Desktop icons move- multiple monitors

Anonymous

I am using Windows 7 64-bit on a laptop that I connect to an external monitor each day at work. Because the external monitor is higher resolution, the desktop extends beyond the area of the laptop monitor. When I arrange my icons on the external monitor desktop, and then later restart my computer without the external monitor, my icons get completely jumbled around. When I then plug in the external again, I have to spend 5 minutes rearranging my desktop. This is getting very aggravating. The only partially successful solution I've found so far is to hit F8 to change the monitor selection and then put the computer to sleep, rather than shutting down. This works sometimes, but is not optimal and occasionally fails. What I want to do is lock the icons in place so they don't move around when I change monitors. Any suggestions?

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

Hi Genefreak,

This issue might occur if the “Auto Arrange Icons” option has been checked.

Step 1: Let’s try to uncheck this option first and then arrange the icons by grid and check if the issue persists.

Follow this step to do the same.

1. Right click on an empty space on the Desktop-> Click on View.

2. Uncheck the option “Auto Arrange Icons”.

3. Check the option for “Align the icons to grid”.

Check if the issue persists now.

Step 2: Also I would suggest you to reduce the resolution of the monitor so that it will not extend beyond the display area.

Change your screen resolution

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Change-your-screen-resolution

Additional reference on:

Work and play better with multiple monitors

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/work-and-play-better-with-multiple-monitors

Regards,

Divya R – Microsoft Support.

0 comments

42 additional answers

Anonymous

2017-11-07T00:06:12+00:00

Why is this marked as an answer? I know that MS favour its own advice over actual useful advice, but this is becoming ridiculous. No wonder this alleged 'support' system fails to help so many people.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2017-11-07T00:01:13+00:00

So your solution to Microsoft's shoddy coding is for ME to change the way I work??

Seriously, you people need to take a long hard look at yourselves. The issue occurs because of a BUG in Windows 10 (one of the many!). Being as we actually have a legal right to support, one has to wonder if this actually qualifies as thus. I shall be asking my legal team to look into that. Enough is enough. This half-finished piece of crap does not suit the purposes for which it was BOUGHT, but lets face it, Windows 10 wasn't built for people, it was built for Microsoft. I find it very disturbing that a lot of our world's business (and even infrastructure) uses a half-finished, badly-designed and highly insecure Operating System at its core.

In the meantime, every time I go to work, I waste half an hour re-organising my computer back to the way that I, the user, prefer.

p.s. I know you are shaking your head at the 'insecure' bit, but are you people in for a shock in the next few months! You've been kind enough to create the perfect environment for multi-device malware to be injected into hundreds of millions of devices. You people are morons, and deserve everything that's coming for you. The continued ignorance of Microsoft regards its customer's frustrations show quite clearly that your company doesn't deserve its position of power, and needs to be toppled. And it shall be. (not by me...I wouldn't be stupid enough to give you my email address and then go on to commit a criminal act, but luckily enough, there are many who will, and you should expect them! It won't make a jot of difference, but still...)
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments