Yup, another minor Win 7 problem that is driving me crazy.
I used to have .php files assigned to open with Notepad++ and thus, they used the related file icon. Now though (and this happened sometime today), the icon has changed to what looks like the default icon (ie, the windows logo) with the Notepad++ filetype icon in the center of that.
Any ideas on how to stop Windows from displaying the win logo in the background?
Just in case my description isn't clear, argh.png shows how the icons look now, while argh_2.png show what they used to be (and what I want them to be). For what it's worth, I've tried changing the file icon from the right-click context menu and no matter what I set it to, it does not change.

This page might be the fix for the problem.

No joy. I've also tried changing the icon via the registry, but even that doesn't help. It just refuses to display any icon I set it to without that annoying as hell windows logo in the background =/

One thing I've learned, is that the best way to install software that is not certified for Windows 7 (older software also counts here) and insure that it works 100%, is to install it in folders other than Program Files.
For example, a the FLAC frontend I'm using, must be installed outside the Program Files folders. If not, it will not be 100% functional and it will always require administrator rights.
And about Notepad++, when I installed it in the Program Files folder, it always bugged me about a plugin needing an update. Even running it with admin rights didn't help. I changed the installation folder to c:\software\notepad++, and it updated fine after that.
EDIT: (It could be somehow related to your problem.;))

Thanks, glad you got it fixed . . . =)
Edit: I'm surprised the sys restore didn't fix the reg entry.

It updates fine for me =/ Although yes, I do still have to go through that UAC pop up. But it doesn't bother me that much. Although maybe I will move it to another directory sometime.