Why are my icons rearranging themselves at startup. Checked the views, nothing. Never seen this before.

It's caused by a corrupt, hidden .DS_Store file in the Desktop folder.

Run this command in the Terminal app, log out and back in, and reset your Desktop icons.

rm ~/Desktop/.DS_Store

Once that's done, make a copy of that file using this Terminal command:

cp ~/Desktop/.DS_Store ~/Desktop/.DS.Store.bak

Then, use this Terminal command to restore it if the corruption happens again:

cp ~/Desktop/.DS_Store.bak ~/Desktop/.DS.Store

Follow this command by an OPTION-click & hold on the Finder's Dock icon and select Relaunch. That will restore the view.

What do you get from this command:

echo $PATH

It looks like your cp command is missing. What about this:

ls -l /bin/cp

Linc's helping with the missing cp executable. BTW, I mucked up the last two commands, substituting a period for an underscore. The last two commands should read:

cp ~/Desktop/.DS_Store ~/Desktop/.DS_Store.bak

cp ~/Desktop/.DS_Store.bak ~/Desktop/.DS_Store

Still have the problem here. Copying the settings-file is not a solution. As I use the desktop for work, my folders change pretty often. so that a copy of the plist-file doesnt really help. Apple really needs to fix this problem. its ******* me totally of. the machine should just work. I don't have time to rearrange the icons on every login. any better solution than setting up a new lion installation?

I'm having the same problem – it's a pain in the butt.

I've scripted a lot, and for some reason the Scripting Editor no longer records our moving a DT icon to a new location, and I cant find any script that does it.

Here's a lead I found on a "workaround" [I hate workarounds]. I found that Automator, which I'm not familiar with yet, DID record icon moves! Now all I have to do is find out how to get the workflow into an application to drop into my Startup Items folder [unless that's not there either]. Geeez, am I sorry I went to lyon! The Lyon ate up half my old apps that worked perfectly on snow leapard, including my Adobe Creative $uit!

OOOOPPPSSS . . . I'M WRONG.

Automator DID NOT record the desktop icon moves.

Sorry.

I had no luck with the Terminal application – I don't know what it is. The mention of it comes from someone who doesn't remember when he was new at this stuff, and needs to give some hints to someone like me who CANNOT find the folder in the Library Prefs because there ISN'T one . . . "it's just invisible . . . Duhhh."

There must be some scripting commands to move icons. I can't find mention of any in the AS Reference guide. I've been through the Finder's dictionary with no avail. But if I find a way, I'll script the icons into place and get all of this over with.

You can move desktop objects using this:

tell application "Finder" to set desktop position of file "path to file using the : delimiter" to {x, y}

where x and y are the width and height posits.

Here's an example:

tell application "Finder" to set desktop position of file "'boot volume name':Users:'username':Desktop:'name of Desktop file'" to {2055, 1360}

for a 27" display set at 2560 x 1440.

GOOD NEWS ICON GRUMPS:

First, a big Thank you^3, to Baltwo for the script help . . . I'm in business.

ON THE ICON PROBLEM: to locate and trash the 'com.apple.desktop.plist', do this:

• Be in the finder (click the desktop), on the top menu click and –HOLD– "GO." The menu list will open

• While it's open, press the Option key (while you hold GO") – Voila! a folder "Library" pops into the middle. THAT'S the majic, invisible list. In it, go to "Preferences" and then find "com.apple.desktop.plist"

Drag com.apple.desktop.plist to the trash.

Now, set your desktop icons where you want them, and restart. They should re-appear where you left them. Mine did. What a pain this has been.

And, yes, you will have to re-set your desktop picture; it's in your system preferences (the icon with the three gears) top row > Personal > Desktop & Screen Saver

Thank all of you.