Annoyance: file copied to folder on desktop moves!

[tzdvl]

Hi, all,

I recently got a new computer with Windows7, coming from a Windows XP system.

I would like to find a solution to an annoying Windows 7 behavior (after a thorough session of Googling)...

When I copy/paste a file on my desktop into a folder located elsewhere on my desktop, the copied file's icon moves so that it is located where the folder icon was, and the folder jumps down so that it ends up below the file icon.

To clarify - I often work with several files at a time, making modifications to each one. To keep track of the files I've modified, I arrange them in groups on my desktop. Often I will want to transfer the modified files to my other computer. I usually create a temporary folder on the desktop to hold copies of the modified files.

If I right-click a file (or group of files), select copy, then right-click the folder and select paste, the file is copied into the folder as expected, but the icons for the copied files physically move across the desktop to end up immediately above receiving folder, which drops down to the "grid" position below.

If the receiving folder is not isolated (that is, it's surrounded by other icons), the file and folder both move to a location that allows the copied file's icon to be located above (or sometimes below) the folder.

Is this normal behavior for Windows 7?

Is it possible to "fix" the system so that copied files "stay put"?

Thanks!

 

[whs]

In short - files don't really belong on the desktop.

 

[tzdvl]

Awwww, come ON!

Why have a desktop (you know, the top surface of your desk where you DO things...) if you can't temporarily locate files there to work on them? Is it just for pretty pictures?

My desktop is CLEAR unless I'm working with several files at once.

I just want to be able to place a TEMPORARY folder on the desktop (upper right corner, for example), TEMPORARILY arrange copies of my working files in a logical order somewhere on the desktop, and copy/paste modified files into the folder without the copied files' icons jumping clear across the desktop to surround the folder!

Rant over...

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

In short - files don't really belong on the desktop.

Maybe not permanently but the desktop is a convenient place to temporarily park them, especially if you need them to be highly visible.

To keep files, icons, etc. on the desktop from moving around after you move them where you want them, right click on a blank spot on the desktop and, on the menu that pops up, click on Refresh. That will nail the restless little buggers down.

 

[tzdvl]

Thanks, Jeannie, but refreshing the desktop doesn't prevent the behavior I'm asking about.

Some screenshots:

Is this normal behavior for Windows 7?

I've searched the web and consulted several Win7 reference books, and I can't even find ONE mention of this behavior, let alone a solution, setting or tweak to prevent it!

 

[Computer0304]

In short - files don't really belong on the desktop.

Maybe not permanently but the desktop is a convenient place to temporarily park them, especially if you need them to be highly visible.

To keep files, icons, etc. on the desktop from moving around after you move them where you want them, right click on a blank spot on the desktop and, on the menu that pops up, click on Refresh. That will nail the restless little buggers down.

The desktop should be used only if you need files to be easily accessible. Also that is definitely not normal behavior. Try this:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html

 

[derekimo]

In short - files don't really belong on the desktop.

Maybe not permanently but the desktop is a convenient place to temporarily park them, especially if you need them to be highly visible.

To keep files, icons, etc. on the desktop from moving around after you move them where you want them, right click on a blank spot on the desktop and, on the menu that pops up, click on Refresh. That will nail the restless little buggers down.

The desktop should be used only if you need files to be easily accessible. Also that is definitely not normal behavior. Try this:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html

It's his desktop, if he wants to put files there that's his choice. Putting files on the desktop is not the cause of the problem.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Using the desktop to park files in the past could be risky when using some programs (I can't remember exactly why)—they would be subject to being accidentally deleted—but, apparently, it isn't nearly the issue it used to be anymore. I used to do it all the time until I switched to an SSD for my boot drive. Now I park the file in its final destination on a spinner and put a shortcut on the desktop to avoid excessive writes to the SSD (I know, I'm being paranoid).

I have two computers, one running Win 7 Home Premium and the other Ultimate, and the Refresh trick works every time so I suspect something else is going and your wandering files are an unexpected side effect of that something else. At this point, I'm stumped. Sorry!

 

[tzdvl]

Also that is definitely not normal behavior. Try this:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html

A few observations:

First: scannow / System File Checker finds no problems.
System Diagnostics "Health Report" (Windows Resource and Performance Monitor) shows 100% passed, with no errors.
Dell System Diagnostics (run from utility partition) also shows no problems.

Second: this (two month old) computer has exhibited the same behavior since day one.

ALSO, my brother has a similar Dell Win7 Home Premium system, bought at about the same time, and it does the same thing! Files copied to a folder placed elsewhere on the desktop "jump" to a location above that folder at the same time the folder icon "changes" to reflect that it contains a file.


A request to those of you who have apparently NEVER worked with files/folders on the desktop...

Could you humor me, and TRY to reproduce what I'm writing about? Just create a new file (.txt, for instance) and place it in the upper left of your desktop. Then create a new empty folder at the lower right. (Then, just for the heck of it, go ahead and refresh the desktop ) Then right-click-copy the file and right-click-paste it into the empty folder. Does the copied file "jump" to a location just above the folder when you click paste?

Thanks for any further advice - I simply don't see any evidence of any other problems on this system. Works like a dream, except for the desktop-copy thing!

 

[derekimo]

A request to those of you who have apparently NEVER worked with files/folders on the desktop...

Could you humor me, and TRY to reproduce what I'm writing about? Just create a new file (.txt, for instance) and place it in the upper left of your desktop. Then create a new empty folder at the lower right. (Then, just for the heck of it, go ahead and refresh the desktop ) Then right-click-copy the file and right-click-paste it into the empty folder. Does the copied file "jump" to a location just above the folder when you click paste?

Thanks for any further advice - I simply don't see any evidence of any other problems on this system. Works like a dream, except for the desktop-copy thing!

OK, I just tried to reproduce what you asked (exactly) and I do not get the same results.

I created a new folder in lower right and 4 .txt files in the upper left.

My results with auto arrange and align icons to grid both unchecked were not the same as yours.

Refresh does nothing, but when right clicking and copy then paste in the folder it moves the file to the folder.

A refresh after the move does nothing again.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

A request to those of you who have apparently NEVER worked with files/folders on the desktop...

Could you humor me, and TRY to reproduce what I'm writing about? Just create a new file (.txt, for instance) and place it in the upper left of your desktop. Then create a new empty folder at the lower right. (Then, just for the heck of it, go ahead and refresh the desktop ) Then right-click-copy the file and right-click-paste it into the empty folder. Does the copied file "jump" to a location just above the folder when you click paste?

Thanks for any further advice - I simply don't see any evidence of any other problems on this system. Works like a dream, except for the desktop-copy thing!

Ok, I have worked with files/folders on the desktop—quite a bit, in fact—but I tried what you requested as requested and in varying positions. Son of a gun if the little buggers didn't jump, duplicate, and engage in all sorts of interesting behavior. I've never encountered this before but, apparently, I never did a copy paste of a file on the desktop into a folder on the desktop before (I have no idea why I would want to; that's not to say you don't have a valid reason for it). I did try dragging and dropping the file to the folder, then copying the file from within the folder and pasting it back onto the desktop; everything stayed put like good little files and folders should.

 

[lehnerus2000]

I have encountered a similar issue on one of my VMs (not on my other VMs or my physical install).
The Desktop "View" options were shown as being correctly set, but for some unknown reason Windows was ignoring that setting.

My problem was fixed by toggling the options, rebooting and then resetting the desired options.

​

Try changing the "View" and "Sort by" options, rebooting your PC and then resetting those options.

 

[tzdvl]

Try changing the "View" and "Sort by" options, rebooting your PC and then resetting those options.

Thanks for the suggestion - changed my settings (usually: medium icons; align to grid checked; auto arrange unchecked; no sort preference selected) and rebooted, then reset to my preferred settings. No change. Files still "jump" when copied.

For the record: The files "jump" and cause the folder to move even when pasted into the folder any number of times. When I copy/paste the file into the folder again, on each subsequent paste I get the expected copy/replace dialog box, and the folder moves down again. Weird! I can get the files/folder to inch their way down the desktop by repeatedly paste -paste -pasting!

Actually MOVING the file into the folder (by dragging or CUT/paste) does not move the folder.

Copying by right-click-dragging the file into the folder DOES cause the jump.

 

[Ranger4]

I do not have individual files on the desktop or use any drag & drop, or cut & paste files to the desktop.

I have a folder in my Documents Library named what I want it to be & save my files that apply to that folder. Then I right click on that folder & select Send to Desktop (create shortcut). When I need a file I just double click the folder on the desktop & it immediately opens my folder in Documents & I select the file I want. This keeps my desktop neat & tidy & by using align to grid the folder is always in the same position.

This may fix your problem as it's very easy to set up & use.

 

[UsernameIssues]

In short - files don't really belong on the desktop.

Shortcuts are files. Maybe you meant to say that folders don't belong on the desktop. Don't look at my desktop


tzdvl,
I've run into this too...
...it is annoying
...I don't know of a fix :-(

 

[BrightBlessings]

Mine does the same thing, don't know why as it was not doing it untill last week, but only with text files and internet shortcuts, music and video clips copy and paste OK on my pc, all files drag and drop into folders as well with no drama. This wont fix the problem but it will put files where you want them to be.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/516-context-menu-add-copy-folder-move-folder.html

 

[tzdvl]

Thanks UsernameIssues!

A video is worth a thousand words!

Mine does the same thing, don't know why as it was not doing it untill last week, but only with text files and internet shortcuts, music and video clips copy and paste OK on my pc, all files drag and drop into folders as well with no drama. This wont fix the problem but it will put files where you want them to be.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/516-context-menu-add-copy-folder-move-folder.html

It's only copy > paste that moves the icons (right-button > drag > select copy file here also causes the jump). Actually MOVING the file into the folder via CUT > Paste or drag > drop works fine.

I can think of a bunch of ways to "work around" this problem, some of which have been suggested above.

Still, sometimes I'd like to be able to work with temporary files and folders on my desktop without things scooting around...

Maybe I've discovered a BUG!

Now, does anyone know of a fix?

 

[UsernameIssues]

You are welcome.

I did the copy/paste operation dozens of times. Eventually, one of them worked without repositioning the folder and files. Once that happened, the reposition issue did not occur for subsequent copy/paste operations. If I manually moved the folder to a new position on the desktop, then the repositioning issue started all over again; but again, it eventually stopped. I can only guess that this issue eventually stops because something eventually records the position of each desktop item.

Using the right-click---drag/drop/copy method repositioned the folder sometimes, but it most often did not (at least for me).

I have a gut feeling that this issue is impacted by video drivers - thus, some users may never experience it. I tested using various themes - that does not seem to be related to the issue (at least for me).

I noticed this issue when I first transitioned to W7. It was one of many annoyances. I doubt that MS will ever fix/change this, especially if it is related to the video driver.

 

[andrew129260]

Programs do strange things and can affect things like this. For the people who have the issue, we could compare startup programs and see if there is a common dominator.


Edit: I am able to reproduce the issue as well. I only have 2 startup programs, and that is Panda antivirus and malwarebytes pro. So don't think that is it.

There is always alternatives, such as fences or rocketdock to pin desktop items and keep them locked in their position.

http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/desktop-customization-tools/

:EDIT: Correction. It does happen in safe mode and clean boot.

 

[UsernameIssues]

A clean boot is not needed in this VM.

It also happens on a VM without updates - only SP1.