Here's what happens if you do what this tip suggests: you break the connection between 
the Internet Shortcut and the icon info it needs. You end up with an Operating System, 
(OS), default icon.

Before you follow my instructions, back up your registry. I appended registry & Registry 
Editor info and how to backup your registry to the bottom of this thread at:
http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/1209192401

------------------------------------

If you want to change the icon used by your OS for Internet Shortcuts, here's how:

Open Registry Editor and find:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ InternetShortcut
In this Key you'll see several Sub-Keys, the two we're interested in are below with 
their default values listed below them and then an explanation:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\InternetShortcut\DefaultIcon
		Name (Value)	Data (Value)
		Default		D:\system.win\icons\deskcut.ico

The default value above is pointing to the icon I use for my Internet Shortcuts. 
You'll find something a bit different in yours, probably a two segment piece of data 
like: 

"%SystemRoot%\System32\shell32.dll,23"

This piece of Value Data is a path and file pointer that designates a certain icon, 
(23), in a .dll file, (shell32.dll), in a Windows sub-directory folder, 

(%SystemRoot%\System32\, "%SystemRoot%" is an OS variable that equals the path of 
your Windows folder), that contains several icons. The second segment of the 

Value follows the comma and indicates the 23rd icon in the shell32.dll file.

IF you change this value to a path similar to the one I have, you will change the 
default icon for the .url file.  Internet shortcuts ARE a .url file. MS just chooses 
to make 

the file extension not shown by default, even if you choose 'Show File Extensions' 
in your folder options. If you click on the 'InternetShortcut' Key in the left window, 

you'll see a Value in the right window named 'NeverShowExt'.  This is the 'hidden' 
command that makes the extension never show. (If you make the value = 0, it may make 
the extension show. You might need to delete the value - can't remember & it takes 
a re-boot to test & I'm in the middle of posting this so I can't test it right now.)

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\InternetShortcut\shell\open\command
		Name (Value)	Data (Value)
		Default		rundll32.exe shdocvw.dll,OpenURL %l

The default value indirectly designates what program will open the Internet shortcut. 
The reason I say indirectly is this tells the OS to use the default web browser to 
open the shortcut. You have to look elsewhere to find a direct pointer to the application. 
 The easiest way to handle which browser opens an Internet Shortcut is to change 
the default browser to the browser of your choice.

Another tip: you'll find the 'DefaultIcon' Value in many places in the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT 
key. Everywhere you find it, it does the same thing. It indicates the icon the OS 
should use for a particular file extension.  First look for the fiel extension, (ie 
'.url'), in the first part of the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT Key, (it's alphabetical).  You 
will find in the file extension key, (ie '.url'), a value that tells the OS which 
Key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT to look for the DefaultIcon sub-key and value.  

The Key:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.URL
		Name (Value)	Data (Value)
		Default		InternetShortcut

Points the OS to:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ InternetShortcut

the OS  goes there and looks for the 'DefaultIcon' Sub-Key and the value it contains, 
(path and filename of the icon to use). 

You can modify any DefaultIcon sub-key you find or add one if it's not there.  As 
you become more familiar with the registry, you'll find you can add a new file extension 
by double-clicking on the file in Explorer and then choosing the program to "Always 
Use To Open" the new file type. Then come to the registry and change which icon the 
OS should use for it.

Happy customizing and BACKUP YOUR REGISTRY! 

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