Desktop icons position does not remember in windows 7

Actually this has been a bug since day one and it still is. The icons get rearranged many different ways. No one has ever narrowed down a particular case that is repeatable. I guess that is why MS has never run it down. I suspect a race condition with the registry. The best case I can think of is when you are using dual monitors with a laptop, put the laptop, remove the 2nd monitor then bring the laptop alive again. Sometimes this will cause the problem but most of the time it works ok.

If you consider that improper shutdown then I have exception to that statement. It is more correct to say that MS didn't properly test that case or couldn't find a fix for it and just said "oh well...".

Every shutdown/restart is done via the Windows methods. I'm not talking about a crash or improper power off. This has been a problem since day one and MS has never fixed it. I suspect it is due to a race condition when writing the registry. If it were not a problem then why would someone have written layout.zip anyway?

It was probably supposed to work that way but there are bugs. This bug has been around since day one and I suspect MS ignores it. It is probably a race condition while writing to the registry.

Hi eddyq,

Have you tried downloading and installing the IconRestorer? What it does is that in the event that a computer crashes, if automatic desktop icons placement is selected or if the screen resolution is changed there is the possibility that the icons shortcuts position on the Windows desktop becomes scrambled; IconRestorer has been designed to remember the icon setup to avoid the boring job of manual restoring for the right icons position on desktop after these events. Download it from here.

I tried going to that web page but the company anti virus software blocks it:
"the webserver or webpage you are trying to reach has previously been detected as spreading malicious software such as viruses and worms"

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by eddyq

I tried going to that web page but the company anti virus software blocks it:
"the webserver or webpage you are trying to reach has previously been detected as spreading malicious software such as viruses and worms"

---

What antivirus software are you using? I have a symantec corporate edition antivirus installed on my computer and when I went to that website it didnt give me any virus alarm? I think that the antivirus installed in your system is giving fake alarms, so you should try to disable it and then try to go that site and install the software in your pc.

Cisco Security Agent
McAfee VirusScan Enterprise 8.8
Credant Mobile Guardian 6.8.0.2123
Symantec Altiris Agent

I'm not sure which one detected the problem. Note that it said "has previously been detected as spreading" not that it currently does.

Hello eddyq,

I suppose that it is not good to have multiple antivirus on the pc because it conflicts with each other and also with the windows system file. Just install one of the antivirus in your pc and scan your pc again if any system files have been conflicting. This might also be a case for the previous problem of desktop icons not positioning itself on your pc.

I don't have multiple antivirus programs. This is a system setup by my employer and that employer is one of the biggest and the IT department really knows what they are doing. This is a typical Windows problem and almost everyone that has used Windows for any amount of time has experienced it. That is why so many people have written programs and procedures to restore icon positions.

I also think that Windows is designed to save those alignments upon a valid shutdown/restart, but running applications, improper shutdowns, and random glitches can prevent it from doing so. The only workaround is to use a third-party utility that manages icon position. You can download a tool called Fences which manages to do the same for this issue.

Is it possible to change a setting somewhere, so that you can positions icons where you want in a folder - like in XP? using small or medium icons

If I understand you correctly, you want to put the desktop icons in folders and want to have those folders on the desktop. This is a very good idea because it keeps the desktop from looking cluttered.

To do that just get onto the desktop and ..
1) right click and select New
2) in the sub menu that appears, select Folder
3) an icon will appear on your desktop with the word New Folder. If you didn't hit any other keys yet the folder name will be highlighted. If it is not highlighted, right click the New Folder icon and rename it (press enter after typing the name).

4) double click the icon and it will open the folder
5) drag anything from the desktop to the folder

No - forget the desktop

Make a folder on drive C - like maybe "Test"
put some icons in the folder - like maybe add some word docs, some short cuts, etc.

now - set to show small or medium icons

now try to position the icons where you want them, instead of them being forced by the system.

I am a programmer, and use a lot of folders - like one for each client, and inside a folder I may have 50 icons - and in XP I could position them where I wanted, which makes it visually convenient - but in W7 64 I can't figure a way to do that.

I'm also a programmer (at Cisco). We use Windows 7 there and I have been able to position the icons on the desktop as I want them. One problem with all windows systems, including XP is that the positions sometimes get lost. This has been a bug since day 1. So I loaded the icon restore program mentioned in this post and just click to restore them ... a pain but it works.

If you can't position at all then reply and when I get to the office I'll try it. We should be able to run this down.

Eddy

I misunderstood your answer. I'll give it a shot when I get to the office tomorrow.

Try to RIGHT CLICK your desktop and goto Arrange Icons and check 'AUTO ARRANGE' (After you have them set the way you want them)


Good luck!

He is not talking about the desktop. He is talking about folders.

He is correct with his complaint and there is no Auto Arrange in folders.