Desktop Icons Invisible While Dragging

[Ken Dibble]

Hi All,

I haven't been able to find a message here that addresses this issue.

In Windows 7, when I drag icons around my desktop, they disappear
until I release the mouse button. This makes positioning them
difficult.

In Win 2000 and Win XP, desktop icons are visible when dragging. Is
there a way to get this behavior back in Windows 7?

Please note, this is not a question about "hiding icons" nor am I
saying my icons have permanently disappeared. Note also, this is only
about DESKTOP icons.

The problem is that when clicking a desktop icon with the left mouse
button, then holding the mouse button down and dragging the icon, the
icon becomes invisible, and remains invisible until I release the
mouse button. I can't precisely position an icon under these
circumstances.

This problem is NOT solved by checking the "Show window contents while
dragging" checkbox in the "Performance Options" tab. That box has
always been checked on my system and it has no effect on visibility of
desktop icons when dragging.

Thanks for any help.

 

[Scott Brooks]

The problem is that when clicking a desktop icon with the left mouse
button, then holding the mouse button down and dragging the icon, the
icon becomes invisible, and remains invisible until I release the
mouse button.

Interesting, I do not see the same behavior. What graphics card do you
have, and have you updated the drivers? Also what theme are you using?

 

[Trev]

Hi All,

I haven't been able to find a message here that addresses this issue.

In Windows 7, when I drag icons around my desktop, they disappear
until I release the mouse button. This makes positioning them
difficult.

In Win 2000 and Win XP, desktop icons are visible when dragging. Is
there a way to get this behavior back in Windows 7?

Please note, this is not a question about "hiding icons" nor am I
saying my icons have permanently disappeared. Note also, this is only
about DESKTOP icons.

The problem is that when clicking a desktop icon with the left mouse
button, then holding the mouse button down and dragging the icon, the
icon becomes invisible, and remains invisible until I release the
mouse button. I can't precisely position an icon under these
circumstances.

This problem is NOT solved by checking the "Show window contents while
dragging" checkbox in the "Performance Options" tab. That box has
always been checked on my system and it has no effect on visibility of
desktop icons when dragging.

Thanks for any help.

Mine are visible whilst dragging In fact the original icon stays in position
until I have stopped dragging a copy and let go. I But I don't know what is
different on my set up. I normally have them hidden , so its not something I
have done to to help me sort them.

 

[Ken Dibble]

In Windows 7, when I drag icons around my desktop, they disappear

difficult.

Interesting, I do not see the same behavior. What graphics card do you
have, and have you updated the drivers? Also what theme are you using?

The computer is at work so I can't look up the graphics card at the moment.
However, I am running Windows 7 Ultimate and it displays the default desktop
theme properly.

I'm using the Windows Classic theme; maybe that's it? I should test with the
default theme and see what happens. Still, it would be a bug if icons can't be
seen while dragging in the Windows Classic theme.

Thanks.

 

[Roy Smith]

Hi All,

I haven't been able to find a message here that addresses this issue.

In Windows 7, when I drag icons around my desktop, they disappear
until I release the mouse button. This makes positioning them
difficult.

In Win 2000 and Win XP, desktop icons are visible when dragging. Is
there a way to get this behavior back in Windows 7?

Please note, this is not a question about "hiding icons" nor am I
saying my icons have permanently disappeared. Note also, this is only
about DESKTOP icons.

The problem is that when clicking a desktop icon with the left mouse
button, then holding the mouse button down and dragging the icon, the
icon becomes invisible, and remains invisible until I release the
mouse button. I can't precisely position an icon under these
circumstances.

This problem is NOT solved by checking the "Show window contents while
dragging" checkbox in the "Performance Options" tab. That box has
always been checked on my system and it has no effect on visibility of
desktop icons when dragging.

Thanks for any help.

Try this. Right click on Computer (either on the desktop or in the
start menu) and select properties. On the left side of the Computer
window click on the line that says "Advanced system settings". In the
Performance box, click on settings. Now on the Visual Effects tab,
check the line that says "Show window contents while dragging" it should
have a check mark in the box, if not click on the box to toggle it back
on. Now click on ok on each window to get back to the desktop.

This should allow you to see the icons as you drag them.

--

Roy Smith
Windows 7 Home Premium

Timestamp: Saturday, February 06, 2010 9:43:13 AM

 

[Ken Dibble]

Try this. Right click on Computer (either on the desktop or in the
start menu) and select properties. On the left side of the Computer
window click on the line that says "Advanced system settings". In the
Performance box, click on settings. Now on the Visual Effects tab,
check the line that says "Show window contents while dragging" it should
have a check mark in the box, if not click on the box to toggle it back
on. Now click on ok on each window to get back to the desktop.

This should allow you to see the icons as you drag them.

As I said in the last paragraph of my original post, that definitely does NOT
work. That setting has NO effect on whether icons are visible while dragging on
the desktop.

Thanks.

 

[Roy Smith]

As I said in the last paragraph of my original post, that definitely does NOT
work. That setting has NO effect on whether icons are visible while dragging on
the desktop.

Well darn, I figured that would have cured your problem. Since it
didn't I'm not sure where else you could look. Sorry I couldn't have
been more helpful.

--

Roy Smith
Windows 7 Home Premium

Timestamp: Sunday, February 07, 2010 6:05:17 AM

 

[Dave-UK]

The computer is at work so I can't look up the graphics card at the moment.
However, I am running Windows 7 Ultimate and it displays the default desktop
theme properly.

I'm using the Windows Classic theme; maybe that's it? I should test with the
default theme and see what happens. Still, it would be a bug if icons can't be
seen while dragging in the Windows Classic theme.

Thanks.

I get the same result in Windows Classic - no icons while dragging.
Same with any of the high contrast themes.
Windows Basic works ok.

 

[Len Hickman]

I get the same result in Windows Classic - no icons while dragging.
Same with any of the high contrast themes.
Windows Basic works ok.

Same here , no icons while dragging in Windows Classic theme

len

 

[Ken Dibble]

In Windows 7, when I drag icons around my desktop, they disappear

Same here , no icons while dragging in Windows Classic theme

Thanks. I'm trying to file a bug report with MS but their "MS
Connection" registration system seems to be down.

 

[Michael Walraven]

You might check System Properties
Advanced tab
Performance settings button
Visual effects Tab

Michael

 

[Ken Dibble]

You might check System Properties

Advanced tab
Performance settings button
Visual effects Tab

As I said in my original post and in a follow-up post, these settings
have no effect on the issue. In particular, "Show window contents
while dragging" is on and has never been off; it has no effect. Two
other posters here have observed and confirmed the behavior.

I'm filing a bug report with MS today.

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

As I said in my original post and in a follow-up post, these settings
have no effect on the issue. In particular, "Show window contents
while dragging" is on and has never been off; it has no effect. Two
other posters here have observed and confirmed the behavior.

I'm filing a bug report with MS today.

Sometimes, turning a feature off and then back on resolves an issue such as
this.

Since you say it has never been off, you might try that.

Note: after turning the setting off, I would reboot before turning it back
on.

 

[Bob I]

As I said in my original post and in a follow-up post, these settings
have no effect on the issue. In particular, "Show window contents
while dragging" is on and has never been off; it has no effect. Two
other posters here have observed and confirmed the behavior.

I'm filing a bug report with MS today.

Perhaps it's your display driver, as they show up just fine here while
dragging

 

[pjescani-sat]

Ken Dibble wrote on 02/05/2010 10:27 ET

Hi All

I haven't been able to find a message here that addresses this issue

In Windows 7, when I drag icons around my desktop, they disappea
until I release the mouse button. This makes positioning the
difficult

In Win 2000 and Win XP, desktop icons are visible when dragging. I
there a way to get this behavior back in Windows 7

Please note, this is not a question about "hiding icons" nor am
saying my icons have permanently disappeared. Note also, this is onl
about DESKTOP icons

The problem is that when clicking a desktop icon with the left mous
button, then holding the mouse button down and dragging the icon, th
icon becomes invisible, and remains invisible until I release th
mouse button. I can't precisely position an icon under thes
circumstances

This problem is NOT solved by checking the "Show window contents whil
dragging" checkbox in the "Performance Options" tab. That bo
ha
always been checked on my system and it has no effect on visibility o
desktop icons when dragging

Thanks for any help

Activate Aero on display

 

[VanguardLH]

Ken Dibble wrote on 02/05/2010 10:27 ET : <snipped the 9-month old post

Activate Aero on display

After 9 months, you really thought Ken still monitoring this ancient
thread? Since NSPs delete really old posts beyond some retention
interval, it may no longer be available to Ken.

 

[[email protected]]

I also Own three separate Windows 7 computers to which none of them show any Icon while dragging. I totally understand the original poster's complaint. It's so annoying because all my other XP machine don't have this problem. It's definitely a Win 7 problem.