Windows Vista - Icons locked and overlapping vertically. Help!

OCDP · #1 03-25-2009, 08:21 PM

I couldn't figure out a good title.. I have encountered a very strange, annoying problem.

So I log onto my laptop, (i'll try to explain the best I can until the screen shot is up) and my desktop icons are all overlapping to the left vertically. So basically, instead of my usual 2 rows, with the icons spaced apart like normal, they are now all in one vertical line to the left and all overlap eachother (icon & text, not just text). I have never seen this before. I tried googling late last night but couldn't find much at all. It doesn't seem to be a common issue, I don't know, it was too late to investigate too too much.

How it got like this, I do not know. Someone must have been on there messing about with something. My only idea's are spyware or something buggy with vista. I have fiddled with all the desktop options, allign to grid, auto arrange, sort by, etc. I tried a number of different options... nothing worked.

What I can do is, move the icons apart, but it's all manual. They do not allign to any grid. As soon as I get them half assed back into two rows, and then click sort by type, they all go back to the left in one vertical row with icons all overlapping.

A screenshot will definitely help, and I'll have one in a couple hours. I just know Canreef has some very computer techy/savvy people on here, figure I would give it a go as google isn't providing much. So in a nutshell, all icons are in one row to the left, rather than the normal two rows I had, and all the icons are overlapping, icon , text and all. When I *manually* re-arrange to how they looked before, and sort by type, they all go back into one row with everything overlapping.

Kind of a stupid problem to have ..

banditpowdercoat · #2 03-25-2009, 08:29 PM

have you tried right clicking on the desktop
then View
then select align to grid and auto arrange. Might need to select refresh after, maybe not

OCDP · #3 03-25-2009, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by banditpowdercoat

have you tried right clicking on the desktop
then View
then select align to grid and auto arrange. Might need to select refresh after, maybe not

I have tried numerous combinatios with turning auto allign off, then allign to grid, then auto allign off, or both on, both off etc, etc. I tried quite a few combo's.. maybe not the right one after all though? I highly doubt it. I do know a good enough amount about PC's.. I have never seen this before though. I will however follow those steps just to double check. It seems like it should be that easy, but if I fiddled for good 20 minutes, I am not so sure.. I am pretty sure I would have got it after the first 5 minutes.

banditpowdercoat · #4 03-25-2009, 08:46 PM

Do you have any anti Virus software? Maybe you got something? I have never heard of that either

OCDP · #5 03-25-2009, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by banditpowdercoat

Do you have any anti Virus software? Maybe you got something? I have never heard of that either

I am using AVG Free. I may have jumped the gun by posting, I admit I have not done a virus/spyware scan yet. So my apologies for not doing a bit more troubleshooting on my own. I haven't noticed anything else going on with my laptop other than that.. but you never know!

I'll update this thread in a couple hours once I am home after a good scan and I'll try your suggestion. A screenshot might help as well. If you have any suggestions though, please feel free to post.

Phanman · #6 03-25-2009, 08:52 PM

Is this your issue?

http://www.winhelponline.com/blog/my...ping-in-vista/

OCDP · #7 03-25-2009, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phanman

Is this your issue?

http://www.winhelponline.com/blog/my...ping-in-vista/

I found this last night, but no, not quite the same. It is similar though... I was tempted to try but didn't want to mess about with registries.

I don't have any unknown icons appear, they are not scattered. They are locked to the left side, vertically, all overlapping on top of eachother. That is the best I can describe it. No unknown icons, just my same old normal icons locked left all overlapping. I had two rows, nicely spaces horizontally and vertically, but somehow they just locked left and are squished into one row only.

A screenshot will definitely help.

brizzo · #8 03-25-2009, 09:17 PM

Are you familiar with using RegEdit ?

If so, navigate to the following key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics

Check these values:

"IconSpacing"="-1125"
"IconVerticalspacing"="-1125"

OCDP · #9 03-25-2009, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nazerine

Are you familiar with using RegEdit ?

If so, navigate to the following key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics

Check these values:

"IconSpacing"="-1125"
"IconVerticalspacing"="-1125"

Hmm. How do I get to RegEdit again? I am using Vista. If it were XP I am sure I could find my way.. but I never know with Vista.

*edit* Sorry nazerine, I can use google to figure this out myself! My bad.

banditpowdercoat · #10 03-25-2009, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OCDP

Hmm. How do I get to RegEdit again? I am using Vista. If it were XP I am sure I could find my way.. but I never know with Vista.

*edit* Sorry nazerine, I can use google to figure this out myself! My bad.

start menu/ run, type in regedit

In vista, just type it in the "start search" under programs in the start menu