Desktop Icons won't move

Thanks for your advice but I don't think that is my problem my icons still work at this time I just can't move or drag them anywhere.

and select "Arrange Icons By ->", what options are selected?

There should be the following;

Name
Size
Type
Modified
---------------------
Show in Groups, (may be greyed out)
Auto Arrange
Align to Grid
---------------------
Show Desktop Icons
Lock Web Items on Desktop
Run Desktop Cleanup Wizard.

Which ones are selected on your display?

I just have "Align to Grid" and "Show Desktop Icons" selected.

Mark

I had the same ones selected and the icons still will not move.

The prank would be my guess. I enacted this prank on a few co-workers and it drove them crazy.

The icons still work, I can still double click on the icon and get the application to start. I just can't move them around the desktop

I hope that cleared a few things up, once again any help would be greatly appreciated.

Found this on another forum.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;830071


Also, can you move the icons using the right-click of the mouse, dragging the icon and selecting MOVE HERE?

I haven't seen anything about RPC's effect like those before.

A good find, and hopefully the answer to this problem.

Mark

Not sure if I follow you about RPC? What does RPC even stand for?

Thanks for your help in advance

BKennelly, RPC stands for "Remote Procedure Call (RPC) service" which the Microsoft link states but I don't believe that is your problem and messing with it can cause big problems. Try right clicking your Desktop, choose "Properties", under the "Desktop" tab click the "Customize Desktop" button under the "Web" tab make sure that ALL boxes are unchecked, click OK/Apply/OK.

Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Service
http://www.theeldergeek.com/remote_procedure_call_(rpc).htm

Tufenuf

Tuf's option is certainly worth a try.

But if that fails, just have a look at the RPC Service.

You can get to the Services Console by going to Start > Run, type in services.msc and click OK. When the console opens, scroll down and look for Remote Procedure Call (RPC). You may have to drag the "Name" column header divider to the right to see the whole name, and 'do not' get the entry confused with the one below, Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Locator.

If the Services Console does not list any entries, then that is a sign that RPC has been disabled. In which case you would have to edit the registry as stated in the Microsoft link given above.

Remote Procedure Control (RPC) should be set to "Manual" if your XP is below SP2, or "Automatic" if your XP is SP2 or above. You can change the setting by double clicking the entry, and then in the "Startup type:" select (Manual/Automatic). If you want to start it straight away, click Start if the button is available.

Mark

WHEN I RIGHT THE DESK AND CURSOR OVER THE ARRANGE ICONS BY OR RIGHT THE TASK BAR AND SELECT TOOLBARS EVERYTHING TO THE RIGHT OF IT IS GREYED OUT. HOW DO I RESTORE IT SO I CAN ACCESS THESE?

TORNADO

I AM USING XP PRO AND I HAVE YET TO GET AN ANSWER TO ANY OF MY QUESTIONS ON THIS SITE. WONDER WHY?

WHEN I RIGHT CLICK ON THE DESKTOP AND SELECT THE ARRANGE ICONS BY OPTION ALL THE LIST TO THE RIGHT IS GREYED OUT. HOW DO I RESTORE IT. CAN ANYONE ANSWER THIS QUESTION FOR ME?

TORNADO_CYCLONE, Right click your Desktop, choose Properties, under the Desktop tab click the Customize Desktop button, under the Web tab make sure that ALL boxes are unchecked, click OK/Apply/OK.

Also check out the link below.

http://www.winxptutor.com/showdesktopicons.htm

Did you download some screensavers as some are known to cause problems?

Tufenuf

ALL THOSE CAPS are like shouting/ugly/disrespect etc and so on, and not cool.

I wonder if maybe your parents or someone has installed a program preventing you from doing this, or maybe you have a non legit copy.

I am pretty sure that I haven't messed with ms configuration, and we have tried many reboots none of which have worked.

Couple questions though even though I am pretty sure I haven't messed with it what does svcs stand for so I can make sure that I haven't messed with it?

and I have never seen an arrange by area option is that an option that Windows XP would have to solve this issue? if so where is it located?

Thank for all of your help

Right click ON the desktop the menu that pops up has at the very top
"Arrange Icons By" and you move your mouse up to that and it swings open with choices, IF Auto Arrange is selected deselect it (select it again in other words).
Auto Arrange will not let you move them, other things like low resources, spyware and things like that too.
Svcs I will leave to someone else, you really don't want to mess with those unless you knwo what they do, or someone knowledgeable tells you to.
They all do different things. and Could be anything.

yeah the auto arrange setting is the one whos holds your icon to the desktop.. thanks this has been helpful

Yes, that worked for me also

Running "regsvr32 ole32.dll" and "regsvr32 /i shell32.dll" worked for me as well! Not sure how I created the problem in the first place though..?

This suggestion of "registering" worked as indicated. Thank you for the info. One other thing though... when I double-click my icons in START and the QUICK LAUNCH they do not work unless I right-click and select "Open". I'm curious what the reason for this is!

Thanks Again to A-L-L of you who take the time to assist your associates in staying productive.
---Rabbiedab

.. but I found myself stuck with Windows XP and got this problem.. Your solution works, thanks a lot, I spent nearly all day on this until I found your simple answer. (PS a lightening strike threw a lot of stuff off balance here)

The 'ESC' trick worked for me on my Windows 7. I wonder what was selected or had focus that was preventing me from moving icons...