Very Strange Icon Resolution Problem

Topic

New Reply

[QPFSBub]

I’ve been dealing with this a long time and have given up. Was hoping someone might be able help.

Very often my Macrium backup image files have very poor resolution and appear blurry. See top row in image.

The only way I can get them back to normal is open FileTypesMan, double click the .mrimg extension, and then close the dialog when it opens. They go back to normal for awhile but always get blurry again.

PLEASE NOTE: I’m using a custom icon but it has been doing this from long before, even with the Macrium native icon. I replaced the native Macrium icon with one that has only one resolution (256 x 256) using Resource Hacker. I did this by replacing the icon in the file Macrium uses as its source for the icon. I also tried changing the setting in FileTypesMan to use a different source directory for my icon but Macrium doesn’t recognize it; it just keeps defaulting to it’s own source file.

• This topic was modified 1 year, 1 month ago by QPFSBub.
• This topic was modified 1 year, 1 month ago by QPFSBub.
• This topic was modified 1 year, 1 month ago by QPFSBub.
• This topic was modified 1 year, 1 month ago by QPFSBub.

Reply | Quote

Replies

QPFSBub wrote:

I also tried changing the setting in FileTypesMan to use a different source directory for my icon but Macrium doesn’t recognize it; it just keeps defaulting to it’s own source file.

You need to replace the DefaultIcon “value” in the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT registry tree so it points to the location of your 256×256 icon.

It should be in one or both of the below locations.

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MacriumReflect\DefaultIcon

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Reflect.mrimg\DefaultIcon

If they still change back to the low res images, then Macrium itself is probably overwriting the registry values when it starts.

The only way to stop that would be to create a script to restore them to your preferred icons and…

1- Set it to run at every Windows start/restart.

2- Set a scheduled task to run it at regular intervals.

Or use Resource Hacker (or Hex Editor XVI32) to find/remove the code in the Macrium program that changes it.

Reply | Quote

n0ads wrote:

QPFSBub wrote:

I also tried changing the setting in FileTypesMan to use a different source directory for my icon but Macrium doesn’t recognize it; it just keeps defaulting to it’s own source file.

You need to replace the DefaultIcon “value” in the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT registry tree so it points to the location of your 256×256 icon.

It should be in one or both of the below locations.

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MacriumReflect\DefaultIcon

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Reflect.mrimg\DefaultIcon

If they still change back to the low res images, then Macrium itself is probably overwriting the registry values when it starts.

The only way to stop that would be to create a script to restore them to your preferred icons and…

1- Set it to run at every Windows start/restart.

2- Set a scheduled task to run it at regular intervals.

Or use Resource Hacker (or Hex Editor XVI32) to find/remove the code in the Macrium program that changes it.

That’s basically what I did with FileTypesMan. I modified the default icon location so it pointed to my custom icon (on the desktop). This also changes the registry. But Macrium changes it back to its own file when I reboot.

I’m not advance enough to be able to modify Macrium’s code with Resource Hacker so probably better to leave it alone.

I just don’t get why the icon appears normal for awhile then goes blurry. It’s the same icon. I only modified one Macrium file with the custom icon so it seems like it should appear the same all the time. Strange.

Reply | Quote

The problem is FileTypesMan uses the older Win7/Vista method of changing file icons which doesn’t always change all the DefaultIcon locations in the registry so, when you reboot, the icon reverts to its old style… BTDT.

That’s why started manually editing the DefaultIcon settings in the registry for all my “personalized icons” and they longer changed after a reboot.

BTW, the DefaultIcon values are located in the following two registry trees

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\file extension default value

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\file extension default value

It’s also possible you may need to clear the icon cache to force Windows to recreate all the icons from scratch.

Reply | Quote

I made post yesterday that should’ve been the fifth post in this thread but it seems to have disappeared. But I feel like we’re getting off track of the real issue; so let me see if I can simplify.

No matter what I change in the registry, Macrium always reverts to its own default icon which is located in RShellEx.dll in Program Files\Macrium\Reflect. This is the file I modified with my pink icon. Macrium never uses any other icon for .mrimg files. However, sometimes it displays correctly, other times it’s blurry. So, the question is: Why would the same icon, in the same file, sometimes show correctly and then become blurry? Especially since it only has one resolution (256 x 256).

I found another post about this on another forum but the only reply was nearly incomprehensible and the OP never said if the issue was resolved. My point is, I’m not the only one this has happened to.

Reply | Quote

I’ve encountered the same problem and believe it may be the fault of Resource Hacker. When I created 256×256 icons, all seemed good. But a few days later, like you, icons would appear blurred (48×48 being upscaled to 256×256).

There’s something strange going on when Resource Hacker saves what you think is 256×256. It’s sort of like the canvas and document(image) don’t match. I ended up using a different tool, but can’t remember which one it was (seizures have been affecting my memory).

Try this portable app from the developer of “Clear Disk Info”:

Quick Any2Ico

I think this is the app I used to solve the problem. My icons no longer morph. I’ll look through my notes to see if I documented what I did.

Reply | Quote

Carl wrote:

I’ve encountered the same problem and believe it may be the fault of Resource Hacker. When I created 256×256 icons, all seemed good. But a few days later, like you, icons would appear blurred (48×48 being upscaled to 256×256).

There’s something strange going on when Resource Hacker saves what you think is 256×256. It’s sort of like the canvas and document(image) don’t match. I ended up using a different tool, but can’t remember which one it was (seizures have been affecting my memory).

Try this portable app from the developer of “Clear Disk Info”:

Quick Any2Ico

I think this is the app I used to solve the problem. My icons no longer morph. I’ll look through my notes to see if I documented what I did.

Thanks for this info. The only thing is, as I said in my original post, it was happening with Macrium’s default icon long before I modified anything with Resource Hacker. My conclusion is it has something to do with FileTypesMan, the RShellEx.dll file, and Explorer. As I mentioned previously, when I double-click the .mrimg extension in FileTypesMan, and then close the dialog when it opens, the icon go back to normal.

Reply | Quote

n0ads wrote:

QPFSBub wrote:

I also tried changing the setting in FileTypesMan to use a different source directory for my icon but Macrium doesn’t recognize it; it just keeps defaulting to it’s own source file.

You need to replace the DefaultIcon “value” in the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT registry tree so it points to the location of your 256×256 icon.

It should be in one or both of the below locations.

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MacriumReflect\DefaultIcon

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Reflect.mrimg\DefaultIcon

If they still change back to the low res images, then Macrium itself is probably overwriting the registry values when it starts.

The only way to stop that would be to create a script to restore them to your preferred icons and…

1- Set it to run at every Windows start/restart.

2- Set a scheduled task to run it at regular intervals.

Or use Resource Hacker (or Hex Editor XVI32) to find/remove the code in the Macrium program that changes it.

Okay, think I hit pay dirt. I changed the default icon here, and pointed it to my custom icons folder.

Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Reflect.mrimg\DefaultIcon

Then I did something I didn’t do before. There was another entry:

EZShellExtensionsOld=C:\\WINDOWS\\Installer\\{A302C59F-C733-4DA0-9611-1286A9051D15}\\mrimgico,0

I deleted that and now my icon location is sticking. I think that entry must’ve been what was causing Macrium to go back to it’s default icon location.

Made a backup, rebooted a couple of times and so far so good. Hopefully that will clear up the resolution problem. I’ll give it some time and report back if it seems to be permanently fixed.

Reply | Quote

I give up. As soon as I replaced the RShellEx.dll file with the original one having the default Macrium icon it went right back to using that icon. There’s something in Reflect.exe itself or in another file telling it what to do independent of the registry. My guess is Explorer has trouble handling RShellEx.dll for some reason but I really have no clue, so I’m giving up. Thanks to all who offered help; I appreciate it.

Reply | Quote

I just checked my registry entries for Macrium and they’re similar to what you found. Do you see this:

“HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Reflect.mrimg\DefaultIcon” where “(Default)” is “%1”?

This replaceable parameter is maybe being fed the file name of the icon, or resource, to use depending upon what you are doing in Reflect (backup, restore, image, etc). For example (sudo):

backup.exe myicon.ico

where “myicon.ico” becomes the default icon (%1) at runtime. Maybe or another dead end?

Nope. Dead end. I just read this in a Macrium Reflect KB:

“Unlike earlier versions of Macrium Reflect, application icons are now vector fonts rather than bitmap images. This enables crisper display on all screen resolutions as the icons are drawn rather than painted pixel by pixel.”

I was thinking of injecting your icon, but I assume the statement above rules that possibility out. Sorry.

Reply | Quote

Carl wrote:

I just checked my registry entries for Macrium and they’re similar to what you found. Do you see this:

“HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Reflect.mrimg\DefaultIcon” where “(Default)” is “%1”?

This replaceable parameter is maybe being fed the file name of the icon, or resource, to use depending upon what you are doing in Reflect (backup, restore, image, etc). For example (sudo):

backup.exe myicon.ico

where “myicon.ico” becomes the default icon (%1) at runtime. Maybe or another dead end?

Nope. Dead end. I just read this in a Macrium Reflect KB:

“Unlike earlier versions of Macrium Reflect, application icons are now vector fonts rather than bitmap images. This enables crisper display on all screen resolutions as the icons are drawn rather than painted pixel by pixel.”

I was thinking of injecting your icon, but I assume the statement above rules that possibility out. Sorry.

The reg file that Macrium suggests to download and run in the link you provided has “FontBlocking” misspelled; they spelled it “FontBocking.” I didn’t run it, but I say this as a warning to anyone in the future who might be thinking about it.

Reply | Quote