how to stop lion re-arranging my desktop upon startup

Not as far as I know. That's generally one thing the hidden .DS_Store file in each folder is for, but it seems unlikely that you'd have a problem with every .DS_Store file on your computer.

Just getting it on the record: This is happening to me, too...and v-e-r-y frustrating!

Most likely a mucked up .DS_Store file in the Desktop folder. Do a search for .DS_Store AND baltwo in these communities and see my previously suggested solutions.

baltwo:

My problem is not with the desktop, but with the folders inside my hard disk folder. Any suggestions to fix that?

Each previously opened folder has its own .DS_Store file. So, for your boot volume (HD) folder, use this:

rm /.DS_Store

Do I have to have that folder open or selected or whatever when I type that code into Terminal?

I'm an old Mac hand, but a Terminal newbie, so pls excuse if I'm asking the obvious.

The King of the Jungle will do what it wants when it wants to.

I never sleep desktops, the only machines in my house, so I can't help with that issue.

The above was not really "in response to" ApMax. More like "in complement to".

What are you talking about? This is an AppleScript. It runs fine on Mac OS X 10.7.