Off screen icons on the desktop

[DJ543]

Haven't been able to figure this one out, so thought the experts can have a crack at it. I have Vista Home Basic 32bit on a Dell DimC521. There have been several occasions when I paste a file onto my desktop only to notice that it doesn't show up. If I try to repaste it again, Vista asks me if I want to replace the existing file (meaning the original paste is already there, just hidden somewhere). If I use the Rearrange option to align the icons, the mystery icon then shows up. Thus, I'm 99% sure that the icon is off screen somewhere.

I have a similar problem with Napster's Mini Player feature (legal copy with paid subscription). The Mini Player is checked as "Always Display" but it's nowhere to be found on the desktop. It can't be minimized to the taskbar either so I can't do that Move or Rearrange option.
I have only 1 monitor (not dual) and I don't play any full-screen games that would alter the display settings so I'm puzzled (1) where these items are hiding and (2) how to bring them back so I can use them, and (3) how to prevent this problem in the future. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated ...
DJ

 

[Brink]

Hello DJ, and welcome to Vista Forums.

It may be a refreshing issue if it only happened when you paste the file to the desktop for the first time. To refresh the desktop, you can click on the desktop and press F5, or right click on the desktop and click on Refresh.

Have you already installed SP1 and all the other Windows Updates? SP1 is supposed to have sorted this issue. If you have, then restart the computer to see if that stops it from not refreshing for now.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[DJ543]

Shawn-
Yes, I've used Refresh dozens of times over the past 6+ months with no luck. If I use an explorer window to open the Desktop, all files appear there.
My PC is up-to-date with all updates; 2 days ago I downloaded new drivers from NVIDIA with no success either ...
DJ

 

[Brink]

DJ,

I'm not sure what would be causing them to go offscreen like that. You might check the View and Align to grid option to see if that helps prevent it from happening. If it does not, then double check you screen resolution to make sure that it is set to the native resolution for the monitor.

 

[DJ543]

Screen resolution is set to native and aligning to grid doesn't bring the Napster Mini Player back. However, I was able to bring it back by mere coincidence ... I was puttering around in the Control Panel and clicked on the "Performance Information and Tools." I clicked "Update my score" and immediately the Mini Player showed up on the bottom right hand corner of the desktop; the font size in the Mini Player was extremely small. After the Update was complete, the font increased to a reasonable size ... alas it was back. It worked fine for about a day but today it disappeared while I was tying in Word 2007. The "Update my Score" worked to bring it back yet again, but I'm sure there must be a way to prevent it from disappearing in the first place ...
Any thoughts?

 

[Brink]

I'm afraid that I do not know what else it may be with the Napster Mini Player. You might contact the program's support site to see what they may say about it to.

I hope you get a solution soon.

Sorry,
Shawn

 

[Jamdoggy]

I've had windows lost beyond the edges of my screen in the past in earlier versions of Windows (95/98/2K/XP), and use keyboard controls to bring them back.

If you ensure the program is selected on the taskbar, then pressing Alt-Space, then M will give you 'Move Window'. You can tap the cursor keys to move the window around the screen, or if you touch a cursor key first, you can then move the mouse and the window will be attached to the mouse pointer, and you can click the mouse to 'drop' the window.

I realise this doesn't fix the problem, but at least it gives you another way to bring your Napster Mini Player back.

The only reason I can think of for your problem is that you have dual-screen turned on, even though you only have one screen plugged in, but I assume you have already looked in your display settings.

 

[Brink]

Yes, since this is a offscreen window instead of an icon, this tutorial will help show you how to do what Jamdoggy is suggesting.