17 replies to this topic

[Mike Rochip]

Does anyone know if there is a way to keep the Desktop icons from rearranging themselves when the PC is restarted? I've tried:

Looking for an app or utility. Apparently the ones that work you have to pay for and the free ones are malware.

Tweaking the registry.

Installing layout.dll from Microsoft.

Unchecking all the options in 'Arrange Icons By' for the Desktop only and also for all folders. Every time Windows starts the options are checked again, on the Desktop only.

Gluing them in place with CrazyGlue.

Curse words and threats.

[TonyKlein]

As for tweaking the Registry, was this the one you applied?

http://www.activewin...desktop_3.shtml

[TonyKlein]

... if no joy, I think I just found you a freeware utility that is reported to work...

Try DeskLock:

http://www.donationc...tware/Skrommel/

[Mike Rochip]

TonyKlein, on Sep 18 2006, 01:44 AM, said:

As for tweaking the Registry, was this the one you applied?

http://www.activewin...desktop_3.shtml

Yes, that's the one. I couldn't create a new DWORD value named NoSaveSettings because of the existing one. I tried modifying the original one but couldn't so I renamed it NoSaveSettings OLD and then was able to create and modify the new DWORD Value. Now everything is working great.

Is the original NoSaveSettings corrupted or something? The new entry looks nothing like the old one. I think it was Kellys-Korner that had an image of the settings like the one of mine below. After I saw the settings on their site I figured mine were messed up.



Do I need to change any of the other settings?

I guess I don't need the utility from the donationcoder website but I'm glad you mentioned it. It looks like there are a lot of useful utilities there and some fun ones too.

As always, thanks for the help and advice !

[TonyKlein]

As for the inability to modify the value data, it could possibly be a permissions issue, but why then would it let you rename the value? Weird...

In any case, you can now delete the "NoSaveSettings OLD" value as it isn't recognized by Windows anyway.

....

Ah, now I see...

Your original NoSaveSettings (now NoSaveSettings OLD) was a binary value instead of the required DWORD value.

Second time around you did indeed create a DWORD value, and not surprisingly it does work.

[TonyKlein]

BTW, I'd just like to use this occasion to plug Resplendence's Registrar Registry Manager.

It is such a HUGE improvement on Windows' native Regedit that everyone who edits or even thinks he/she will ever need to edit the Registry should install it.

I'm using the Pro version myself, and Resplendence is no longer offering the original Lite 2.0 (having replaced it with a Pro lite/trial with nag screens instead) , but I still managed to find a download here

Quote

The best free Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP Registry Editor anywhere. The Search facility alone is worth the download – unlike the standard Windows REGEDIT which only allows you to search in step mode fashion, with Registrar Lite you can search the entire Registry or selected trees in one go with all matches presented together, an immense time saviour when you want to delete, for example, all references to a particular piece of software. You can also search for key names only, for value names only, for data values only, or any combination of the three. You can set bookmarks, and have bookmarks coloured. Registrar Lite also includes helpful descriptions about the most common registry keys, the facility to backup or restore your registry, property sheets for keys, the ability to expand a whole subtree in one go, and more, and more. And this is just the free version – the full version adds powerful remote facilities for the administration of user registries in a network environment, multiple undo, registry monitoring and defrag as well as a number of other extras. An indispensable tool for anyone who edits the Windows Registry.

And it searches about a zillion times faster than Regedit does....

[Mike Rochip]

TonyKlein, on Sep 18 2006, 04:47 AM, said:

Your original NoSaveSettings (now NoSaveSettings OLD) was a binary value instead of the required DWORD value.

I haven't had much experience with the registry so please bear with me if this is a dumb question: Should it have been a DWORD value to begin with? Or is it not unusual to have to change entries from a binary value to a DWORD value? I had a feeling it wasn't really matching up with the written instructions about changing the settings but I didn't want to risk deleting the binary value without being sure I was right.

I'll have to check out that registry editor. Most times when I have to find something in the registry I do a search with RegSeeker and then find the corresponding item in regedit. Not a real effecient way to do it. I can't recall if I ever found anything using regedit's search. I seem to remember feeling sorry for regedit's search function as it flailed about aimlessly like Mr. Magoo looking for a needle in a hayfield without his glasses. I figured the only humane thing to do was put it out of its misery and use RegSeeker instead.

Speaking of which, have you tried using Locate32 instead of Microsofts regular search function? Locate32 doesn't have the option to view search results as thumbnails but it's much faster.

[TonyKlein]

Mike Rochip, on Sep 18 2006, 02:23 PM, said:

Should it have been a DWORD value to begin with?

Yes, and that's just the way Windows is wired. Specific values need to be of a certain type, or Windows won't know what to do with them, and this particular restriction needs to be implemented as a DWORD value.

Quote

I'll have to check out that registry editor. Most times when I have to find something in the registry I do a search with RegSeeker and then find the corresponding item in regedit.

Try Registrar. You'll like it a LOT.

Quote

Speaking of which, have you tried using Locate32 instead of Microsofts regular search function?

Nope, but I use File Locator Pro for that, which is also an excellent replacement for Windows search.
It also has a freeware equivalent: Agent Ransack, and I can recomment that one as well.

Neither actually caches your files, like Locate32 or the various Desktop search tools do, but they are extremely fast nonetheless.

http://www.mythicsof...filelocatorpro/

[hazelnut]

TonyKlein, on Sep 18 2006, 12:12 PM, said:

BTW, I'd just like to use this occasion to plug Resplendence's Registrar Registry Manager.

It is such a HUGE improvement on Windows' native Regedit that everyone who edits or even thinks he/she will ever need to edit the Registry should install it.

I'm using the Pro version myself, and Resplendence is no longer offering the original Lite 2.0 (having replaced it with a Pro lite/trial with nag screens instead) , but I still managed to find a download here
And it searches about a zillion times faster than Regedit does....

I have downloaded it Tony and it is certainly easy to use the search facility. I have found 100 entries for AOL which as you know I don't have (it came bundled with PC)!
I take it, these 100 entries, I can just highlight all and press delete?

[TonyKlein]

I'd urge caution, even in a case like this.

Generally, each reg key or value needs to be individually examined, their dependencies checked, and I'm simply not so careless as to tell you that it's perfectly alright to get rid of everything in one fell swoop, especially without the benefit of direct access to your computer...

It is certainly possible that most if not all of it can go, but you simply need to know what you're doing.

First I'd again have a look in Add/Remove Programs. Anything AOL listed there?

[hazelnut]

None at all Tony, and none in C\programs

[acooldozen]

........Desktop Resetter works great, but is shareware.

http://www.tucows.com/preview/204345

[TonyKlein]

hazelnut, on Sep 18 2006, 04:29 PM, said:

None at all Tony, and none in C\programs

Still, these orphaned (?) registry entries aren't really causing any problems just by being there...

But please do the following:

Download Registry Search and extract it (preferably) to a new folder. Doubleclick the icon to run the application, and fill in the search string of your choice (I supposed you searched for AOL)

Click "OK" and Registry Search will search the Registry which will take a little time. When done it will open the results in your text editor.

Then please post them here so that we can have a look (sure hope it's not too much...).

[hazelnut]

Have continued this via a PM as it is not really relevant to the thread now. (Sorry for the hijack!)

[JDPower]

hazelnut, on Sep 18 2006, 04:22 PM, said:

Have continued this via a PM as it is not really relevant to the thread now. (Sorry for the hijack!)

Would be interesting for those of us still learning about stuff like this though.

[TonyKlein]

Well, the RegSearch results I requested are in fact a reg export of all keys containing references to (in this case) AOL.

I insisted on seeing said export because, as I mentioned before, every single key DOES need to be examined to be sure that removing it won't have implications for other applcations or for the functioning of Windows itself.

In addition, when searching for a string as short as 'aol', you can be sure that references will pop up that will have no reference to AOL at all.

One case in point was indeed this registry key, which is related to HP scanner software,, and which was found solely because the filename contains 'aol' ...

Quote

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SharedDLLs]
"C:\\Program Files\\Hewlett-Packard\\Digital Imaging\\bin\\hpqaol08.exe"=dword:00000001

Once I had the integrated RegSearch results I could then create a regfile based on it that would remove all unnecessary or orphaned keys.

We decided to continue outside this thread because we didn't think it was relevant to its original subject, and because of the fact hat the regfile would be applicable to Hazelnut's configuration only anyway.

[JDPower]

Thanks for the explanation Tony.

[TonyKlein]

You're very welcome.