DOCUMENT:Q235994 11-JUN-2002 [winnt] TITLE :How Windows NT Saves Window Size and Location Parameters PRODUCT :Microsoft Windows NT PROD/VER:winnt:4.0 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS:kbenv ====================================================================== IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Q256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY ======= This article describes how Windows NT saves the size and location of a window when it is closed. MORE INFORMATION ================ WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk. Windows saves size and location information for closed windows in the following registry location: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams Windows saves size and location information for up to 28 different windows. Each window's size and location parameters are stored in a subkey of the Streams key. The subkeys are assigned sequentially on a per-user basis. For example, when a new user logs on, the first window's parameters are stored in the subkey named 0. The second window's parameters are stored in a subkey named 1. After 28 subkeys have been created and a new window is opened, the parameters for the twenty-ninth window overwrite the parameters for one of the first 28 windows. When a window for which the parameters were overwritten is opened, the window opens with the default parameters for that window. Windows stores the association for the Streams subkeys with a particular window in the following location: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\StreamMRU. For example, if the Streams key has eight subkeys (0-7), the printers folder is assigned the Streams subkey named 6, you delete all of the Streams subkeys, and you then open the Printers folder, the printer is assigned the subkey named 6 again. This occurs because Windows has an entry in StreamMRU that associates the 6 subkey with the Printers folder. However, if you had deleted all of the Streams subkeys and the values in the StreamMRU key, the Printers folder would have been assigned the next sequential Streams subkey, which would be 0. Troubleshooting --------------- This may be useful if StreamMRU settings become "cross linked." In some cases, multiple programs may write window size and location information to the same Streams subkey. In this case, the stored size and location for program B's window might actually be the size and location for program A's window. Deleting the StreamMRU data and Streams subkeys should resolve this situation. Also, creating a new user account resolves this issue because the Streams and StreamMRU subkeys are created when a new user opens a window. NOTE: Do not delete the MRUList value from the StreamMRU key. Additional query words: ====================================================================== Keywords : kbenv Technology : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT400search Version : winnt:4.0 Issue type : kbinfo ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2002.