Windows 7 Desktop/Folder settings problems

[HeartShapedNoos]

Ok about a week ago I came home to my folder options not being right. The way I had all my folders view set up just doesnt seem to be working anymore. I can change the view to my folders and exit the folder and reopen it and it will be changed again. My desktop is pretty much doing the same thing, I can set my desktop icons where I want them to be and if I press F5/right click and refresh or reset the computer they will all be lined back up on the left. The icons always seem to line back up to the same spot. Even if I leave them lined up to the left but switch them around they will switch back to the position it was in before. All this is recent things happening in the past week. I have tried the reset computer with things set the way I want, unchecking let themes change icon position, pc optimizing/registry cleanup, multiple virus scans and nothing has helped. Any idea what could be the problem? I have an HP Pavilion a4302f with Windows 7 Home Premium, 5gb RAM, 500gb hard drive (200gb free), external 1tb hard drive, and an AMD Athlon II X2 240 2.80GHz processor (dual core) Please let me know what the problem could be. Thanks

Everything worked perfectly for almost 2 years and all of a sudden this happens.

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like you are experiencing issues with your folder view settings and desktop icon positions suddenly not being retained on Windows 7. This can be frustrating, especially when things were working fine previously. Here are some troubleshooting steps you can try to resolve this issue:

Troubleshooting Steps:​

1. Reset Folder View Settings:
   • Open the folder with the incorrect view.
   • Set the view as you desire.
   • Go to 'Organize' > 'Folder and search options'.
   • In the 'View' tab, click on 'Apply to Folders' and then click 'OK'.
   []Check Desktop Icon Settings:
   • Right-click on the desktop.
   • Go to 'View' and make sure 'Auto arrange icons' and 'Align icons to grid' are unchecked.
   []Disable Auto-Arrange:
   • Right-click on the desktop.
   • Uncheck 'Auto arrange icons' to allow manual positioning of icons on the desktop.
   []Check Disk Space:
   • Ensure that your hard drive has enough free space to operate smoothly.
   []Update Graphics Drivers:
   • Ensure your graphics drivers are up to date as outdated drivers can sometimes cause display issues.
   []Check for Malware:
   • Run a full scan with a reliable antivirus or antimalware program to check for any malicious software that may be affecting your system.
   []System Restore:
   • If the issue started recently, try performing a system restore to a point before the problem occurred.

     Additional Tips:​

     • Keep your system updated with the latest Windows updates.
     • Avoid using registry cleaners as they can sometimes cause more harm than good.
     If these steps do not resolve the issue, there could be underlying system issues that may require further investigation. Feel free to try these steps and let me know if you need additional assistance!