favorites icons, that go missing.

Any available icon is actually already within the url file.
Open Notepad.
Right-click the Favorite shortcut and drag it into the open Notepad
window. You get something like this:

[InternetShortcut]
URL=http://www.printfil.com/english.htm?gclid=CIaE096j1JICFQezsgod8yt9-
Q
IconFile=http://www.printfil.com/favicon.ico
IconIndex=1

Look for an IconFile line that ends in xxxx.ico as in IconFile=http://
mysite.com/favicon.ico
Copy the web address part (http://mysite.com/favicon.ico) into the
address bar of your browser and press Enter.
Close your browser and re-open it.\
Check that the Favorite has the new icon.

Alternatively, you could paste the favicon link (as in http://mysite.com/favicon.ico)
into the address bar and right-click on the favicon in the
web page if it's there and save it in folder for such icons. Then
right-click on the Favorite and in Properties Change Icon to the
downloaded saved icon.
The favicon can also be located in your Temporary Internet Files and
copied and renamed from there to a folder for these icons.