Windows 7 desktop icons keep rearranging themselves

Anonymous
2009-10-07T02:55:22+00:00

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.

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Anonymous
2009-10-07T17:38:17+00:00

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.

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Anonymous
2009-10-07T04:51:35+00:00

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...

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  1. Anonymous
    2010-11-03T22:56:10+00:00

    I have 2 but one is for my username and one is the public file.

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  2. Anonymous
    2011-01-11T12:43:39+00:00

    Deleted

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  3. Anonymous
    2011-01-12T02:58:13+00:00

    The above was not supposed to be proposed as an answer this post however is. I hope at least this post helps some. I have come up with a solution for my icon

    movement problem however I'm not entirely sure of how I arrived at this goal, but these are the two simple steps I took. 1st after arranging my desktop icons back to the

    way I wanted them, I right clicked on my desktop highlighted view and unchecked align to grid. Then I repeated the procedure but instead, I rechecked align to grid. 2nd,

    I didn't restart my computer from the start menu. Instead I logged off and the shut down from the lower right side of the login screen. Ever since doing this my desktop

    icons stay exactly where I leave them without having to repeat the procedure. I'm not sure which step solved the problem or if it was the combination of the two but, the

    problem is completely fixed! For how long? I don't know. Will I have to repeat the procedure when I add new icons? I don't know, but fifteen normal (start menu) restarts

    later my icons are exactly where I left them! Hope this helps!

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