Icons were added (and moved) when I installed a second monitor.
 

Full disclosure: this is not a Linux issue. But (more full disclosure) this is where I get the most help so I figured I'd ask anyway.

I added a second monitor to my sister's Window 7 computer. When the installation wizard was done and I rebooted, both monitors came up, but the first monitor (which had about 80% icons on the Desktop) had 100% icons on it and the second monitor had about 20% icons on it. And the icons were all scrambled (from the way she had arranged them).

The icons look right-size so I don't think it's a icon size thing, and, as I said, some icons were added.

I've read some about how adding a second monitor to Windows 7 will randomly scramble the icons.

Well, my sister has sorted the icons out (she uses the computer for business) and is cool with the hassle I've caused. (At least for now.) But what I'm concerned with is when she turns the computer off and then comes back in the morning and turns it back on that icons will be added and scrambled again.

So, my question:

Is there anyway to lock those icons in place? Thanks.

Gregg,

This seems to work.

Just to be safe rather than sorry, make a Boot Repair Disk and make a Backup .iso image to an external drive:

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/5409/...-in-windows-7/

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tuto...n-windows-7-8/


NB It is also vital to backup the current Registry settings:

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/regist...p-registry.htm



Next, type regedit in the Run window, press Enter.

Now go to:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies

Then create Key "Explorer"

Add new DWORD value "NoSaveSettings" and set to 0

To be safe, export: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ and call it noSaveSettingsRestore.reg

Now Reboot.

Taken from here:
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/w...dd?db=5&auth=1

Be very careful!

Beachboy2, thanks so very much for the thorough response (and all the links). I'm going to start slowly, like the MS link suggested, make sure the "auto arrange" is not checked. Just kind of eliminate one thing after another.

I installed another monitor on a Windows 8 computer and it was fine. Not that that helps now. LOL

Thanks for all the backup information too. I'm a little psyched out by how extensive it is (and your warning! LOL) but I will wade into it. The boot repair disk doesn't look too hard anyway.

Thanks again. I really appreciate it.

Gregg,

Yes, it worth seeing if "auto-arrange" is set correctly first. However I suspect that you may well have to use the longer method.

Creating a W7 Boot Repair Disk is easy. It only takes a couple of minutes.

I do strongly recommend also making a Backup .iso image to an external drive. This will take longer but it all depends on how many GBs of data and systems are on the laptop.

In the event of a boot failure or other catastrophe, you simply use the Rescue Disk and the Backup .iso image to get yourself out of jail.

One thing I have learned about Windows over the years is to never rely on Microsoft's automatic repair systems.
They have let me down on more than one occasion.

Always have your own backup systems in place.

Thanks man. I would have no problem doing any of the things you suggest except that it's not my computer (and I have very little confidence in my computer knowledge if there should be a big problem). AND if the computer goes down, the business goes down. So I'm just going to do the baby steps thing. (And pray!)

P.S. I don't trust MS either.

Thanks Beachboy2. I went through a checklist (like the auto-arrange and making sure both monitors had the same resolution etc) and got the monitors working properly. I was really glad to have your method in reserve, though. Thanks very much. :)

Gregg,

Glad to hear that your problem has been fixed via the easier route.

Since your sister's laptop is used for business, I do hope that she has suitable backup in place in the event of theft, fire etc.

Thanks beachboy2. She's got Carbonite. I see what you wrote about a backup disk, iso and registry. I'm thinking the files are what's important. If the computer crashes we could always do system restore.

Gregg,

Excellent.