bug: auto-arranges despite being switched off [Windows Explorer]

[Guest]

Hi,

To reproduce this bug:

Create a folder with the auto-arrange option switched off (under View->Arrange Icons by...).

Now, drag and drop a few different icons into this folder (don't drag and drop folders, as they seem to work OK).

Sometimes they will stay where you drop them; and sometimes they will be added as if auto-arrange was switched on (that is, they will be placed neear the top right-hand corner, if room is available).

The behavor can differ for exactly the same icon, if you move it back and forth between the desktop and the folder a few times. It seems that icons that represent folders are always placed correctly.


WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT
My desktop gets messy, and I would like to use folders as virtual desktops, with different categories of icons within them. The physical placement is very important for me, because it helps me to find things. I would like to be able to
select a group of icons on the desktoip, and shift them into a folder, while retaining their placement relative to each other.

I'm using Windows XP Professional:
Version 5.1 (Build 2600.xpsp2.030422-1633 : Service Pack 1)
and I've installed many of the auto-update patches.



Thanks for any help with this.
Brendan

BTW: Is there a way to report a bug to Microsoft?

 

[Guest]

I forgot to mention: View as Icons:

The folder needs to be set to viewing as "Icons" (ie, not Details, List, Tiles, or Thumbnails).



BTW: this bug doesn't occur in List, because that is always has a kind of aut0-arrange built in (although it doesn't have it as a specific option).

 

[Guest]

This seems to only happen when the folder is on the desktop

A workaround is to create the folder somewhere else, and place a shortcut to it on the desktop

This seems to have solved the problem

I'm really surprised that Microsoft didn't bother to even reply to this bug report. No wonder everyone hates them so much.