How to Lock Desktop Items in Vista
Like previous versions of Windows, Vista has the ability to automatically arrange desktop icons by details such as name or date modified, and lock the icons into place based on those terms. However, if you arrange icons in a specific way, this does not help you keep them in place. Use the Layout.dll shell extension for Windows Vista to lock your desktop items by saving their positions, then restoring them in the event that they are moved accidentally.
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Instructions
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Download the Layout.dll shell extension from the link in the Resources section of this article, and extract the contents of the archive to the location of your choice. The archive contains three files: "Layout.dll," "Layout.reg" and "Uninstall.reg."
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Click the "Start" button, then click "Computer." Browse to "C:," "Windows" and "System32."
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Drag "Layout.dll" into the "System32" folder and drop it.
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Double click "layout.reg," and click "Yes" to confirm that you would like to add the information contained within to the registry. Click "OK" when this is complete.
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Right click an open area of the desktop and click "Save Desktop Icon Layout." Your desktop items are now saved. Click "OK." Right click the desktop again and select "Restore Desktop Icon Layout," if your desktop items are moved out of place.
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Tips & Warnings
If the Layout.dll shell extension does not work the way you would like it to, or if you simply decide that you would prefer not to use it, double click "Uninstall.reg" to remove it from your computer.
