The only way I can get all my icons to load correctly is by using the reload icons option in Tune-up Utilities 2006

This sounds like Tune-up Utilities may be colliding with IconPackager.

You could try using the "Tools > Rebuild Icon Cache", "Tools > Repair Icon Images", and "Tools > Repair Shell Icons" commands in IconPackager to see if this will sort it.

With any luck, the developer (or yraq) will drop by during the work week and see this thread.

I had an issue with this same error during the uninstall procedure a couple of years ago, which turned out to be a registry entry named "IconHandler" written by (I believe) an older version of the NextStart software. Removing this key sorted it (of course, I was no longer using NextStart at the time).

I searched the registry for IconHandler - I got 56 results.... I don't think I should delete them all

I agree, do not delete anything in the registry unless you know what you are deleting.

The 'IconHandler' I referred to in comment #1 was in the "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile" key. The default installation of Windows XP only has a sub-key named "DefaultIcon" under this one, so anything else has been placed there by another program.

I worked with Brian Harper (Lead Developer) via e-mail to identify the issue when I had it, so this may be your best bet.

Another person here who is extremely knowledgeable is 'yraq'. If he leaves a comment, I would trust his ideas without question.

Though I am not a 'coder', I do know that a sub-key named "IconHandler" is a common key written by many programs that need to control icons related to the specific program. Due to this, it is especially important not to delete one of these sub-keys without knowing what you are actually deleting.

Sorry I do not have more real information to help sort this one.   

btw946

Kill it with this

USE WITH CAUTION ...select only that which you want to kill, and if you have plans to re-install iconpackger ..back up your downloaded IP themes.