Desktop icon positions

[Neil Howie]

Is there a file or a part of the registry I can backup to save the
position of my desktop icons? I am having problems setting up my display
adapter and when I restore my screen, the icons get auto arranged and
not where I left them.

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Desktop Layout is saved here...

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\1\Desktop

If you export the above key before messing around with the Desktop
arrangement, when you want the original layout back just merge the exported
key back into the registry. You will have to kill explorer.exe and restart
it for the merged key to refresh the Desktop.

To kill explorer and restart it.

Open the Task Manager...
Ctrl + Shift + Escape | Click on the Processes tab | Locate and highlight
explorer.exe | Right click explorer.exe | Click End Process | Click
Yes to the Task Manager Warning that pops up | Click File on the Toolbar |
Click New Task (Run...) | Type in: explorer | Click OK

End Process on explorer.exe will make your Desktop, Taskbar and all programs
disappear. This can be startling. Restarting explorer will bring
everything back.

This can fix/restore/reinitialize/refresh a lot of things.
--------

But one of the following might be a better deal. Less screwing around.

[[Icons - Lock on Desktop
"In Windows 95/98/NT/2000/ME/XP you can lock down the position of the
Desktop icons using a couple of files from the MS Windows NT 4.0 Resource
Kit.]]
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_i.htm

[[Microsoft's Layout.dll (free) file, which is included in the Windows NT
Resource Kit, can be installed on Windows 2000 and XP systems. This adds the
Save Desktop Icon Layout and Restore Desktop Icon Layout options to the
pop-up menus associated with system icons like the Recycle Bin and My
Computer. It's a bare-bones solution that lacks the useful frills found in
EzDesk, but it gets the job done.]]
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1593475,00.asp

zipped layout.dll direct download..
http://www.nthelp.com/proggy/layout.zip

[[Make Desktop Icons Stay in Place
1. Download the zip file that comes from the Windows NT 4.0 Resource Kit.
Don't worry! It'll work with your Windows XP machine.
2. Copy the files in the .zip file onto the desktop. Then place Layout.dll
in your WINDOWS\System32 directory.
3. After the layout.dll is in the right directory, double click on the
layout.reg file.
4. Right click on the My Computer icon on your desktop. You should see two
new commands: Save Desktop Icon Layout and Restore Desktop Icon Layout.
Use them to save and restore your icon arrangement. ]]
http://www.wxpnews.com/index.cfm?id=52

EzDesk Shareware - Manage your Desktop Icons
http://home.comcast.net/~ezwaretech/

They have a free evaluation copy. And if it does want you want, it might be
worth 15 bucks.

About EzDesk Version 1.8
http://home.comcast.net/~ezwaretech/ezdesk_about.html

If you find EzDesk useful and use it regularly please consider registering
it. The registration cost is $15.00 (U.S. funds: cash, check, or money
order). The registration form can be found inside the EzDesk package.


--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Neil Howie]

Many thanks. That works a treat. Really helpful and detailed reply.

--
Neil

Anti-spam - Domain is really oakleaf # idps ~ co + uk (change symbols to
dots)




| Desktop Layout is saved here...
|
| HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\1\Desktop
|
| If you export the above key before messing around with the Desktop
| arrangement, when you want the original layout back just merge the
exported
| key back into the registry. You will have to kill explorer.exe and
restart
| it for the merged key to refresh the Desktop.
|
| To kill explorer and restart it.
|
| Open the Task Manager...
| Ctrl + Shift + Escape | Click on the Processes tab | Locate and
highlight
| explorer.exe | Right click explorer.exe | Click End Process | Click
| Yes to the Task Manager Warning that pops up | Click File on the
Toolbar |
| Click New Task (Run...) | Type in: explorer | Click OK
|
| End Process on explorer.exe will make your Desktop, Taskbar and all
programs
| disappear. This can be startling. Restarting explorer will bring
| everything back.
|
| This can fix/restore/reinitialize/refresh a lot of things.
| --------
|
| But one of the following might be a better deal. Less screwing
around.
|
| [[Icons - Lock on Desktop
| "In Windows 95/98/NT/2000/ME/XP you can lock down the position of the
| Desktop icons using a couple of files from the MS Windows NT 4.0
Resource
| Kit.]]
| http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_i.htm
|
| [[Microsoft's Layout.dll (free) file, which is included in the Windows
NT
| Resource Kit, can be installed on Windows 2000 and XP systems. This
adds the
| Save Desktop Icon Layout and Restore Desktop Icon Layout options to
the
| pop-up menus associated with system icons like the Recycle Bin and My
| Computer. It's a bare-bones solution that lacks the useful frills
found in
| EzDesk, but it gets the job done.]]
| http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1593475,00.asp
|
| zipped layout.dll direct download..
| http://www.nthelp.com/proggy/layout.zip
|
| [[Make Desktop Icons Stay in Place
| 1. Download the zip file that comes from the Windows NT 4.0 Resource
Kit.
| Don't worry! It'll work with your Windows XP machine.
| 2. Copy the files in the .zip file onto the desktop. Then place
Layout.dll
| in your WINDOWS\System32 directory.
| 3. After the layout.dll is in the right directory, double click on
the
| layout.reg file.
| 4. Right click on the My Computer icon on your desktop. You should
see two
| new commands: Save Desktop Icon Layout and Restore Desktop Icon
Layout.
| Use them to save and restore your icon arrangement. ]]
| http://www.wxpnews.com/index.cfm?id=52
|
| EzDesk Shareware - Manage your Desktop Icons
| http://home.comcast.net/~ezwaretech/
|
| They have a free evaluation copy. And if it does want you want, it
might be
| worth 15 bucks.
|
| About EzDesk Version 1.8
| http://home.comcast.net/~ezwaretech/ezdesk_about.html
|
| If you find EzDesk useful and use it regularly please consider
registering
| it. The registration cost is $15.00 (U.S. funds: cash, check, or money
| order). The registration form can be found inside the EzDesk package.
|
|
| --
| Hope this helps. Let us know.
|
| Wes
| MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
|
| In | Neil Howie <[email protected]> hunted and pecked:
| > Is there a file or a part of the registry I can backup to save the
| > position of my desktop icons? I am having problems setting up my
display
| > adapter and when I restore my screen, the icons get auto arranged
and
| > not where I left them.
| >
| > --
| > Neil
| >
| > Anti-spam - Domain is really oakleaf # idps ~ co + uk (change
symbols to
| > dots)
|

 

[Wesley Vogel]

You're welcome, Neil. Keep having dun.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

Many thanks. That works a treat. Really helpful and detailed reply.

--
Neil

Anti-spam - Domain is really oakleaf # idps ~ co + uk (change symbols to
dots)

Desktop Layout is saved here...

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\1\Desktop

If you export the above key before messing around with the Desktop
arrangement, when you want the original layout back just merge the
exported key back into the registry. You will have to kill explorer.exe
and restart it for the merged key to refresh the Desktop.

To kill explorer and restart it.

Open the Task Manager...
Ctrl + Shift + Escape | Click on the Processes tab | Locate and highlight
explorer.exe | Right click explorer.exe | Click End Process | Click
Yes to the Task Manager Warning that pops up | Click File on the Toolbar
| Click New Task (Run...) | Type in: explorer | Click OK

End Process on explorer.exe will make your Desktop, Taskbar and all
programs disappear. This can be startling. Restarting explorer will
bring everything back.

This can fix/restore/reinitialize/refresh a lot of things.
--------

But one of the following might be a better deal. Less screwing around.

[[Icons - Lock on Desktop
"In Windows 95/98/NT/2000/ME/XP you can lock down the position of the
Desktop icons using a couple of files from the MS Windows NT 4.0 Resource
Kit.]]
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_i.htm

[[Microsoft's Layout.dll (free) file, which is included in the Windows NT
Resource Kit, can be installed on Windows 2000 and XP systems. This adds
the Save Desktop Icon Layout and Restore Desktop Icon Layout options to
the pop-up menus associated with system icons like the Recycle Bin and My
Computer. It's a bare-bones solution that lacks the useful frills found
in EzDesk, but it gets the job done.]]
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1593475,00.asp

zipped layout.dll direct download..
http://www.nthelp.com/proggy/layout.zip

[[Make Desktop Icons Stay in Place
1. Download the zip file that comes from the Windows NT 4.0 Resource
Kit. Don't worry! It'll work with your Windows XP machine.
2. Copy the files in the .zip file onto the desktop. Then place
Layout.dll in your WINDOWS\System32 directory.
3. After the layout.dll is in the right directory, double click on the
layout.reg file.
4. Right click on the My Computer icon on your desktop. You should see
two new commands: Save Desktop Icon Layout and Restore Desktop Icon
Layout. Use them to save and restore your icon arrangement. ]]
http://www.wxpnews.com/index.cfm?id=52

EzDesk Shareware - Manage your Desktop Icons
http://home.comcast.net/~ezwaretech/

They have a free evaluation copy. And if it does want you want, it
might be worth 15 bucks.

About EzDesk Version 1.8
http://home.comcast.net/~ezwaretech/ezdesk_about.html

If you find EzDesk useful and use it regularly please consider
registering it. The registration cost is $15.00 (U.S. funds: cash,
check, or money order). The registration form can be found inside the
EzDesk package.


--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

Is there a file or a part of the registry I can backup to save the
position of my desktop icons? I am having problems setting up my display
adapter and when I restore my screen, the icons get auto arranged and
not where I left them.

--
Neil

Anti-spam - Domain is really oakleaf # idps ~ co + uk (change symbols to
dots)