Lion Keeps Re-arranging my Folders

This bug is slowly driving me crazy! I've used Macs for 20 years and this has got to be the single most annoying interface glitch I've ever come across.

I can't get a single customized folder view to stay put. Two to three times per day, at random it seems, all my customized views will re-set to list view with side bar showing, centered in the middle of the screen, adjusted to the same 'default' window size. I lose all my icon arrangements and background photos etc.

I've tried re-installing Lion twice, and performing all kinds of cache emptying, .DS_Store deletions and restores, permissions fixes, setting the customized views for my folders within a root user account, ticking the "always use" setting manually for each and every folder. Nothing helps.

All my time spent meticulously setting up all my folder views is just a complete and utter waste of time in Lion.

Exactly what I've been experiencing, and you're right - no amount of workarounds and fixes are solving it. It is very disheartening that Apple seems to be disregarding such a major bug in their software. Yes, Lion does all sorts of fancy stuff now, but if it can't even get the basics of a graphics orientated environment correct, then I don't want to use it anymore.

I have the impression that the Finder simply does not save any changes to icon positions. So after a certain time the arrangement is reverted to some old state that is basically never changed.

I am also experiencing problems with Mail settings that are not saved or are reverted after restarting Mail. I am beginning to think that both symptoms are part of a global problem (a not only Finder-related problem). Maybe this is related to the new file saving mechanisms (Autosave, Versions).

I keep Finder View Options open at all times.

Observing a few folders containing icons I arranged before installing 10.7 which have remained relatively stable, I feel like I may be seeing a correlation: For those folders, "Open in Icon View" and "Browse in Icon View" are unchecked, while "Arrange By" and "Sort By" are both set to "None". I don't believe I've modified these since installing 10.7. This suggests: "don't fool with these settings, and the next time you open that folder your icons may be the way you left them".

Or, I'm getting a bit crazy trying to analyze and work around this issue and I'm imagining patterns that aren't there.

hopefully Apple won't just completely ignore this issue like they did with the blurry/pixelated icon issue that was introduced with Snow Leopard

Hen3ry wrote:

This suggests: "don't fool with these settings, and the next time you open that folder your icons may be the way you left them".

In my observations (or imaginings?) thus far, the same thought has occurred to me. 😝

In any case, Apple is aware of the issue, and it will almost definitely be fixed in 10.7.2.

In any case, Apple is aware of the issue, and it will almost definitely be fixed in 10.7.2.

somehow I don't think that fixing this issue is among Apple's highest priorities in the upcoming 10.7.2 "upgrade" since everything seems to be focused around the release of iCloud and iTunes 10.5 ... I'll be surprised if they actually address this issue at all, imho ... I hate to be a negative nancy but sweeping things under the rug seems to be Apple's only policy these days

I really hope I'm wrong, but I'll take any bets that it won't be fixed ... take a look at the amount of users that were affected by the blurry/pixelated icon issue throughout the entire lifespan of Snow Leopard and it was NEVER addressed by Apple

as Apple has continued to dumb-down the user experience on OSX to match the near downs syndrome equated iOS they have introduced more bugs to OSX than a herd of unbathed water buffalos ... all in the name of "simplifying" the user experience ... dear apple, I'd like to have my computer back please!, you know, the one that "works for me" not the one that "I must work for" ... phew, stepping of the soapbox now 😠😁

Preliminary reports regarding the 10.7.2 beta on other forums are saying that this issue hasn't been addressed. If that's true it will be a massive disappointment. Honestly, who cares about iCloud etc. when the Finder doesn't work?

The new features are useless if the desktop itself is malfunctioning.

billearl wrote:

In any case, Apple is aware of the issue, and it will almost definitely be fixed in 10.7.2.

Don't be naive :

- First it is not a priority for Apple (minor issue, few victims)

- Second this is a deep OSX's contradiction, not a simple bug.

Even if for us, here, it is the most annoying Lion's issue 😢

I've already given up and gone back to Snow Leopard.

I've written to Apple requesting my money back, as the product is faulty, but of course, no reply.

I'm not holding my breath.

I'm not sure how viable it would be for me to go back to Snow Leopard, even though I want to, as I've paid such a lot to upgrade a bunch of apps and I'm afraid of losing my settings etc.

This will teach me to adopt new technology.

Come on Apple - please make my stuff stay where I put it!

iandack wrote:

Honestly, who cares about iCloud etc. when the Finder doesn't work?

The new features are useless if the desktop itself is malfunctioning.

Precisely my point for believing Apple will address this soon. They have to.

not to be a p-rick ... but what proof do you have that Apple is even aware of this issue as you claimed? just curious

MaestroCreep3k wrote:

not to be a p-rick ... but what proof do you have that Apple is even aware of this issue as you claimed? just curious

A number of people on this forum have sent feedback to Apple about this problem, this is Apple's forum and they do monitor it, 27 years as a Mac user, and common sense. The alternative would be creating a reputation for buggy software, Lion = Vista, etc. Getting the fundamentals right is the foundation for featues like iCloud. They have to maintain the foundation first. I do agree such a widespread bug should not have made it into the Lion release, but it did, and appeared too late to fix in 10.7.1. Apple has seeded 10.7.2 betas out to many more people than previous updates, including me. They are serious about fixing any and all bugs, especially annoying ones like this.