It is Avast that is causing the problem.
Look Sebon, it's well-known that Windows 9x and Me are terrible on memory management. So, Microsoft has improved a lot its operational system.
It's natural that an application that has a lot of impact in the system, like an antivirus, could use resources that are now well-managed...
Troubles could happen (although I've used avast in Windows 98 for two years without having the icons disappearing).
Lessa said that the problem was gone 
It is Avast that is causing the problem.
Look Sebon, it's well-known that Windows 9x and Me are terrible on memory management. So, Microsoft has improved a lot its operational system.
It's natural that an application that has a lot of impact in the system, like an antivirus, could use resources that are now well-managed...
Troubles could happen (although I've used avast in Windows 98 for two years without having the icons disappearing).
Lessa said that the problem was gone
OKay perhaps I was a bit strident in my first post.
Sorry about that, I am the analytical argumentative type that tends to want raw facts b4 I accept anything!!
As I am typing this my icons are gone just like in Lessa's screenshot.
It happened when I wanted scan a folder which had
a small zip file ~ 3MB
I had scanned it first with Avast and it came up clean
I subsequently scanned it with an on demand scanner
AntivirPE classic.
(I make sure It does not stay in mem - used prcview to verify.)
AntirvirPE gave an alert in one of the archives as containing a Trojan.
So I went back and checked the settings,in Avast and The scan level was on standard
I turned the slider up to thorough (I rember on a previous occasion that you set Avast to scan archives but I couldn't find it)
Scanned again; agin it was clear
I then unchecked use skins for simple interface
selected scan archives.
and scanned again (came up clean again)
Then I noticed that my windows Explorer shell icons had disappered,the quick launch icons had disappered too.
The systray icons on the the right were okay and so were icons for all non operating system programs.
The history panel in internet explorer were effected wheresas the standard buttons were not.
This problem happened on a previous occasion 4 months ago when scanning archives with skins unchecked.
Lessa has managed to get the icons back .
I will too once I reboot.
1/ Is Lessa saying that he no longer gets disappearing icons when he uses Avas to scan in the same way that he/she did in the first instance.
2/ Please explain how memory mangagement issues in win9x causes the icon disapppearance.
Does it crash Explorer what is going on exactly?
Why does it occur with Avast but not AntivirPE
You used the terms "memory management " and "resources"
I understand resources to be
System resources
user resources
GDI resources
the windows resource meter level was 3 green bars
durring the scan.
