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.
also...
[[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
Jay said:
I often have to connect a projector to my laptop. Windows XP will resize
the desktop to fit the projector resolution and this rearranges all my
icons.
I'm looking for a method to restore the desktop layout after the projecter
has been disconnected and I have returned the display to its normal
resolution.
Thanks, Jay