Fences 3 just shuffled all my icons. (Resolved)

Reload snapshot / Windows restart doesn't help.

from Stardock Forums

Hi all, 

As stated in the title, I just started my PC this morning and I found that all my icons have been shuffled to a single fence. It's the fence I have selected for "Place all new icons in this fence by default".

Sadly, restoring snapshots from yesterday or previous days doesn't do anything to help. The layout of the fences on my desktop is restored, but the contents of each fence are still messed up.

I've also tried restarting Windows, and that doesn't help either.

I'm running Fences 3.1.6.1 on Windows 10 Home. 

Is anyone else having this problem? Can anyone offer any suggestions which can avoid me manually moving about a hundred icons? 

Thanks in advance for any assistance offered. 

UPDATE: 
It appears that Fences has suddenly decided that every single icon on all my desktops is a "new" icon. And it continues to do so. As I'm trying to move icons back to their intended locations and fences, I'm finding that they're being shuffled again a couple of minutes later. As you might expect, this is very frustrating.

 

 

fences
3,335 views 5 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

Hello,
Sorry to hear you are having issues. Need to know few things.

  1. Windows 10 full version and OS Build numbers. Please use Winver.exe.
  2. Do you have OneDrive Desktop Sync turn on?
  3. Also, do a free 30 days trial on Fences 6 and see if you see the same issue.

Thank you,
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

Thanks for your reply Basj.

Winver says: Version 22H2, OS Build 19045.5854.

I've just checked my OneDrive settings, clicked on the "Manage Backup" button, and yes, it appears that my desktop files are being backed up. It says "85 MB Backed up". Documents, Pictures, Music and Videos are turned off. Perhaps for some reason OneDrive is copying icons back to my desktop, and making Fences think that they're "new"? That would be so stupid. I'm going to turn that OneDrive option OFF, sort a few icons and see if that works.

It's strange because I already "manually" back up a lot of files to OneDrive (and some other cloud services) using a very good utility called "Syncback Free" by 2BrightSparks, and I don't remember ever activating any other "automatic" backup/sync options. I prefer to use backup systems that I can personally watch and monitor, to make sure the darn things run correctly.

Would I have to uninstall Fences 3 and lose all my settings before installing or upgrading to Fences 6? Or can they somehow run side-by-side? I don't want to repeatedly have to re-create a dozen fences, and sort through dozens of icons.

 

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Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

It is best to back up your Setting and do a clean install just to make sure everything install correctly. You can use this guide to backup your layout setting, please refer to this guide:  https://support.stardock.com/space/SHC/1331331082/Backup+and+Restore+the+Layout+of+Fences 

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top

Just to let you know, I think my problem is resolved now.

Simply turning off the OneDrive automatic desktop backup/sync seems to have fixed things. After turning off the feature, I replaced my 100+ icons in their proper positions, and after using my PC for several hours yesterday, and after an overnight shutdown and restart this morning, my desktop(s) are still in good order.

I have no idea why OneDrive should mess around with desktop files which it is simply supposed to be copying to the cloud, but then there are very few people outside Microsoft who can understand the company or their software design philosophy!

And I have absolutely no idea how the backup feature came to be turned on. I have a had a Windows 10 update recently, that's the only thing I can think of which could have affected my settings. From now on, whenever I get a Windows update I am going to try to check that none of my settings have been changed without my knowledge.

I will remember the trial version of Fences 6, and may try it out in the future. Unfortunately the full product is outside my budget range right now, and it's disappointing that there doesn't seem to be an upgrade path for loyal previous users.

Thanks for your time and assistance Basj.

 

Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top

Great to hear that. Glad to help.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant