I have a situation where I can't customize the icon of the Folders in
my Favorites Hierarchy unless I use the DOS ATTRIB command on each
folder (e.g. every time I create a new one) to assign the S attribute
so Desktop.in in the folder will be processed.

On my other machine the attribute is R not S but if I attrib +R
foldername it will go away as soon as I add a file to the folder in
question & the folder icon will revert to the plain vanilla file
folder icon.

Investigating I downloaded and installed:

ShellExView - Shell Extension Manager For Windows

www.nirsoft.netutilsshexview.html

I see two entries that concern me. Whether they have anything at all
to do with my Favorites Folders Icon problems is beyond me but the are
not on my other PC.

They have no Extension Name, no description, no version or product
name, no company

The two PC's are both HP's but the problem PC is a Notebook running
Windows Media Center Edition 2004 SP2, whereas the other machine, a
Desktop runs MCE 2005 and the software installed on both machines,
while similar is not identical.

What do you make of these entries? Are they suspicious? Could I /
Should I delete the associated registry keys?

==================================================
Extension Name :
Disabled : No
Type : Icon Handler
Description :
Version :
Product Name :
Company :
My Computer : No
Desktop : No
Control Panel : No
Filename : C:\WINDOWS\system32\blank
CLSID : {0C5B0CED-206B-4c39-B615-0EB23C824612}
File Created Time : N / A
CLSID Modified Time: 6/3/2004 4:23:10 AM
Microsoft : No
File Extensions : .ai
File Attributes :
File Size : 0
==================================================

and

==================================================
Extension Name :
Disabled : No
Type : Thumbnail
Description :
Version :
Product Name :
Company :
My Computer : No
Desktop : No
Control Panel : No
Filename : C:\WINDOWS\system32\blank
CLSID : {0C5B0CED-206B-4c39-B615-0EB23C824612}
File Created Time : N / A
CLSID Modified Time: 6/3/2004 4:23:10 AM
Microsoft : No
File Extensions : .ai
File Attributes :
File Size : 0
==================================================