NVidia FX570M: Icons shift while sleeping?

[hellosailor]

I'm using Vista Ultimate with the NVidia FX570M (ultra high res) video adapter and Vista Ultimate, fully patched with SP1 and the latest video drivers. Something odd has been happening for a long time. I almost always put the computer to sleep instead of shutting it, and when I resume it the desktop icons have shifted "up" and closer together. They repaint in the old position if the cursor is moved over them, and they'll all shift back to where they were if I hit F5.

But I'm wondering why they should be shifting at all? Why is the desktop getting messed up (icons shifting tighter towards the top) while the machine has been sleeped?

[jdhurst]

This will not be an answer you like, or I like to give. I had that problem with Vista Business on my T61. By the time I got rid of Aero, rid of every single speck of eye candy, returned to Windows Basic Classic, and updated everything in sight, the problem disappeared. ... JDH

[hellosailor]

You're right, jd, but I'm not about to rebrick and downgrade to Basic. Ditching Aero, I could live with. But if that's the answer then I'd suspect it translates into "the video driver isn't really Made For Vista yet".

Of course, the computer had that Vista logo on it...Which means if that's the case, I can just sic Chairman Bill's lawyers on NVidia, and let THEM do the work.<VBG>

[Marin85]

Folks, did you change the dpi?

[hellosailor]

Nope, default scaling, 96dpi.

[SafeHarbor]

Hi. Since I'm not seeing this same effect on my T61p, maybe we can compare notes and find out why. Since pressing F5 - refresh the active window - clears it up for you, I think it could be a couple of different things. It's not really a screen resolution issue, is it? I mean, the icons are the same size, but just stacked against the left?

I just looked, and here's what I have for settings:

96 dpi
snap to grid and autoarrange turned off
basic black screen background
basic black screen saver
default theme with transparency altered

I'm wondering if it's drawing the screen before it checks for icon placement. In other words, I doubt this is driver issue, but it may have something to do with the way Vista automatically handles resolution switches for applications.

And does it happen after hibernation or a full shutdown as well?

Lamar

[hellosailor]

Lamar-
I presume it is the video drivers or something at an equally low level.

No, my icons don't shift to the left--they crowd UPwards.

No, it doesn't happen during shutdown, just during SLEEP and perhaps during hibernate--I use the sleep mode routinely so that's where I've seen it. Haven't seen it happen in the past couple of weeks now, so I'm suspecting one of the routine system updates affected it.

Yes, 96 dpi
No, I have these enabled: snap to grid and autoarrange turned off
No, I have a plin but colored background: basic black screen background
No, I disable screen savers: basic black screen saver
Not quite, I have Aero standard enabled: default theme with transparency altered

[SafeHarbor]

And what happens if you set it to require a login after sleep?

Control panel -> Power Options -> Require a password on wakeup

Lamar

[SafeHarbor]

Crowding upward? Hmm... the screen magnifier is the only thing I've seen that does that.

Lamar

[hellosailor]

It always has required a log-in after sleep. I just take that as the norm.

[SafeHarbor]

Just tried the magnifier on my desktop, and, sure enough, it pushed the icons upward about three rows. This may be a duck hunt, but when you go to

Control Panel -> Ease of Access

Is it offering to "Start Magnifier?"

Lamar

[GomJabbar]

It is possible your problem may be fixed by a BIOS update. Check to see if you are using the latest BIOS version.
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-67988

Another option is to use a desktop icon layout restore utility such as the following. There are different utilities available that perform this function. I have not tried any of them. If you do try one of them, be sure and download from a reputable site.
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Desktop-En ... Save.shtml

[hellosailor]

Gom, DeskSave states right up front that it exists to solve a specific issue with Windows, which has been an issue for ages--but isn't the bug seen here. "DeskSave can save and restore the desktop icon layout. In Windows, when screen resolution changes, the order of the desktop icons very often gets mixed up. " It is adding a functionality to change normal behavior--and this is not normal behavior, it is a bug coming from this system.

Similarly the BIOS update does not address this issue, they are quite specific about what each update patches. It may very well be worth installing because it addresses the lack of speed with the card reader--but like the pilots say, "Only touch the shiny buttons." No need to just bash things around at random when their docs don't mention the problem in hand, which would appear to be video driver related. It is a rare video system that doesn't have bugs for the first five years. (Sadly.)

But, I appreciate the thought, thank you.

[GomJabbar]

I admit DeskSave is a workaround. I never meant to imply otherwise. If you can't solve your problem any other way, it might be a solution worth looking into.

Re: the BIOS. There are similar issues addressed in the BIOS updates. I said it might fix your problem, not that it would for sure. I have updated my BIOS several times without issue. It is true there is some risk to applying BIOS updates, but that hasn't stopped me.

Version 7LETB7WW (2.17-1.08)
(Fix) The screen resolution of the external display attached to the Docking Station via an analog display port will be changed during undock/dock operation (NVIDIA graphics chip models only).
(Note) Install NVIDIA display driver version 6.14.11.7471 or higher.

Version 7LET56WW (1.26-1.06)
(New) (Intel video models only) A design change that the screen is set to extended desktop mode with an external display and "When I close the lid of my portable computer" option in the power option is set to "Do nothing", and when the lid is closed;
(Old) The extended display mode is canceled and video output is switched to the external display only, so icons on the desktop will be moved.

Version 7LET44WW (1.14-1.06)
(Fix) Unexpected display mode(s) may be selected with docking station on Windows Vista
(New) The extended display mode is kept and video output is not switched, so icons on the desktop are not moved.

But you are right, it is your machine, so only do what you feel comfortable with. I don't want to be accused of hosing your ThinkPad.