Desktop gets messed up

[Accname]

Hi guys.

I have a really annoying problem. I recently hooked up another monitor to my computer. I also switched the "order" of the monitors around a couple of times, deciding which one will show my desktop, etc.

Now I only have 1 monitor connected at the moment, but ever since I had the second one, all my folders and files on my desktop get randomly shuffled around every now and then.
This is extremely annoying because I group them logically.

I dont know why this is happening, but whenever a new file is added to my desktop (as output of software, downloads, etc) all others get shifted around like crazy.

I am using windows 7 64bit.

Any advice?

 

[The Helper]

The location of your desktop icons is located in your registry so it is probably something wrong with that. Try a Registry Clean or at least hopefully that can point you in a good direction.

 

[Slapshot136]

The solution is to un-check the "align icons to grid" - that way they won't get messed up anymore. If you still need them perfectly aligned, look for a 3rd party program. I have used fences before and liked it, but eventually got used to the icons being slightly un-aligned, since it was a PITA to install everywhere.

 

[Accname]

The location of your desktop icons is located in your registry so it is probably something wrong with that. Try a Registry Clean or at least hopefully that can point you in a good direction.

I will have a look at that, thanks.

The solution is to un-check the "align icons to grid" - that way they won't get messed up anymore. If you still need them perfectly aligned, look for a 3rd party program. I have used fences before and liked it, but eventually got used to the icons being slightly un-aligned, since it was a PITA to install everywhere.

But it wasnt like this before. Back then my own folders would stay in place and newly added folders would be added at the next free place.
But now every newly added folder is added at the top left and whatever was there is moved somewhere else, and sometimes the new spot its moved to is also already taken and whatever was there previously will too be moved. Its really weird and very annoying.

 

[The Helper]

Here is a link with some stuff you can try

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...p-moving/f6aeb3ae-17cb-4336-bef8-08a68d6a6dd0

 

[Varine]

Under personalize there is an option to allow themes to move icons. Sounds like that might have gotten enabled.

 

[Accname]

Here is a link with some stuff you can try

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...p-moving/f6aeb3ae-17cb-4336-bef8-08a68d6a6dd0

Just got a chance to test it, one of the things suggested there actually worked, thanks a bunch.

Under personalize there is an option to allow themes to move icons. Sounds like that might have gotten enabled.

As far as I can see you can only enable/disable the themes to change the icons (how they look like). They dont move them.

 

[The Helper]

Helping - it is what I do LOL!

 

[tom_mai78101]

Just got a chance to test it, one of the things suggested there actually worked, thanks a bunch.

Out of those 8 pages, what specific step did you do?

 

[Accname]

I tried a few, but nothing with the registry, I wanted to do that last.
I think this one did the trick:

I had this problem w/Windows 7-32Bit and found that if I right-clicked on desktop and then clicked "Refresh" the icons stayed in place after a reboot. You'll have to do that anytime you add/move icons to keep them 'locked' in place. Cheers.