Jumbled Icons on startup & Folder that doesn't remember its settings

from Stardock Forums

I just installed Fences 5 but two problems I had in Fences 4 still persist. 

First, everytime I reboot my computer the desktop opens with all the Fences folders open (even though I set them by default to not be visible). That's okay if they want to start up that way, but all the icons are so jumbled you can't even see them. I have to double-click to make them disappear and then again to make them re-appear to solve the problem. But I'm getting tired of having to do the quadruple clicks everytime I start my computer.

Second, one folder I have ALWAYS defaults to sorting by name, even though every day I tell it to sort by date. It never remembers that setting after a reboot or a wake-up. But my other two or three fence folders - they always remember their sort settings between sessions.

I'm running:

  • Windows 10 or 11? Windows 11 22631.2715
  • Single, Dual or more monitors setup? Single monitor
  • Information on all monitors, resolution, scale factors (100%,150%, etc) 3840 x 2160 - 350% scaling
  • Monitors type? Dell P4317Q
  • Does the issue also happening when the system awake from sleep? Yes
  • Any other information that might be relevant to the issue. ie. other 3rd party software that control how your desktop and taskbar work.  I'm running StartisBack for the taskbar.

 

 

fences
6,647 views 7 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

Hello,
Sorry to hear you are having issues. On jumble up icons. As a test try turning down your scaling to 200% or lower. Does the issue appear?

On sorting issue with the Portal Fence, does the portal fence link to external drive or a cloud?

Thanks
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

Hi,

Thanks so much for your help!  

On the jumbled icons, I went to change the scaling and saw that it was actually set to 110%. Windows showed it was 350 on another page - but when I got to the window where you actually change it - it was set to 110%. So yeah, it's been below 200 all along.

On the sorting issue, the portal fence is linked to a folder on my C:\ drive.

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Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

Something you said gave me an idea, when you asked if the folder that won't keep its sort settings was linked to an external drive. I realized after a second look that it was linked to my C:\ drive - but to the system folder "desktop". I thought maybe being linked to a system folder might have something to do with it.

So, I moved all those files to a new folder in a different location - and lo and behold - the portal fence now keeps the sort settings! 

HOWEVER, later I discovered a problem when playing around with the View settings for each portal fence and that is if I set the view settings to Medium or Small icons - it will only show one icon per "page". In other words, it will show a small icon at the top of the fence and then I have to scroll and as I scroll it shows one icon at a time. 

One portal fence is set to disply the contents of a folder that has a couple of hundred files in it. So, to only see one at a time makes it pretty useless. 

If I set it to view Large or Extra Large icons it displays as it should. But I really want to use the Medium view setting and that one just doesn't work. 

Large Icons Work Fine:

 

Anything smaller than Large - looks like this:

Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top

Please try restart explorer.exe when you change the icons size if the icons not properly show up. A guide on how to restart Explorer.exe below.

https://www.howtogeek.com/198815/use-this-secret-trick-to-close-and-restart-explorerexe-in-windows/

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top

Okay, I tried restarting Explorer.exe a few times but unfortunately, no change. 

Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top

Please try purge and reinstall steps as mention here : [Link]. Just make sure to redownload the latest version from your account page. Reboot after the purge. Reinstall and reboot again after the installation. Retest and report back here.

Thank you,
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top

Okay, I'll give that a try sometime when I have time in the next day or two. I'll let you know what happens. I have really appreciated your help!