Explanation of itempos and iconlayouts registry values

Question

_{Wednesday, July 26, 2017 7:01 AM}

I am in the middle of investigating how I can get UE-V to store the icon placement on the desktop so it roams with the user. I have found a few articles that tell me to add the following to an .xml template (or create a new one):

<Registry>
<Path Recursive="true">Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\1\Desktop</Path>
</Registry>

Now that seems logical if your icon placement is stored in registry values underneath that registry key. Normally that should be in REG_BINARY values named itempos(resolution)(numberofmonitors).
But here comes the thing I stumble upon in my testing environment, or actually two things, for which I cannot find any explanation or documentation for.

I have two Windows 10 systems, both enterprise versions, one 1607 and one 1703.
On both version I can place whatever I want on the desktop and drag those icons around, there is no itempos registry value created.
On the 1703 version there is a REG_BINARY named IconLayouts, that is missing from the 1607 version.

The lack of the itempos registry values make testing the EU-V template useless.

Does anybody know or can point me in the direction of documentation on these settings? I would like to know when exactly the itempos registry value is created and if the IconLayouts registry value is something new that comes with Windows 10 1703 and what it does.

All replies (6)

_{Thursday, July 27, 2017 6:15 AM ✅Answered}

Hi Michiel van Heerde,

Under the path:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\1\Desktop

We can see these two registry values IconSize and IconLayouts, yes, as you said**, IconLayouts only appears in 1703**, I checked all my machines, including Windows 10 1607, 1511, Windows 7 even Windows Server 2016(1607 version), all of them don’t have this IconLayouts value.

About ItemPos[resolution] key, please refer to this link for more information.

http://www.williballenthin.com/forensics/shellbags/

Please Note: Since the website is not hosted by Microsoft, the link may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.

Regards

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_{Thursday, July 27, 2017 2:15 PM}

Thanks for your reply. I have seen the website you mention, it has a lot of information but not the specific information I would like to get, when is the itempos value exactly created and what is the meaning of the IconLayout value. I can think of a thing or two based on the name and the information in that value but I would like to see some official documentation from Microsoft on this, if there is any.

Kind regards,
Michiel

_{Friday, July 28, 2017 9:00 AM}

Hi Michiel,

About your question: when exactly the itempos registry value is created?

After test, on Windows 7 and Windows 8 system, once we modify resolution and reboot computer, this itempos registry will be created, but on Windows 10, situation changes, system will not change this key.

About official documentation about itempos and iconlayouts, there is not any official documentation introducing them now.

Regards

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_{Friday, July 28, 2017 1:25 PM}

Hi Teemo,

If the icon placement settings are saved to the itempos registry value but this only appears when the resolution has changed, where are the icon placement settings saved if the resolution has not changed or when you log on to computers with the same resolution?

Kind regards,
Michiel

_{Monday, July 31, 2017 1:36 AM}

I find out a case talking about it, but for Windows 10 system, ItemPosXXXxXXX key disappears, just related three keys Mode, LogicalViewMode, IconSize control icon placement, note the article Windows Shellbag Forensics that stderr metniond.

Where does Windows store icon positions?

https://superuser.com/questions/625854/where-does-windows-store-icon-positions

Please Note: Since the website is not hosted by Microsoft, the link may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.

Regards

Please remember to mark the replies as answers if they help.
If you have feedback for TechNet Subscriber Support, contact [email protected].

_{Friday, August 11, 2017 1:27 PM}

I have changed the UE-V template in our production environment according to the opening post and everything seems to be working ok for now, I will investigate again when we will be moving to 1703 or a higher version of Windows 10.