Desktop icons move from main screen to extended screen monitor

Anonymous
2013-10-10T13:38:33+00:00

I have been using this setup with my laptop for 18 months so I am familiar with extended screen usage.  Two days ago a problem started.  I have a laptop with 17" screen set to the Main Display plus a 22" not checked to be the Main Display.  Screen Resolution > Multiple Displays = Extend these displays.  Desktop right click > View > Auto Arrange is Not checked.  Sort By options are unchecked.  Personalization > Allow themes to change desktop icons is Not checked.

I have all my desktop icons arranged on the laptop screen which is set to be Main Display.

New Problem: 

When I plug the extended monitor cable into the laptop or when I fresh bootup or if I had changed the Appearance settings from extended to duplicate or to the external 22" to be off and then turn it back to being extended, any of those things, to basically use the 2nd monitor as extended will cause all the desktop icons to move to the extended 22" screen space.  They are supposed to stay anchored to the laptop Main screen since that is how it is allocated.  This worked fine until two days ago and I was not playing with any settings before it happened.

If I unplug the external monitor or set it to be unused or as a duplicate image then the icons return to the main laptop monitor.

I use a freeware IconRestorer to save and restore the last saved desktop layout.  Since this problem started it restores to the extended monitor not back to the laptop main screen like it had previously.  I have killed IconRestorer from the background to see if it was causing the problem and it had no affect.

With the icons showing on the extended 22" monitor and I unplug the video cable for it the icons move to the laptop screen however they are rearranged.  Each time I try that the icons form a different layout and order on the laptop screen. 

I can then run IconRestorer with the 22" still unplugged from the laptop and all the icons will be restored properly.  So I conclude IconRestorer is working fine.  The problem seems to be that Win 7 thinks the Laptop screen is not the main screen even though it is checked as to be the main screen.

Once only while repeating these various steps, after the icons are restored with the 2nd monitor unplugged, then plug it back in all looks fine but if I do the IconRestorer restore all the icons again get placed to the extended 22" screen.  Usually plugging the extended monitor back in causes the icons to jump to that monitor.

Note that when the laptop is checked to be the Main screen the taskbar is located on the laptop monitor so it only partially thinks the extended screen should be the main screen.  If I set the extended 22" as the Main screen then the task bar jumps to the extended screen and all the desktop icons come back to the laptop screen.

It never worked like that before.  I also am running win 7 on desktop with 4 monitors and all icons being on main screen at far left and that still works fine including the use of IconRestorer.

***Post moved by the moderator to the appropriate forum category.***

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Files, folders, and storage

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  1. Anonymous
    2018-03-20T02:34:10+00:00

    TeeHeeHee!!! ;-) ;-) ;-)

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  2. Anonymous
    2017-11-13T14:17:43+00:00

    Sorry ArmandoPorras, your solution has to do with a single monitor in Tablet/Desktop Mode.

    Thanks for your input, I'm sure this will help someone with tiles taking replacing the desktop.

    Regards PolarKev

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  3. Anonymous
    2017-09-26T23:51:07+00:00

    Went through a whole whack of forums with this problem and I still couldn’t get a fix. Frustrated I tried this procedure on desktop #2 which the icons moved to.

    1. On a clean area of desktop 2, do 1 left mouse click to make the desktop active.
    2. Keyboard, ctrl+A (= Select all)
    3. Mouse, pick a hilighted icon and drag to desktop 1

    That what worked for me.

    Sorry just realized this was answered when I hit post and it went to the end. Sorry

    ST

    StewartShane who had the answer already.

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  4. Anonymous
    2017-02-27T14:58:59+00:00

    I have had the same issue on HDMI connected monitors with Windows 7 and ANY connected monitor in Windows 10. The best solution I have found was using an old program called Fences by Stardock. It keeps all your icons in a neat little area. 

    This is a huge MS Fail if you ask me.

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  5. Anonymous
    2016-07-25T00:08:38+00:00

    I have had the same problem.  I finally fixed it and I do not know how.  But yesterday I had to reset the PC.  too many strange things happening so it was start over time and guess what.  The display problem came back.  I have my main display (HP using VGA port) always being identified as display 2.  The extended display is the TV with an HDMI connection.  Even with the TV off (the sound bar is always on so the computer may think there is a device there) the TV is display number 1.  I can not see how to fix display 2 as number one.  So I have to use display 2 only and as you say, the desktop icons disappear to the not used TV.  I got them back by selecting auto sort then arranging them as I like on the display I normally use.  

    Very upsetting to not be able to select the principal display.

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