Folder Icons not showing up in my taskbar ;_;

If it was a damaged dll file I would think System Restore would have fixed it.

Give System Files Checker a try then, see if it helps.

For Vista and Windows 7 only:

• Click on Start, type command prompt.
• Right click on Command Prompt at the top of the window and select Run as Administrator.

For XP only:

• Click on Start, All Programs, Accessories.
• Click on Command Prompt

For XP, Vista and Windows 7:

• In the Command Prompt Window, type (or copy and paste) sfc /scannow and press Enter.

Vista and Windows 7 tell you if there were and problems, XP does not. You can examine the SFC results as follows:

Open a Command Prompt (does not have to be as Administrator):

• Type (or copy and paste) findstr /c:"[SR]" %windir%\logs\cbs\cbs.log >sfcdetails.txt and press Enter.
• Type (or copy and paste) notepad sfcdetails.txt and press Enter.

I ran the scan you said, and after it was complete, i got this message:

"Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them
Details are included in the cbs.log windir/logs/cbs/cbs.log for example
The system will reapir changes will take after the next reboot"

I tried to open the cbs log text document, but I got an "access denied" prompt, so then I restarted my computer, and now my custom theme is gone - I'm guessing it unpatched some files.

Sorry, I had not thought about the consequences of a customized theme as I have never used one. SFC most surely replaced patched files with a known good copy. Is the problem resolved?

Sorry, I had not thought about the consequences of a customized theme as I have never used one. SFC most surely replaced patched files with a known good copy.

Is the problem resolved?

That's not a problem at all. I can easily patch some other time - and no, it didn't fix it, sadly.

I'm out of ideas. The only thing I can think of now is to try a Repair Install if you have the Win 7 install DVD.

How to Do a Repair Install to Fix Windows 7

One of the other Techs here suggested giving this a try: Windows Repair (All In One)

This is what the web site says it can help with:

Tweaking.com - Windows Repair can do the following:

Reset Registry Permissions
Reset File Permissions
Register System Files
Repair WMI
Repair Windows Firewall
Repair Internet Explorer
Repair MDAC & MS Jet
Repair Hosts File
Remove Policies Set By Infections
Repair Icons <====================
Repair Winsock & DNS Cache
Remove Temp Files
Repair Proxy Settings
Unhide Non System Files
Repair Windows Updates
Repair CD/DVD Missing/Not Working
and more…

Comes in a portable and installer version. Try the portable version, no installation required.

Pain to find but I got it here: Tweaking.com - Windows Repair Portable 1.4.3

I tried using the app in your second post, but sadly it didn't work. I think i'm going to try and do the win 7 install disk repair, but i'm not sure about something.
It says on the link you provided

"You cannot use a OEM Windows 7 "Factory" Restore/Recovery type of installation disc that came with or created from a store bought computer to do a repair install with. These can only be used do a clean install instead."

and i think this applies to me because I don't really have a win7 install disk. i believe my OS was already installed, and i had to create some restore disks.

Is there some place I can download a windows 7 installation disk? I mean, if I have a product key, can't i just download it somewhere?

Make sure you data is backed up before doing anything else. If you use the Restore discs you created you will loose all data and programs you installed so you have to be absolutely sure your data is safe first.

Make sure you data is backed up before doing anything else. If you use the Restore discs you created you will loose all data and programs you installed so you have to be absolutely sure your data is safe first.

Yea, I'm not going to use the restore discs.