Possible to save Desktop layout ?

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

I have a lot on my desktop - close to 100 items. I know some people would refer to that as "cluttered desktop", but I like it this way, and I am used to it.

Naturally, when you have that many items on your desktop, you have to know where things are. Otherwise it's impossible to work.

Imagine the shock when suddenly everything is messed up :blink: That happened to me last week when my graphic card driver was deleted by accident. My screen resolution went down to 480x640, and all desktop icons were heaped onto a pile.

After reinstalling the driver, my desktop remained a mess. To rearrange everything to its pristine order I will need weeks!

This is actually the 3rd time that something like this happened to me in the last 10 years. But it will also be the last time!

So, the question: how can I safe my desktop layout?

[-pops-]

A backup will do this for you - and lots more as well! :)

[nellie2]

There is this

http://users.rcn.com/taylotr/icon_restore.html

I haven't tried it myself though, although I keep meaning to. :blush:

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

A backup will do this for you - and lots more as well! :)

Ah, yes! I did run a backup afterthe destruction...

But actually I may have a little older backup; I will check.

There is this

http://users.rcn.com/taylotr/icon_restore.html

I haven't tried it myself though, although I keep meaning to. :blush:

Thanks - I will try that. The backup thingy is very well, but if you don't want to restore everything, this is what I need. I will do some testing (later this week), then report back here.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

Well, I didn't really need to wait until later this week. The thing (layout.dll) is just 14KB, and it takes just seconds to install. It takes even less to do a save and/or restore.

And it works just great! :flowers:

[-pops-]

Ah, yes! I did run a backup afterthe destruction...

But actually I may have a little older backup; I will check.

Thanks - I will try that. The backup thingy is very well, but if you don't want to restore everything, this is what I need. I will do some testing (later this week), then report back here.

Shows the point of an incremental backup. Also, you should only back up a working system. There is no point in backing up a setup after destruction.

Also, if you look more deeply into backing up/re-installing, you can do partial recoveries of just the parts you need. I've never done this, preferring to recover everything but, I am assured it can be done.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

You are absolutely right, of course, and I will have to look for a better backup system in the near future. (I do regular full system backups, using Windows' ASR wizard, and incremental backup using the very old PowerQuest Datakeeper).

So if I knew what to restore from the Datakeeper backup... (it's probably some registry settings).

Anyway, I have started to rearrange my desktop, and take an Icon Restore save from time to time. I have even been able to delete a few shortcuts from my desktop that I have never used (WinZip, Adobe Reader, and similar things). Looks already lighter...

[D4\/!d]

Don't forget there is a little XP function called FAST.

Start>Programs>Accessories>System Tools>Files and Settings Transfer Wizard.

How to use FAST

:)