topic Re: Weird problem with desktop icon moving in Electronics

Weird problem with desktop icon moving

curiousshopper — Thu, 22 May 2014 11:32:30 GMT

I have a brand new desktop computer with Windows 8.1. The only desktop icons (shortcuts) loaded right now are those put on by HP, which I will shortly be eliminating. Before doing so, however, I'd like to know why I'm having this weird problem.

One of the shortcuts (for the trial version of Mcafee--am definitely getting rid of that software as soon as I'm sure I'll be keeping this computer) moves around all on its own. The "align icons to grid" option is checked, and the "auto arrange icons" option is unchecked. Don't understand why just this one icon keeps moving back and forth between two different locations (the same two) within the column. None of the other icons move. Would anyone know why this is happening? Thanks.

Re: Weird problem with desktop icon moving

curiousshopper — Thu, 22 May 2014 18:43:36 GMT

Anyone?

Re: Weird problem with desktop icon moving

hckynut — Thu, 22 May 2014 19:10:46 GMT

I am assuming you have rebooted or restarted the computer. If you have and that didn't help, I would try deleting that particular shortcut and putting up another of the same. I recently, just yesterday as a matter of fact, had a desktop shortcut that was no longer working. I tried everything even a reboot, all to no avail.

Decided to delete it and go into Windows Explorer and "send to desktop" this startup shortcut. I know this ain't the same thing but it is the best I got for ya.

Re: Weird problem with desktop icon moving

curiousshopper — Fri, 23 May 2014 03:49:23 GMT

Thanks hckynut for responding. Rebooting didn't help, nor refreshing the screen. Called HP sales dept. about another issue and brought this up to the salesman--he had never experienced this problem. Then talked to an HP tech. Same thing--he had never encountered this before. He did all kinds of things (many of which I know were not necessary to do). He even installed the latest drivers for the graphics processor. None of these things helped. It still jumped around while he had remote access of the computer.

I'd just like to know the reason this is happening. If the problem is solely to do with this particular icon, then it's nothing to worry about. I'll be deleting it anyway. However, if the cause is something else, then the same problem may occur in the future with any shortcuts I place on the desktop. Would anyone have any idea what this might be?

Re: Weird problem with desktop icon moving

qualityshopper — Thu, 05 Jun 2014 05:15:43 GMT

Just an update. I had wondered if this problem might occur again, and it did. After creating other shortcuts, as well as pasting several PDF files and Office 2003 files from my old computer onto the desktop screen, one (just the one!) would not stay in place. This time, the problem was with any new document I created with Word 2010. If I went in to the document and made changes, then saved and closed it out, the icon for that document would move. Wouldn't happen with documents created with either Excel 2010 or PowerPoint 2010, nor would it happen with any of my old 2003 docs.

Neither HP nor Microsoft could figure out why, and they could not fix it no matter what they tried to do--and they tried a heck of a lot of things! So, first this happened with a shortcut to McAfee and now with a document. Of course, a simple solution to the moving Word docs would be simply to save all of them to My Documents, but I'd really like to have ones that I need to access often saved to the desktop. No one seems to have a clue as to why this is happening except maybe a problem with the OS. Would anyone know if this is perhaps some kind of bug with Windows 8.1? Thanks.

Re: Weird problem with desktop icon moving

2000survivor — Thu, 05 Jun 2014 05:29:16 GMT

I have HP with windows 8.1 and do not have this problem, I'd want to exchange if I did. (Exchange computer)

Re: Weird problem with desktop icon moving

qualityshopper — Thu, 05 Jun 2014 08:20:14 GMT

2000survivor--Actually I've requested HP to pick it up tomorrow to return. I don't know if I'm just extremely unlucky with anything electronic or if there may be a problem with this particular model (Pavilion 500-210QE). You see, this is actually the second computer I've gotten from them of this model. The first one also had problems (different from this computer's issues) which the techs could not fix. I really liked the specs and the price I got on this and wanted very much to be able to keep it, but it was doing things besides moving icons that were definitely indicative of problems with the OS. I may check out a Dell that Staples has on sale this week. Hope I have better luck with that one.

Re: Weird problem with desktop icon moving

LilacTree — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 20:01:04 GMT

I have the same issue with one of my shortcuts which was put on during a tech help session. It won't delete and I can't move it out of the way (it's almost in the middle of my screen). I think it's Windows 8.1, since I have a Dell and you have an HP, it seems likely it's the OS.

It doesn't bother me enough to send the computer back because my common sense tells me it's the OS and not the computer. I will just wait for the next Windows upgrade. I have a lot of issues with Windows 8.1, strange things happening quite often. It's frustrating, but I'm hoping the next upgrade will take care of it.

Also, I attribute it to many programs not liking this OS, e.g., QVC's website. The Microsoft programs seem to work fine with it (Word, Excel, Outlook), which is another clue to me that it's the OS vs. programs that don't interface well with it.

Re: Weird problem with desktop icon moving

LilacTree — Sun, 08 Jun 2014 17:38:51 GMT

Weird. I was just able to delete that shortcut I mentioned today. I have absolutely no clue why, as I just deleted it as I normally would.

Windows 8.1 is just chock full of surprises!

Re: Weird problem with desktop icon moving

Meeras — Sun, 08 Jun 2014 18:21:25 GMT

do u have any restore point?

Re: Weird problem with desktop icon moving

qualityshopper — Mon, 09 Jun 2014 09:50:28 GMT

Ford1224--Sounds like you were having a problem with your desktop icon being locked in place. From the little I've read, seems like others were also having that problem. Guess it's been fixed now. If the moving icon had been my only problem, I might have kept that computer and just put up with it. Since there were other issues, though, I'm trying a different model. Will still have 8.1--which means that I will no doubt encounter other strange things happening--but maybe they won't be as bad as what was going on with the previous model. Hopefully Microsoft will eventually get all of the little bugs worked out. Of course, with computers, little glitches happen all the time regardless of which OS you have. Whether or not one decides to put up with them depends on how serious they are. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that things won't be too bad with my new one.

Meeras--Didn't try using restore points since the problems I had started from the moment I turned the computer on straight from the factory.

Re: Weird problem with desktop icon moving

LilacTree — Mon, 09 Jun 2014 21:05:55 GMT

On 6/9/2014 qualityshopper said:
Ford1224--Sounds like you were having a problem with your desktop icon being locked in place. From the little I've read, seems like others were also having that problem. Guess it's been fixed now. If the moving icon had been my only problem, I might have kept that computer and just put up with it. Since there were other issues, though, I'm trying a different model. Will still have 8.1--which means that I will no doubt encounter other strange things happening--but maybe they won't be as bad as what was going on with the previous model. Hopefully Microsoft will eventually get all of the little bugs worked out. Of course, with computers, little glitches happen all the time regardless of which OS you have. Whether or not one decides to put up with them depends on how serious they are. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that things won't be too bad with my new one.

Meeras--Didn't try using restore points since the problems I had started from the moment I turned the computer on straight from the factory.

Qualityshopper, as I posted on another thread, I gave up trying to learn this OS by myself, which is a frustration for me because I have never had a problem with teaching myself a new OS until Win 8.1. What a stinker! So I purchased Windows 8.1 for Dummies from Amazon yesterday. Fortunately, I had a $14 credit from Kindle, so the manual wound up costing me only $5. I would not give up my computer, as I am certain this is an OS issue that I just have to learn page by page. Microsoft should be ashamed of itself on this one! It's not often that I have to throw in the towel.

Re: Weird problem with desktop icon moving

glb613 — Mon, 09 Jun 2014 22:01:07 GMT

I have a Dell computer with Windows 8.1 and my icons stay put. If it was the operating system, everyone would be having the problem.

Re: Weird problem with desktop icon moving

qualityshopper — Tue, 10 Jun 2014 08:03:30 GMT

Glb613--Don't know what to tell you. The problem with moving icons started up the very first time I turned the computer on--before I had installed any software, hooked up my printer, etc. As for whether or not the OS is to blame, I'm just repeating what both Microsoft and HP told me. Actually, Microsoft didn't actually place the blame on the OS, but rather on the installation of it. I can't really say for sure--just repeating what I was told. All I know is that neither company's tech could fix it, or any of the other problems I was having. I would really love to know what could cause this problem on a brand new computer besides a problem with the OS. If you have any ideas, would really appreciate hearing them.

Re: Weird problem with desktop icon moving

glb613 — Tue, 10 Jun 2014 10:06:49 GMT

Where do they move? Is it all of them? Have you deleted the moving icons/shortcuts then recreated them? If so, do they still move?

Re: Weird problem with desktop icon moving

qualityshopper — Wed, 11 Jun 2014 02:28:28 GMT

The first one was the Mcafee shortcut that HP preinstalled. It would move back and forth within the same column while the other shortcuts they installed stayed locked in position. Ended up deleting it and re-creating it without further problems. At that time, both HP and MS techs could not explain it. Both said they had never encountered anything like that and could not fix it except to delete it.

Next situation was the problem with any documents created with Word 2010 and saved onto the desktop which I described above. Although both HP and MS techs worked on it (HP for hours!), neither could fix it or explain why it was happening. This problem, along with other issues with how this computer was operating (which the HP tech was able to witness for herself), made me decide to return it. I just figured that, since the problems were not going away in spite of their techs trying to fix them and after doing factory resets and reinstalls, the best choice was to send it back.

(Oh, since you asked, the Word doc icon moved all over the desktop.)

Re: Weird problem with desktop icon moving

glb613 — Wed, 11 Jun 2014 10:50:40 GMT

On 6/10/2014 qualityshopper said:
The first one was the Mcafee shortcut that HP preinstalled. It would move back and forth within the same column while the other shortcuts they installed stayed locked in position. Ended up deleting it and re-creating it without further problems. At that time, both HP and MS techs could not explain it. Both said they had never encountered anything like that and could not fix it except to delete it.

Next situation was the problem with any documents created with Word 2010 and saved onto the desktop which I described above. Although both HP and MS techs worked on it (HP for hours!), neither could fix it or explain why it was happening. This problem, along with other issues with how this computer was operating (which the HP tech was able to witness for herself), made me decide to return it. I just figured that, since the problems were not going away in spite of their techs trying to fix them and after doing factory resets and reinstalls, the best choice was to send it back.

(Oh, since you asked, the Word doc icon moved all over the desktop.)

I never save anything to the desktop. I do have shortcuts or icons and they don't move. It's probably good to return it and try a different brand or model.

Re: Weird problem with desktop icon moving

LilacTree — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 19:12:35 GMT

It's probably not your computer. It's Windows 8 or 8.1. I just bought Windows 8.1 for Dummies and in one of the chapters it says not to save anything to your desktop with these operating systems, because they don't work well. If you get another computer with those operating systems, the same thing will probably happen.