Desktop icons won´t save
Werner Tröger
i´m running Windows XP Pro including all updates. Suddenly i realised that
the icnons on the desktop won´t save after i rearranged them.
When i arrange them everything seems to work - but after i press F5 for
refresh the all icons jump back to their old place. It looks like the option
for "arrange automatically" was checked - but it isn´t checked. But if i
rearrange the icons on the quickstart bar windows store it.
I also deleted the "layout.ini" - but didn´t succeed with it. After a reboot
all icons are on the left side.
I already did a system recovery - but it seems the problem existed alredy
before.
What can i do to make winxp remembering the locations of the desktop
symbols?
Yours
Werner Tröger
Claymore
Hello Werner,
Do you have 'Auto arrange' and 'Align to grid' unchecked checked? If
'Align to grid' is checked (which is normally OK) see what is entered
for Icon spacing in Desktop Properties (right-click the desktop and
select Properties) => Appearance => Advanced => Icon spacing. Values in
the 20 to 30 range are about normal.
If you still have the problem:
Copy the text below between the dotted lines, but not the dotted lines
themselves. Open Notepad and paste it in. Save the result in a suitable
location as settings.reg - making sure that the default .txt extension
doesn't appear in the file name.
Double-click on the saved .reg file to merge the contents.
Restart.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoSaveSettings"=dword:00000000
--------------------------------------------------------------
Werner Tröger
"Claymore" <clay...@ontera.net> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:1168196244....@q40g2000cwq.googlegroups.com...
>
> Hello Werner,
>
> Do you have 'Auto arrange' and 'Align to grid' unchecked checked? If
> 'Align to grid' is checked (which is normally OK) see what is entered
> for Icon spacing in Desktop Properties (right-click the desktop and
> select Properties) => Appearance => Advanced => Icon spacing. Values in
> the 20 to 30 range are about normal.
>
I don´t have checked anything there
> If you still have the problem:
>
> Copy the text below between the dotted lines, but not the dotted lines
> themselves. Open Notepad and paste it in. Save the result in a suitable
> location as settings.reg - making sure that the default .txt extension
> doesn't appear in the file name.
> Double-click on the saved .reg file to merge the contents.
> Restart.
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
>
> [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
> "NoSaveSettings"=dword:00000000
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------
>
I already used this entry before - but still no change. It seems it just
ignore all save instructions. I move my icon - press F5 - and back it goes.
Greetings Werner
Wesley Vogel
Which layout.ini file?
%windir%\Prefetch\Layout.ini?
This has nothing to do with the Desktop.
If Lock Web Items on Desktop is checked...
Items can be moved, but they are moved back after reboot.
If Auto Arrange is checked...
The icons are arranged in columns along the left side of your screen.
Right click Desktop | Arrange Icons By |
UNCheck: Auto Arrange
UNCheck: Lock Web Items on Desktop
Auto Arrange
[[Arrange the icons in columns along the left side of your screen.]]
Lock Web Items on Desktop
[[Specifies whether Web content windows or items that *you* have placed on
your desktop are locked in place and can’t be moved. Select the check box to
lock Web content in place. Clear the check box if you want to be able to
move Web content.]]
I found one post where a poster had your problem. They had a corrupted
video driver. They did not explain anything more except to say that they
fixed the problem with a new driver.
--
Hope this helps. Let us know.
Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
In news:enril9$f37$01$1...@news.t-online.com,
Werner Tröger <WeT...@t-online.de> hunted and pecked:
Werner Tröger
"Wesley Vogel" <123WVo...@comcast.net> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:%23igxTjp...@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> If Lock Web Items on Desktop is checked...
> Items can be moved, but they are moved back after reboot.
>
No, it isn´t checked
> If Auto Arrange is checked...
> The icons are arranged in columns along the left side of your screen.
>
No, not checked
>
> I found one post where a poster had your problem. They had a corrupted
> video driver. They did not explain anything more except to say that they
> fixed the problem with a new driver.
>
I don´t have installed a new video driver - it worked before perfectly. But
suddenly this appears. I use a ASUS L5842GXUP-Notebook with ATI Radeon
9600/9700. There is no new driver available (at least not from ASUS).
The latest thing i installed was a patch for Internet explorer 7 to prevent
IE for stucking while doing the phising check.
Greetings
Werner
Werner Tröger
"Werner Tröger" <WeT...@t-online.de> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:enso4g$b71$03$1...@news.t-online.com...
>
> "Wesley Vogel" <123WVo...@comcast.net> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
> news:%23igxTjp...@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> If Lock Web Items on Desktop is checked...
>> Items can be moved, but they are moved back after reboot.
No, it isn´t checked. And even before reboot the icons "jump" back. After i
moved them they are shown on the wanted position - but after pressing F5
(for refresh) the icons jump back on to the old location.
A change in the quickstart bar will be remembered and stored.
Greetings
Werner
Werner Tröger
>> If Auto Arrange is checked...
>> The icons are arranged in columns along the left side of your screen.
>>
>
> No, not checked
>>
>
again to move an icon.
But i didn´t watch the check in fornt of Auto Arrange returned. What ever i
change on the desktop settings will be ignored it seems.
I can´t get rid of AutoArrange and i can´t save the desired positions of the
icons.
Greetings Werner
Wesley Vogel
Did you mean layout.dll?
--
Hope this helps. Let us know.
Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
In news:enu3mv$rig$01$1...@news.t-online.com,
Werner Tröger <WeT...@t-online.de> hunted and pecked:
Werner Tröger
> In your fist post you stated that you deleted layout.ini.
>
> Did you mean layout.dll?
>
something new - in an article i was reading the positions of the desktop
icons are stored in the registry in
HK_CU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams. I compared
my PC with two others - the others have folders in the registry 1,2,3....
and so on. I only have the binary data TaskbarWinXP and Toolbars there. I
added the DWORD "Upgrade" like on the other machines and set it to 1. But it
don´t show any effect.
After a restart again the AutoArrange is checked.
And as i wrote before - even while running a press to F5 set back the
desktop changes.
Greetings Werner
Werner Tröger
> After a restart again the AutoArrange is checked.
Again i mixed up. It´s not AutoArrange that is checked automatically - it´s
"Arrange on the grid" - but it acts like a mix of "Arrange on the grid" and
"AutoArrange".
Yours Werner
Wesley Vogel
Do you happen to have a program called Anti-Peeper Key?
http://www.ahusoft.com/antipeeperkey.htm
<quote>
You press 2 keys and it will switch you to a completely different desktop. I
had no idea that this might create a problem, but evidently, when you are
running this program (even if it is not active, but loaded and ready to use
when you push the 2 keys to switch desktops) the "align to grid" setting on
the alternate desktop must be unchecked also. I unchecked "align to grid and
when I rebooted, icons popped right into the spaces they were supposed to.
<quote>
http://help.lockergnome.com/windows/Desktop-Icons-Staying-put-ftopict539528.html
> out something new - in an article i was reading the positions of the
> desktop icons are stored in the registry in
> HK_CU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams
No, that is incorrect.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams
is for window size and location.
> compared my PC with two others - the others have folders in the registry
> 1,2,3.... and so on.
That info is for the 28 folder views, size, position, etc. that Windows
saves.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams
\Desktop
is for Taskbar and Toolbars preferences, not Desktop icon layout.
<quote>
Windows saves size and location information for closed windows in the
following registry location:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams
Windows saves size and location information for up to 28 different windows.
Each window's size and location parameters are stored in a subkey of the
Streams key. The subkeys are assigned sequentially on a per-user basis. For
example, when a new user logs on, the first window's parameters are stored
in the subkey named 0. The second window's parameters are stored in a subkey
named 1. After 28 subkeys have been created and a new window is opened, the
parameters for the twenty-ninth window overwrite the parameters for one of
the first 28 windows. When a window for which the parameters were
overwritten is opened, the window opens with the default parameters for that
window.
<quote>
from...
How Windows NT Saves Window Size and Location Parameters
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/235994
<quote>
Windows stores up to 28 entries containing View preferences for the desktop
and windows that you open in a most-recently-used (MRU) list. When you close
a window, the View preferences are written to subkeys with the names 0, 1,
2, and so on, located in the following registry key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams
<quote>
from...
How Windows Stores View Preferences
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/171002
As for this key
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams
\Defaults
{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D} is the CLSID for the Control Panel.
{F3364BA0-65B9-11CE-A9BA-00AA004AE837} is the CLSID for Shell File System
Folder.
I can only assume (SWAG) that if you click the Reset All Folders button in
folder Options | View tab that key comes into play.
Reset All Folders button:
[[Click to reset the folder settings that were in effect when Windows was
installed. This does not apply to toolbar settings.]]
Desktop Layout is saved here...
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\1\Desktop
<quote>
Auto Arrange off, Align to Grid off:
"FFlags"=dword:00000220
Auto Arrange on:
"FFlags"=dword:00000221
Auto Arrange off - align to Grid On:
"FFlags"=dword:00000224
Auto Arrange on, Align to Grid on:
"FFlags"=dword:00000225
Hide Desktop Icons:
"FFlags"=dword:00001220
Sort by name:
"Sort"=dword:00000000
Sort by size:
"Sort"=dword:00000001
Sort by type:
"Sort"=dword:00000002
Sort by Modified:
"Sort"=dword:00000003
<quote>
http://msfn.org/board/index.php?act=ST&f=70&t=22555
Mine is Auto Arrange Off - Align to Grid On:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\1\Desktop]
"FFlags"=dword:00000224
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\1\Desktop
I do not know all of the specifics, but you have the Col & ColInfo which I
assume has to do with how many columns there are on the Desktop. Mine 11
rows and 7 columns. Which has to do with my screen resolution (800 by 600
pixels) and Icon Size, Icon Spacing (Horizontal) and Icon Spacing (Vertical)
all from Display Properties | Advanced button
If I double-click: ItemPos640x480(1) & ItemPos800x600(1) and I can make out
the
names of items on my Desktop. All of the shortcuts, actual files and
folders.
Mode, I have no idea.
ScrollPos640x480(1).x, ScrollPos640x480(1).y, ScrollPos800x600(1).x and
ScrollPos800x600(1).y I assume relate to x and y coordinates (rows and
columns) in 640x480 (Safe Mode screen resolution) and 800x600, my normal
screen resolution. Or maybe where the lower left hand corner of the screen
is. For the Desktop. <shrug>
Sort & SortDir I assume relates to Right click Desktop | Arrange icons by
and what settings are selected.
--
Hope this helps. Let us know.
Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
In news:envcjb$ihe$00$1...@news.t-online.com,
Werner Tröger <WeT...@t-online.de> hunted and pecked:
Werner Tröger
>
> Do you happen to have a program called Anti-Peeper Key?
> http://www.ahusoft.com/antipeeperkey.htm
>
No, i never heared about that.
> Desktop Layout is saved here...
> HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\1\Desktop
>
There´s an existing folder
"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\1" - but it can´t
be opened or edited. So i can´t see what´s stored in it - maybe that´s the
reason? Or is it blocked while Windows is running?
My latest attempt was to create a new user "Test" and see how the desktop is
handled there. On the new "Test´s" desktop the positions will be saved! But
the regular user (Werner) still don´t store or save anything.
Yours Werner
Wesley Vogel
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\1\Desktop
Your account profile (Werner) is probably upgefuchted.
--
Hope this helps. Let us know.
Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
In news:eo0qrn$ihd$00$1...@news.t-online.com,
Werner Tröger <WeT...@t-online.de> hunted and pecked:
Werner Tröger
> This key should open
> HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\1\Desktop
>
> Your account profile (Werner) is probably upgefuchted.
>
out what don´t work:
No rename, no delete, no open, no import of "Bags\1" from profile "TEST"
I think if i could get rid of that folder i can import from TEST.
Yours
Werner
Werner Tröger
> This key should open
> HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\1\Desktop
>
i found out that the key "1" and "1\Desktop" in
HK_C_U\Software\Windows\Shell\Bags didn´t have a owner! I made my account
(Werner) owning the key "1" and the key "1\Desktop". After that i could open
that folder in registry and my icons are saved too after i change something.
Even i don´t know how a registry-key can loose it´s owner - now it works
again.
Thanks for your help, Wesley.
Yours
Werner
Wesley Vogel
A faux German word that US Army vets who served in Germany right after WWII
coined.
It means, messed up, more or less.
--
Hope this helps. Let us know.
Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
In news:eo24t1$5ha$00$1...@news.t-online.com,
Werner Tröger <WeT...@t-online.de> hunted and pecked:
Wesley Vogel
I am so glad to hear that *you* solved it.
> Even i don´t know how a registry-key can lose it´s owner
I don't either. Keep having fun.
--
Hope this helps. Let us know.
Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
In news:eo33ki$44m$01$1...@news.t-online.com,
Werner Tröger <WeT...@t-online.de> hunted and pecked:
Werner Tröger
> I am so glad to hear that *you* solved it.
>
Only because you helped me that far.
Thanks again
Yours
Werner
Wesley Vogel
--
Hope this helps. Let us know.
Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
In news:eo3a8l$8vi$02$1...@news.t-online.com,
Werner Tröger <WeT...@t-online.de> hunted and pecked:
gilesdvg
> Werner,I am so glad to hear that *you* solved it.> Even i don´t know how a registry-key can lose it´s ownerI don't either. Keep having fun.-- Hope this helps. Let us know. WesMS-MVP Windows Shell/UserIn news:eo33ki$44m$01$1...@news.t-online.com, Werner Tröger <WeT...@t-online.de> hunted and pecked: > "Wesley Vogel" <123WVo...@comcast.net> schrieb im Newsbeitrag > news:eAQp4qDN...@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... >> This key should open >> HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\1\Desktop >>>> i found out that the key "1" and "1\Desktop" in > HK_C_U\Software\Windows\Shell\Bags didn´t have a owner! I made my account > (Werner) owning the key "1" and the key "1\Desktop". After that i could > open that folder in registry and my icons are saved too after i change > something.> > Even i don´t know how a registry-key can loose it´s owner - now it works > again.>> Thanks for your help, Wesley.> > Yours> Werner
This did not work,, owner was administrators then my id- did not work eithr way.