Solved Need help with Desktop icons rearranging themselves

[maddock34]

It seems that after either playing a game, game being anything from windowed like Minecraft to full screen like L4D, or connecting/disconnected my TV/second monitor my icons will rearrange (I haven't ascertained as to the cause at the time of posting but will update when possible). It won't be a full scale re-organisation but several icons will switched or moved around. For example I have icons A, B,C ,D and E arranged vertical on the left in alphabetical order, I connect my TV and return to the desktop to find A moved with C, D below E and B will be unchanged. My desktop view settings are; Small icons, align to grid, show desktop icons, show desktop gadgets.


Any help is appreciated, thanks.



Update: it seems to be when I attach my second monitor, I don't know when this started but I've only noticed it in the past week or so

 

[Layback Bear]

Welcome to our Forum.
Let me see if I can help you.
Uncheck align to grid. Put your Icons where you want them and select Refresh.
Make sure you don't have auto arrange selected.

Now here is something that happens to me with my 40 in T.V. but I don't know why.
If I boot my computer before I turn on the T.V. or 2nd screen the Icons are all over the place.
Just make sure you T.V. or monitor is on before you boot and see if that helps.

What happens when playing games I can't help you on. I'm not a gamer.

When you have a problem with your Icons, check your settings to see if something has changed them. Sometimes when going in and out of Safe Mode you will have to do all your personalization over again.

 

[Slartybart]

Since you arrange alphabetically, select sort by name.

 

[maddock34]

Since you arrange alphabetically, select sort by name.

Thanks for input but that was just as an example, I don't actually arrange alphabetically

 

[maddock34]

Welcome to our Forum.
Let me see if I can help you.
Uncheck align to grid. Put your Icons where you want them and select Refresh.
Make sure you don't have auto arrange selected.

Now here is something that happens to me with my 40 in T.V. but I don't know why.
If I boot my computer before I turn on the T.V. or 2nd screen the Icons are all over the place.
Just make sure you T.V. or monitor is on before you boot and see if that helps.

What happens when playing games I can't help you on. I'm not a gamer.

When you have a problem with your Icons, check your settings to see if something has changed them. Sometimes when going in and out of Safe Mode you will have to do all your personalization over again.

Thanks for he help, I'll give it a try and update momentarily

Update: That may have solved it, I've connected/disconnected my TV several times and that they aren't being rearranged from that anymore. Should it happen after I reboot I'll reopen the thread (if you can do that (not used these forums before))

Thanks

 

[Slartybart]

..... For example I have icons A, B,C ,D and E arranged vertical on the left in alphabetical order .....

Since you arrange alphabetically, select sort by name.

Thanks for input but that was just as an example, I don't actually arrange alphabetically

I could have sworn that you said....

Glad you have it sorted, kudos to Layback.

 

[geekeeguy]

Remarkably this issue is still there with Windows 10.


This was a big issue for us when switching or turning off monitors windows and desktop icons kept rearranging on a single monitor and things would get scrambled when switching a monitor back on.

We tried windows and driver settings even registry mods, with no luck.
You may want to consider a cheap hardware adapter.

Look up "monitor detect killer device"
This cheap device took care of the monitor auto-detect issue for us.


No drivers to set... woot!

 

[RoWin7]

I'll put my 2c in for posterity: with Win7, I use the little utility Desktop Restore. It registers the positions of the icons, and right-clicking on a system folder on the desktop, like Computer or Recycle Bin, brings it all back.