OS X screwing up icons

[Dradts]

Since I updated to OS X 10.1.1, the system often screws up document and folder icons, especially the classic system folder.
It doesn't change the icons, but when I look at them in the finder, some of them are crossed by black lines. Everythings ok again when I restart, but some hours later, the black lined icons reappear. Now I wonder whut the hell this is?!?

Check out my screenshot!

[changomarcelo]

Have you tried changing the Icons size? Does the lines still appears with a different icon size?

[Maximus]

I have seen this problem as well. I just experienced it this afternoon. When I restarted the computer, everything was fine. There appears to be no explanation for this - but it perhaps is not anything serious since restarting corrects it. I'm curious if there is anything more on this.

I am also having a strange issue with my test drive of Microsoft Word X. The Icons for documents appear to be tattered and messed up - while the actual application's icon has turned blackish. That change has also occurred with Microsoft Word '98 on my computer. The icons are not as they should appear, it seems. I have downloaded lots of software recently, including tools for learning Applescript - though I also run Norton's Anti-virus beta. No sign of a virus, though there appears to be an invisible file on my desktop called "Icon?" I can't tell what kind of file it is, though I have tried in Terminal.

Anyway, I'm concerned now about the issue of viruses and software like I wasn't previously. Also, because OS X has invisible files of importance, and there is no ready resource on this - it becomes a bit troublesome to know whether I can delete files such as "Icon?" above. Any thoughts or suggestions? It seems we now have a large number of issues managing our computers that we didn't have previously. OS X is great - but there is a serious lack of information to resolve some of these issues for novice users of a Unix based system. With invisible files, the challenge becomes knowing what is integral to OS X and what is not supposed to be there.

[Dradts]

Seems to me like its M$' fault that the icons get messed up. The first time i saw the black striped icons wuz after having installed Office v. X.

I found out that theres an easy way to get the "not messed up icons" (nmui) back: Open the Info-Box, select the file with the messed up icon, copy it, paste it, and then cut it out again. After this procedure, the nmui should be back

[Untitled]

Funny you should include a image of LimeWire along with the messed up folder. I heard there was a virus floating around on the Gnutella network however I believe it only messed with windows....

[Maximus]

I would not be surprised if it were a virus. However, I've run the beta version of Norton's anti-virus software - which should be up-to-date you'd think. I've found no sign of a virus. And the Word test drive was downloaded from Microsoft directly. I think that the tattered word document icons are actually caused by Microsoft's test drive - when you go back to the a previous version - which I had to do to print. I think it's their way of trying to make you upgrade. Likewise, when I tried to convert all the documents that had somehow been converted to open only with the NEW word (which expired Dec 31) - I found that somehow M$ had made it seem that it was not possible to select the old version or change all documents to open in the old version (in the Get Info box). However, the appearance was deceptive - as after deleting the test drive Word and what appeared to be a strangely unsuccessful attempt to change the default application on one document - my word documents are being opened by the old version. I'm going to upgrade eventually - but it's stuff like that that really irritates me with M$.

[Dradts]

I don't think that its a virus. Im always logged in as user without any permissions. So how should a virus get the permission to change my icons? Some days ago, even my OS X HD icon got messed up by the black stripes. N as far as I know, changing the HD Icon is only possible for root/admin users. So how should a virus do this?

[karavite]

I had this too some time ago, but with 10.1.2 I have never seen it again.