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switching windows users causes desktop icons to move

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  #1  
Old 09-02-2008
Gene
 
Posts: n/a
switching windows users causes desktop icons to move

When I log off one windows user and sign on another user the desktop icons
are moved on the desktop.

desktop icons are located where I want them and they do not move unless I
drag them to a new location on the desktop except when I log off one user and
log on another user.

How can I get desktop icons to stay where I put them.

( I have unchecked name, size, type, modified, auto arrange,& align to grid.
Until I set up another windows user and began signing off & on different
users the desktop icons stayed where I put them).

Thanks for the assistance
Gene
--
Gene
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  #2  
Old 09-02-2008
Mark L. Ferguson
 
Posts: n/a
Re: switching windows users causes desktop icons to move

What you're seeing is expected behavior for user accounts. Each account has
a separate 'desktop' folder. Using an administrator to look at the folders
in Documents and Settings would show this to you. Each of those folders has
a hidden file called 'desktop.ini' containing the data about where and how
you arrange icons, and all the other desktop configurations. You might allow
hidden files (and file extensions) in Folder Options app in Control panel,
then copy one ini to the other desktop folder.

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Mark L. Ferguson

..
"Gene" <Gene@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:BA26259D-10A3-4095-9B8F-9E07691677FC@microsoft.com...
> When I log off one windows user and sign on another user the desktop icons
> are moved on the desktop.
>
> desktop icons are located where I want them and they do not move unless I
> drag them to a new location on the desktop except when I log off one user
> and
> log on another user.
>
> How can I get desktop icons to stay where I put them.
>
> ( I have unchecked name, size, type, modified, auto arrange,& align to
> grid.
> Until I set up another windows user and began signing off & on different
> users the desktop icons stayed where I put them).
>
> Thanks for the assistance
> Gene
> --
> Gene


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  #3  
Old 09-02-2008
Shenan Stanley
 
Posts: n/a
Re: switching windows users causes desktop icons to move

Gene wrote:
> When I log off one windows user and sign on another user the
> desktop icons are moved on the desktop.
>
> desktop icons are located where I want them and they do not move
> unless I drag them to a new location on the desktop except when I
> log off one user and log on another user.
>
> How can I get desktop icons to stay where I put them.
>
> ( I have unchecked name, size, type, modified, auto arrange,& align
> to grid. Until I set up another windows user and began signing off
> & on different users the desktop icons stayed where I put them).


You seem to be saying you have a computer with multiple users... Let's call
them "Gene" and "Audry".

You are logged in with "Gene" and utilizing the computer and have
meticulously arranged the desktop the way you (let's call you "Gene" as
well - coincidence? I think not) desire the icons to be laid out.

You decide to log off and log in as "Audry" (you have multiple personalities
or you actually logged off and are allowing "Audry" - someone else - to log
into the computer) and you are asking now - why is the desktop layout
different?

It is because what you have is a true multi-user environment. Everyone gets
their own desktop to layout in whatever way they desire. Yes - there are
shared areas (the "All Users" desktop, the "All Users" start menu, etc...) -
but the layout of desktop is a completely 'personalized' thjing - each new
user account gets to choose what their desktop looks like. Background
picture/color, desktop icon layout (and even what is on the desktop in the
case of icons *except* for the shared area), etc...

So what you need to undertsand that a different user account is just that -
*a different user account*. ;-)

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html


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  #4  
Old 10-02-2008
Gene
 
Posts: n/a
Re: switching windows users causes desktop icons to move

Sorry I wasn't clear in my post which I now realize.

The issue is that when I log back into the previous user (either account)
the desktop is different than it was originally when I signed out. So upon
signing in to either user account it is not as it was upon signing out the
previous time.
--
Gene


"Shenan Stanley" wrote:

> Gene wrote:
> > When I log off one windows user and sign on another user the
> > desktop icons are moved on the desktop.
> >
> > desktop icons are located where I want them and they do not move
> > unless I drag them to a new location on the desktop except when I
> > log off one user and log on another user.
> >
> > How can I get desktop icons to stay where I put them.
> >
> > ( I have unchecked name, size, type, modified, auto arrange,& align
> > to grid. Until I set up another windows user and began signing off
> > & on different users the desktop icons stayed where I put them).

>
> You seem to be saying you have a computer with multiple users... Let's call
> them "Gene" and "Audry".
>
> You are logged in with "Gene" and utilizing the computer and have
> meticulously arranged the desktop the way you (let's call you "Gene" as
> well - coincidence? I think not) desire the icons to be laid out.
>
> You decide to log off and log in as "Audry" (you have multiple personalities
> or you actually logged off and are allowing "Audry" - someone else - to log
> into the computer) and you are asking now - why is the desktop layout
> different?
>
> It is because what you have is a true multi-user environment. Everyone gets
> their own desktop to layout in whatever way they desire. Yes - there are
> shared areas (the "All Users" desktop, the "All Users" start menu, etc...) -
> but the layout of desktop is a completely 'personalized' thjing - each new
> user account gets to choose what their desktop looks like. Background
> picture/color, desktop icon layout (and even what is on the desktop in the
> case of icons *except* for the shared area), etc...
>
> So what you need to undertsand that a different user account is just that -
> *a different user account*. ;-)
>
> --
> Shenan Stanley
> MS-MVP
> --
> How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
> http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
>
>
>

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  #5  
Old 17-05-2008
Member
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 1
Shenans reply

I think Gene understands that both his user accounts should be independant as do I.
My problem is similar,I am using Vista home premium and if I log off main user to go to guest account then no problems on return. If i use switch without logging off,then on return to main user,as the screen blanks,it's almost as if there is a horizontal sidebar and all icons below that bar then rearrange above it. I hope I've been specific enough and am hoping that someone will be able to tell me how to lock my icons when I switch user accounts.HP support suggests system restore which seems like cracking a nut with a 50 megaton device!
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