Desktop Icons keep moving at each "restart"

[Vajra]

So yeah I got this Dell Inspiron 910 used Laptop from Rent-A-Center and the desktop icons on it keep moving around each time I restart it. It's quite annoying because I like to keep my desktop organized. I already have a folder where I put Icons in that I rarley click, so that windows starts up faster, but I still have 8 commonly used Icons on my desktop that just won't stop moving. For example, I put my recycling bin in the bottom right corner, and after a restart it appears up in the top right, and the other folders also move into a different spots, than where they were before.

P.S.: No, I don't have auto arrange set for desktop items, only the "auto alignment" option is checked. I find this problem REALLY annoying because when windows shuts down it's suppose to "Save your settings" just like what it says, so IDK wtf is going on.


P.S.S.:

Spoiler: show

I phoned Dell, and the guy used Go-To-Assistant and was able to get a "hands on" view on my problem, and said that it's probably a software issue (he wanted me to call a different department which charges fees per hour of conversation...) . But see the problem is, this used PC came with Windows XP already installed back to factory settings, and IT HAS NO CD DRIVE. So I have to end up buying an external cd drive eventually. This is actually a laptop I'm setting up for someone with all the essentials, I was able to download alot ointer ware online, even the one for the lexmark printer software (from their website) etc.

Thank you in advance for responding anyone .

[Blubbartron]

I believe I experienced a similar issue when i was hauling my PC around to LANs. My research revealed the most likely culprit to be a dead CMOS battery, but I never have gotten around to changing it. As long as my computer was plugged in, everything worked as expected. No idea how this translates into laptop technology. Perhaps try charging and doing a restart to see if settings save as they should be? I'm not sure on the exact mechanics of laptops, their motherboards, and their batteries.