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Every few days, all the icons on my Win7 desktop rearrange themselves. Usually they move to the left edge of the screen. I laboriously move all the icons back to where I like them, and 3-10 days later, they all shift left again. I've found no pattern or event that might cause this -- but it's very annoying!
I've got Win7 build 7100 running on a Dell Latitude D830 laptop. Totally standard hardware and very little non-Microsoft software. In short, it's a pretty clean system.
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.
To supplement Reyas.M.I.'s answer, Under View is the option to select the icon size, Auto arrange icons and Align icons to grid. The Sort by option includes Name, Size, Item type and Date modified. I suggest you check both View and Sort by.
Corrine, Microsoft MVP (Consumer Security). This posting is provided "AS IS" without warranty, and confers no rights.
Check whether "Auto Arrange" checked. To check this, right click on desktop and select "Arrange icons by".
I hope this helps.
Thanks and Regards, Reyas...
About a year ago I was having this same problem, but it mainly only happened when I had our TV turned on as a second monitor. Sometimes doing an update would rearrange the icons too. I had really good luck with this program at http://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Freeware/DesktopOK . Now after several various MSI & Microsoft updates later, this problem rarely happens anymore, even when running the dual monitors. I still keep the DesktopOK installed, because I think that it is a handy program to have. My system is: MSI-990FXA-GD80 MB, AMD Phenom (tm) II X4 955 CPU, and 64 bit Windows 7 Pro OS. I also installed almost the same identical setup on an older model MSI desktop and never had this problem on it.
Every few days, all the icons on my Win7 desktop rearrange themselves. Usually they move to the left edge of the screen. I laboriously move all the icons back to where I like them, and 3-10 days later, they all shift left again. I've found no pattern or event that might cause this -- but it's very annoying!
I've got Win7 build 7100 running on a Dell Latitude D830 laptop. Totally standard hardware and very little non-Microsoft software. In short, it's a pretty clean system.
Same problem is still in Windows 8 (x64) and its driving me bonkers.
Did you find a fix?
I even tried alternative desktop programs; but Microsoft are determined to annoy as many customers as possible by ensuring the icons always get re-arranged at random times. It can be two weeks before it does it again, and just when I get my confidence
back in a Microsoft product..... but then MICROSOFT LET ME (THE CUSTOMER) DOWN AGAIN.
Finally on one of my (i7 3D) laptops, I installed LinuxMint 16, and it NEVER EVER causes my desktop icons to go walkabout. Happy with that.
Its a pity Microsoft coders spend so much time in the toilet rather than fixing problems customers have been asking to be fixed for decades.
Windows 7 Icon Solution:
If you are in the habit of turning the computer on, as it boots up you remember to turn on your monitor. Result: Icons will change location. The booting up process, windows looks for mouse, keyboard and of course a monitor. When it does not see a monitor it boots in default mode, resulting in icons changing location. To resolve the problem, always turn on the monitor first, then turn on the computer.
