diff --git a/src/msw/gdiimage.cpp b/src/msw/gdiimage.cpp
index 6f904e43d7..28af1ffac1 100644
--- a/src/msw/gdiimage.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/gdiimage.cpp
@@ -424,6 +424,27 @@ bool wxICOFileHandler::LoadIcon(wxIcon *icon,
         nameReal = name.BeforeLast(wxT(';'));
     }
 
+#if 0
+    // If we don't know what size icon we're looking for,
+    // try to find out what's there.
+    // Unfortunately this doesn't work, because ExtractIconEx
+    // will scale the icon to the 'desired' size, even if that
+    // size of icon isn't explicitly stored. So we would have
+    // to parse the icon file outselves.
+    if ( desiredWidth == -1 &&
+         desiredHeight == -1)
+    {
+        // Try loading a large icon first
+        if ( ::ExtractIconEx(nameReal, iconIndex, &hicon, NULL, 1) == 1)
+        {
+        }
+        // Then try loading a small icon
+        else if ( ::ExtractIconEx(nameReal, iconIndex, NULL, &hicon, 1) == 1)
+        {
+        }
+    }
+    else
+#endif
     // were we asked for a large icon?
     if ( desiredWidth == ::GetSystemMetrics(SM_CXICON) &&
          desiredHeight == ::GetSystemMetrics(SM_CYICON) )
diff --git a/src/msw/mimetype.cpp b/src/msw/mimetype.cpp
index c5d5039212..8473fd1136 100644
--- a/src/msw/mimetype.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/mimetype.cpp
@@ -237,6 +237,9 @@ wxString wxFileTypeImpl::GetCommand(const wxChar *verb) const
                 wxRegKey(wxRegKey::HKCR, strKey + _T("\\Topic")).
                     QueryValue(_T(""), ddeTopic);
 
+                if (ddeTopic.IsEmpty())
+                    ddeTopic = wxT("System");
+
                 // HACK: we use a special feature of wxExecute which exists
                 //       just because we need it here: it will establish DDE
                 //       conversation with the program it just launched
diff --git a/src/msw/utilsexc.cpp b/src/msw/utilsexc.cpp
index 58b26f2c07..92f78fc292 100644
--- a/src/msw/utilsexc.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/utilsexc.cpp
@@ -453,7 +453,7 @@ static bool wxExecuteDDE(const wxString& ddeServer,
                          const wxString& ddeTopic,
                          const wxString& ddeCommand)
 {
-    bool ok;
+    bool ok = FALSE;
 
     wxDDEClient client;
     wxConnectionBase *conn = client.MakeConnection(_T(""),
@@ -470,17 +470,17 @@ static bool wxExecuteDDE(const wxString& ddeServer,
         // important ones - like IE and other MS stuff - use
         // XTYP_REQUEST!
         //
-        // so we try it first and then the other one if it
+        // so we try one first and then the other one if it
         // failed
         {
             wxLogNull noErrors;
-            ok = conn->Request(ddeCommand) != NULL;
+            ok = conn->Execute(ddeCommand);
         }
 
         if ( !ok )
         {
-            // now try execute - but show the errors
-            ok = conn->Execute(ddeCommand);
+            // now try request - but show the errors
+            ok = conn->Request(ddeCommand) != NULL;
         }
     }