Desktop.ini icon wandering

[Ned Seagoon]

I have two greyed file icons called Desktop.ini on my desktop, I have my system set to show hidden files, (I prefer to know what's there). However sometimes on boot one of these icons will move to a different location on the desktop and disrupt my other icons, making a mess of what I want on the desktop.

How can I stop this random wandering by a desktop.ini icon?

[Digerati]

Just delete them. desktop.ini files are not needed. That is an unwanted side effect of having "show hidden files" enabled.

These files are used by Windows when you customize the display/view properties of a folder - and the desktop is basically a folder. Fortunately, Windows saves the desktop configuration separately so you can safely delete the desktop.ini folder from the desktop and keep your other custom desktop settings, as well as custom view settings of any other folder you changed.

HOWEVER, next time you change your desktop view, Windows will recreate desktop.ini and it again might move your other icons about. Other actions can move your icons too. Some Windows Updates include file updates that affect/reset icon position. I have had graphics driver updates change them too.

I feel your pain here. I use two monitors and have various icons located exactly where I want them. So I find it frustrating to have them moved about. As long as "show hidden files" is enabled, you cannot prevent this from happening or from messing up your other icons. But there is a pretty easy workaround that I use.

Download and install DesktopOK. Organize your desktop icons just the way you like them. Then run DesktopOK and Save your Desktop. You can then exit the program or keep it running minimized to your Notification/System tray. I exit it then just call it up again from the Start menu when I need it again.

Then next time your icon positions get scrambled, run DesktopOK and "Restore" your previously saved Desktop and you are good to go.

[Ned Seagoon]

Thanks for that, I'll give it a go.