Desktop icons: "Arrange Icons by" options are grey'd out

When I right click on the desktop and go to "Arrange Icons by" all the options are grey'd out. I used to be able to show or not show incons on the desktop, now I don't.

 

Are you logged in on a user account with limited rights and privileges [Policy Restrictions]?

Sorry got distracted before I finished......

If you have the priviliages to do so a couple of a desktop_right click_options should get ya' going again:

First to unlock icons:
*right click blank area of desktop
*select arrange icons
*option to "lock or unlock web items on desktop" [un]tick it

To show or hide icons:
*Tick ot untick show icons or hide icons which ever is there.

 

I'm the only user.

 

Opps guess we were typing at the same time. Please look back {more accurately "look up "^ into my other thread_in_post and see if this helps.

Also do you have tweakui?

 

When I right click on the desktop I get a window that has these options.
1. Arrange Icons by
2. Refresh
3. Paste (which is grey'd out)
4. Paste shortcut (also grey'd out)
5. New
6. Properties
When I click on "Arrange Icons by" all the options are grey'd out. The options that are grey'd out are Name, Size, Type, Modified, Show in groups, Auto arrange and Align to grid.

 

I do have tweakUI.

 

Hmmm, it appears your missing a category, set of three options,
*Show desktop icons
*Lock web items on desktop
*run desktop cleanup wizard

Scratching my head.....I'm at the office, and the one comp that has XP, does not have XP tweakui. Guess we should clarify which version your running. So which version....?

Give me a few minutes to look the options up. Been all over this utility a zillion times you'd think I have this nfo burned on my eyelids by now.

Anyone else got any ideas? I know there are hacks that use reg policy to lockout changes to desktop icons but as the only user, he'd know if they were used.

Guess I better look N see if tweakui offers this control. Back in a few.....

 

The version of tweakui for Xp is 2.10.0.0.

 

Got busy....I can't find a handy walkthru of the options/settings tweakui for XP has. Your going to have walk through the tabs and check them out.

Unless another member can jump in here and say what options XPtweakui may have that could cause this effect

I don't want to move on to other possibilities until Tweakui has been eliminated. HELP!

 

I have the same version of TweakUI, and I don't see anything there that could be doing this. The only two references to icons are "rebuild" and "first on desktop ".

Do a system restore to get rid of the greyed out stuff.

Try going into "Display" from the control panel, click on the desktop tab, then "Customize Desktop" near the bottom. I think you have been the victim of the "Clean Desktop Wizard ", which thinks it knows what you want showing on the desktop. Untick the "Run Desktop Wiz every 60 days" box.

Did you make any major changes recently?

 

Are you using XP Home version or Pro.?

In the mean time, the missing active desktop categories can be returned by a right click on blank area of desktop and selecting "properties ", click on the "customize button" then click the "desktop tab" and click the "web" tab. Uncheck the option "lock desktop items ". This should restore the three options on the context menu, that are missing.

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Are you a tweaker or have applied tweaks to os? Have you used a tweaker, customizer, or policy editor? Is it possible someone else has?

Have you noticed anything else out of the ordinary such as icons, Tabs, options, toolbar menu options greyed or missing, or control panels missing anywhere in your system.

How many shortcuts do you have on your desktop? Does your desktop seem to function normally beyond what you have described? Can you add shortcuts, delete shortcuts, dragNdrop items to it, change wallpaper, rename items, etc.?

Did you have any other errors or problems just prior to this? Have you tried a shutdown/reboot? Has your mouse been acting finicky?