[exuberance]

I have a dell mini 9 running windows xp. I like the mini alot
but one thing is really bugging me. I set up the icons on the
desktop in an arrangement I like. When I shut down and then power
up the computer the icons are back in a previous arrangement
(not all on the left side).

I can't get the arrangement of icons on the desktop to stay
put once I power down the mini.

So far I tried-

1. Scanning for viruses using symantec antivirus (updated
to today's date).

2. Scanning with Malwarebytes (also updated to today's date).

3. When I left click on the desktop only "align to grid" and
"show desktop icons" are checked.

I have another mini 9 which does not have this issue- but I can't
see any difference in settings between the two machines.

Any suggestions appreciated!

[holmes4]

Probably you've got BIOS A00. This had a resolution issue that could cause this behavior. Update to A02 or later (A05 is current) to resolve it.

[exuberance]

Originally Posted by holmes4

Probably you've got BIOS A00. This had a resolution issue that could cause this behavior. Update to A02 or later (A05 is current) to resolve it.

Thanks Steve. I checked the version of the bios (by tapping 2 at startup) and it turns
out it is A04. Any other suggestions?

[holmes4]

Does this happen if you log off and log on again, without shutting down?

[exuberance]

Originally Posted by holmes4

Does this happen if you log off and log on again, without shutting down?

If I set up the icons and then shut down the mini then the next time
I turn on the computer the icons revert back to an older
arrangement of icons. I.e. I set up the icons as

A B C D E F

then shut down the mini. When I turn it back on they are
arranged as


A

B C

D E F

[holmes4]

Well, that's not what I asked.

[exuberance]

Originally Posted by holmes4

Well, that's not what I asked.

No- it does not happen if I log off and then log on- the arrangement
is as I left it. It happens when I turn it off and then turn it on.

[holmes4]

Ok. Then I still think there is a resolution change issue. There was some startup program (ifxgrs or something like that) which had been running to "reset" the resolution. If you have BIOS A04, you can remove that from the startup list. I don't know if that will solve your problem.

[exuberance]

I never bothered to hunt down a fix. However, the other day I connected my dell mini 9 to a projector in a classroom and while it was connected I happened to move an icon to another spot on the desktop. Sure enough the next time I turned on the machine the icon was in the new spot. I then moved all the icons to where I want them (while the mini was attached to the projector) and now after turning the machine on and off several times they are staying put- even though the mini is no longer connected to the projector. Yet another instance of "solving" a problem without any idea of what is going on.

[scharlaud]

I used to have the problem of scrambled desktop icons. There are programs out there to save icon positions so with a couple clicks your desktop is back to normal.

See this site for more information

How to save your desktop icon layout in Windows XP