diff --git a/2.x/trunk/CHANGELOG.txt b/2.x/trunk/CHANGELOG.txt
index a51e65fe3..eda632245 100644
--- a/2.x/trunk/CHANGELOG.txt
+++ b/2.x/trunk/CHANGELOG.txt
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ Process Hacker
 
 2.7
  * NEW/IMPROVED:
+   * Vastly improved startup time, and lower memory usage
  * FIXED:
    * ToolStatus layout problems
 
diff --git a/2.x/trunk/ProcessHacker/include/phapp.h b/2.x/trunk/ProcessHacker/include/phapp.h
index e3c4ca124..6c0fc7713 100644
--- a/2.x/trunk/ProcessHacker/include/phapp.h
+++ b/2.x/trunk/ProcessHacker/include/phapp.h
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 #include <circbuf.h>
 #include <phnet.h>
 #include <providers.h>
-#include "resource.h"
+#include "../resource.h"
 
 #define KPH_ERROR_MESSAGE (L"KProcessHacker does not support your operating system " \
             L"or could not be loaded. Make sure Process Hacker is running " \
@@ -267,8 +267,6 @@ VOID PhUpdateProcessNode(
 
 VOID PhTickProcessNodes();
 
-HICON PhGetStockAppIcon();
-
 PHAPPAPI
 PPH_PROCESS_ITEM PhGetSelectedProcessItem();
 
diff --git a/2.x/trunk/ProcessHacker/mainwnd.c b/2.x/trunk/ProcessHacker/mainwnd.c
index 78700d6ad..45b9a24e9 100644
--- a/2.x/trunk/ProcessHacker/mainwnd.c
+++ b/2.x/trunk/ProcessHacker/mainwnd.c
@@ -33,10 +33,6 @@
 #include <iphlpapi.h>
 #include <wtsapi32.h>
 
-typedef BOOL (WINAPI *_FileIconInit)(
-    __in BOOL RestoreCache
-    );
-
 typedef HRESULT (WINAPI *_LoadIconMetric)(
     __in HINSTANCE hinst,
     __in PCWSTR pszName,
@@ -272,22 +268,6 @@ BOOLEAN PhMainWndInitialization(
 {
     PH_RECTANGLE windowRectangle;
 
-    // Initialize the system image lists.
-    {
-        HMODULE shell32;
-        _FileIconInit fileIconInit;
-
-        shell32 = LoadLibrary(L"shell32.dll");
-
-        if (shell32)
-        {
-            fileIconInit = (_FileIconInit)GetProcAddress(shell32, (PSTR)660);
-
-            if (fileIconInit)
-                fileIconInit(FALSE);
-        }
-    }
-
     if (PhGetIntegerSetting(L"FirstRun"))
     {
         PPH_STRING autoDbghelpPath;
@@ -2495,9 +2475,23 @@ VOID PhpAddIconProcesses(
 
         // Menu icons only work properly on Vista and above.
         if (WindowsVersion >= WINDOWS_VISTA)
-            iconBitmap = PhIconToBitmap(processItem->SmallIcon ? processItem->SmallIcon : PhGetStockAppIcon(), 16, 16);
+        {
+            if (processItem->SmallIcon)
+            {
+                iconBitmap = PhIconToBitmap(processItem->SmallIcon, 16, 16);
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                HICON icon;
+
+                PhGetStockApplicationIcon(&icon, NULL);
+                iconBitmap = PhIconToBitmap(icon, 16, 16);
+            }
+        }
         else
+        {
             iconBitmap = NULL;
+        }
 
         subMenu->Bitmap = iconBitmap;
         Bitmaps[i] = iconBitmap;
@@ -4321,8 +4315,11 @@ VOID PhMainWndOnNetworkItemAdded(
 
     if (!NetworkImageListWrapper.Handle)
     {
+        HICON icon;
+
+        PhGetStockApplicationIcon(&icon, NULL);
         PhInitializeImageListWrapper(&NetworkImageListWrapper, 16, 16, ILC_COLOR32 | ILC_MASK);
-        PhImageListWrapperAddIcon(&NetworkImageListWrapper, PhGetStockAppIcon());
+        PhImageListWrapperAddIcon(&NetworkImageListWrapper, icon);
         ListView_SetImageList(NetworkListViewHandle, NetworkImageListWrapper.Handle, LVSIL_SMALL);
     }
 
diff --git a/2.x/trunk/ProcessHacker/procprv.c b/2.x/trunk/ProcessHacker/procprv.c
index 911cefc3b..f7b857362 100644
--- a/2.x/trunk/ProcessHacker/procprv.c
+++ b/2.x/trunk/ProcessHacker/procprv.c
@@ -582,26 +582,16 @@ VOID PhpProcessQueryStage1(
     if (processItem->FileName)
     {
         // Small icon, large icon.
+        if (ExtractIconEx(
+            processItem->FileName->Buffer,
+            0,
+            &Data->LargeIcon,
+            &Data->SmallIcon,
+            1
+            ) == 0)
         {
-            SHFILEINFO fileInfo;
-
-            if (SHGetFileInfo(
-                processItem->FileName->Buffer,
-                0,
-                &fileInfo,
-                sizeof(SHFILEINFO),
-                SHGFI_ICON | SHGFI_SMALLICON
-                ))
-                Data->SmallIcon = fileInfo.hIcon;
-
-            if (SHGetFileInfo(
-                processItem->FileName->Buffer,
-                0,
-                &fileInfo,
-                sizeof(SHFILEINFO),
-                SHGFI_ICON | SHGFI_LARGEICON
-                ))
-                Data->LargeIcon = fileInfo.hIcon;
+            Data->LargeIcon = NULL;
+            Data->SmallIcon = NULL;
         }
 
         // Version info.
@@ -610,30 +600,22 @@ VOID PhpProcessQueryStage1(
 
     // Use the default EXE icon if we didn't get the file's icon.
     {
-        SHFILEINFO fileInfo;
-
-        if (!Data->SmallIcon)
+        if (!Data->SmallIcon || !Data->LargeIcon)
         {
-            if (SHGetFileInfo(
-                L".exe",
-                FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL,
-                &fileInfo,
-                sizeof(SHFILEINFO),
-                SHGFI_ICON | SHGFI_SMALLICON | SHGFI_USEFILEATTRIBUTES
-                ))
-                Data->SmallIcon = fileInfo.hIcon;
-        }
+            if (Data->SmallIcon)
+            {
+                DestroyIcon(Data->SmallIcon);
+                Data->SmallIcon = NULL;
+            }
+            else if (Data->LargeIcon)
+            {
+                DestroyIcon(Data->LargeIcon);
+                Data->LargeIcon = NULL;
+            }
 
-        if (!Data->LargeIcon)
-        {
-            if (SHGetFileInfo(
-                L".exe",
-                FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL,
-                &fileInfo,
-                sizeof(SHFILEINFO),
-                SHGFI_ICON | SHGFI_LARGEICON | SHGFI_USEFILEATTRIBUTES
-                ))
-                Data->LargeIcon = fileInfo.hIcon;
+            PhGetStockApplicationIcon(&Data->SmallIcon, &Data->LargeIcon);
+            Data->SmallIcon = DuplicateIcon(NULL, Data->SmallIcon);
+            Data->LargeIcon = DuplicateIcon(NULL, Data->LargeIcon);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/2.x/trunk/ProcessHacker/proctree.c b/2.x/trunk/ProcessHacker/proctree.c
index f3375d66e..3276ed103 100644
--- a/2.x/trunk/ProcessHacker/proctree.c
+++ b/2.x/trunk/ProcessHacker/proctree.c
@@ -463,25 +463,6 @@ VOID PhTickProcessNodes()
     }
 }
 
-HICON PhGetStockAppIcon()
-{
-    if (!StockAppIcon)
-    {
-        SHFILEINFO fileInfo = { 0 };
-
-        SHGetFileInfo(
-            L".exe",
-            FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL,
-            &fileInfo,
-            sizeof(SHFILEINFO),
-            SHGFI_USEFILEATTRIBUTES | SHGFI_ICON | SHGFI_SMALLICON
-            );
-        StockAppIcon = fileInfo.hIcon;
-    }
-
-    return StockAppIcon;
-}
-
 VOID PhpUpdateProcessNodeWsCounters(
     __inout PPH_PROCESS_NODE ProcessNode
     )
@@ -1480,7 +1461,7 @@ BOOLEAN NTAPI PhpProcessTreeListCallback(
             }
             else
             {
-                getNodeIcon->Icon = PhGetStockAppIcon();
+                PhGetStockApplicationIcon(&getNodeIcon->Icon, NULL);
             }
 
             getNodeIcon->Flags = TLC_CACHE;
diff --git a/2.x/trunk/phlib/guisup.c b/2.x/trunk/phlib/guisup.c
index d40316165..80ee23f6d 100644
--- a/2.x/trunk/phlib/guisup.c
+++ b/2.x/trunk/phlib/guisup.c
@@ -774,6 +774,65 @@ VOID PhImageListWrapperRemove(
     PhAddItemList(Wrapper->FreeList, (PVOID)Index);
 }
 
+VOID PhGetStockApplicationIcon(
+    __out_opt HICON *SmallIcon,
+    __out_opt HICON *LargeIcon
+    )
+{
+    static PH_INITONCE initOnce = PH_INITONCE_INIT;
+    static HICON smallIcon = NULL;
+    static HICON largeIcon = NULL;
+
+    // This no longer uses SHGetFileInfo because it is *very* slow and causes 
+    // many other DLLs to be loaded, increasing memory usage.
+
+    if (PhBeginInitOnce(&initOnce))
+    {
+        PPH_STRING systemDirectory;
+        PPH_STRING dllFileName;
+
+        // user32,0 (Vista and above) or shell32,2 (XP) contains the default application icon.
+
+        if (systemDirectory = PhGetSystemDirectory())
+        {
+            PH_STRINGREF dllBaseName;
+            ULONG index;
+
+            // TODO: Find a better solution.
+
+            if (WindowsVersion >= WINDOWS_VISTA)
+            {
+                PhInitializeStringRef(&dllBaseName, L"\\user32.dll");
+                index = 0;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                PhInitializeStringRef(&dllBaseName, L"\\shell32.dll");
+                index = 2;
+            }
+
+            dllFileName = PhConcatStringRef2(&systemDirectory->sr, &dllBaseName);
+            PhDereferenceObject(systemDirectory);
+
+            ExtractIconEx(dllFileName->Buffer, index, &largeIcon, &smallIcon, 1);
+            PhDereferenceObject(dllFileName);
+        }
+
+        // Fallback icons - this is bad, because the icon isn't scaled correctly.
+        if (!smallIcon)
+            smallIcon = LoadIcon(NULL, IDI_APPLICATION);
+        if (!largeIcon)
+            largeIcon = LoadIcon(NULL, IDI_APPLICATION);
+
+        PhEndInitOnce(&initOnce);
+    }
+
+    if (SmallIcon)
+        *SmallIcon = smallIcon;
+    if (LargeIcon)
+        *LargeIcon = largeIcon;
+}
+
 HICON PhGetFileShellIcon(
     __in_opt PWSTR FileName,
     __in_opt PWSTR DefaultExtension,
@@ -784,6 +843,34 @@ HICON PhGetFileShellIcon(
     ULONG iconFlag;
     HICON icon;
 
+    if (DefaultExtension && PhEqualStringZ(DefaultExtension, L".exe", TRUE))
+    {
+        // Special case for executable files (see above for reasoning).
+
+        icon = NULL;
+
+        if (FileName)
+        {
+            ExtractIconEx(
+                FileName,
+                0,
+                LargeIcon ? &icon : NULL,
+                !LargeIcon ? &icon : NULL,
+                1
+                );
+        }
+
+        if (!icon)
+        {
+            PhGetStockApplicationIcon(
+                !LargeIcon ? &icon : NULL,
+                LargeIcon ? &icon : NULL
+                );
+        }
+
+        return icon;
+    }
+
     iconFlag = LargeIcon ? SHGFI_LARGEICON : SHGFI_SMALLICON;
     icon = NULL;
 
diff --git a/2.x/trunk/phlib/include/phgui.h b/2.x/trunk/phlib/include/phgui.h
index d6c9275ed..7a9fbbbe5 100644
--- a/2.x/trunk/phlib/include/phgui.h
+++ b/2.x/trunk/phlib/include/phgui.h
@@ -443,6 +443,12 @@ VOID PhImageListWrapperRemove(
     __in INT Index
     );
 
+PHLIBAPI
+VOID PhGetStockApplicationIcon(
+    __out_opt HICON *SmallIcon,
+    __out_opt HICON *LargeIcon
+    );
+
 PHLIBAPI
 HICON PhGetFileShellIcon(
     __in_opt PWSTR FileName,
diff --git a/2.x/trunk/phlib/support.c b/2.x/trunk/phlib/support.c
index 671eefdde..88ba8ccfb 100644
--- a/2.x/trunk/phlib/support.c
+++ b/2.x/trunk/phlib/support.c
@@ -1706,10 +1706,22 @@ PPH_STRING PhGetBaseName(
 
 PPH_STRING PhGetSystemDirectory()
 {
+    static PPH_STRING cachedSystemDirectory = NULL;
+
     PPH_STRING systemDirectory;
     ULONG bufferSize;
     ULONG returnLength;
 
+    // Use the cached value if possible.
+
+    systemDirectory = cachedSystemDirectory;
+
+    if (systemDirectory)
+    {
+        PhReferenceObject(systemDirectory);
+        return systemDirectory;
+    }
+
     bufferSize = 0x40;
     systemDirectory = PhCreateStringEx(NULL, bufferSize * 2);
 
@@ -1732,6 +1744,17 @@ PPH_STRING PhGetSystemDirectory()
 
     PhTrimToNullTerminatorString(systemDirectory);
 
+    // Try to cache the value.
+    if (_InterlockedCompareExchangePointer(
+        &cachedSystemDirectory,
+        systemDirectory,
+        NULL
+        ) == NULL)
+    {
+        // Success, add one more reference for the cache.
+        PhReferenceObject(systemDirectory);
+    }
+
     return systemDirectory;
 }