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General discussion

Vista Irritations

Oct 27, 2007 3:31PM PDT

Vista Home Premiem came installed on my new Dell laptop last month, and I've been trying to shorten my learning curve since. I really don't have any serious *******, but there are two issues that remain irritations from past MS operating systems. For my own edification, I'd love some insight on what MS is possibly thinking by not including some setting on the Vista desktop to "lock" the icons in place, instead of having them rearrange themselves each restart? I spent a lot of time researching this failure, and have now determined that there are many third party software utilities to do this, but why wouldn't MS include a setting to do it? Dumb!

The other irritation has also been around for as many past editions of Windows as I can remember, and also could easily have been solved with a simple setting - but no, again one has to seek a third party utility. I refer to the Windows failure to include a window maximizer in its settings. Certainly, MS has known how its users felt about this omission for some time, why then did they not provide a simple setting change to maximize windows as they open?

These are mysteries to me, especially considering all the useless new features each reincarnation of Windows includes! What am I missing here?

Discussion is locked

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Item 2
Oct 27, 2007 3:45PM PDT

right click on an item say internet explorer>choose properties>go to run, click the down arrow>choose maximize. Nearly all are configured this way.

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Irritations abound
Oct 27, 2007 8:35PM PDT

I agree. Not only are more things missing in Vista (too many to list) old problems remain unfixed. There are also new settings that don't retain their configuration.

If you're talking about your desktop icons try right clicking an empty part of your desktop, click view, click to uncheck auto arrange. Folder options are another matter. I've had problems there once I chose a "sort by" option. I still can't figure out how to allow a drag set to retain afterwards without doing a system restore to the original defaults.

As far as the maximize new windows settings goes it's still the age old problem and the solution remains the same. It does appear to me to be more persistent with Vista especially after running certain cleaning programs.

Drag your borders to enlarge the window instead of maximizing it. Open a new window such as clicking on the IE icon in the quick launch tray. Enlarge it by draging the borders. Go back to the first window. Close it. Close the second window.

That's how I do it to the best of my memory.

Now if you really want to to organize things try dragging folders and programs in the all programs lists and see if they stay after a reboot.

Also check out the add to favorites. All folders are now listed alphabetically and can't be collapsed or changed. Not a big problem unless you have thousands of favorites like me. There is a work around but in my opinion this is just a step backward not forward.

In my opinion you're not missing anything here. Microsoft is missing ours. To many more Irritations to list in just one post.

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I have Vista and don't have to rearrange my desktop shortcut
Oct 27, 2007 10:59PM PDT

I arrange them the way I want, right click on the desktop, select properties, arrange icons by and choose grid. They line up neater and stay that way.

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(NT) right
Oct 27, 2007 11:05PM PDT
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Before I become to irritated
Oct 27, 2007 11:15PM PDT

This thread untracked

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Saving/Restoring Icon Positions
Nov 9, 2007 3:00PM PST

On your desktop, right click on a folder, go down to "Manage Desktop Icons". click "Save Icon Positions".
If the order changes, do the same, but click Restore...

Dave