Windows 3.1 users will be familiar with the Save Settings on Exit option on Program Manager's Options menu. By turning this option off, you can move windows and icons around and be reasonably confident that everything will be back to normal next time you start Windows. It's not a heavy-duty security feature -- it can be turned on and off too easily -- but for some users, it might be enough to prevent unwanted redecoration of the Windows interface.

Create a NoSaveSettings entry in the registry to preserve desktop settings

Windows 95 users may have experienced the (entirely undocumented) poltergeist function which uses some mystical algorithm to rearrange the desktop whenever you're not looking. If so, you may have searched in vain for something you could "turn off" to make Windows show a little more respect for your desktop. Unfortunately, Windows 95 doesn't offer a Save Settings on Exit option, but it's easy enough to re-create the effect by editing the registry.
Once you have created the perfect desktop, run the Registry Editor (regedit.exe) and click through to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer. Right-click a blank area of the right-hand pane and choose New--DWORD Value. Name the value NoSaveSettings. Press <Enter> and set the Value data field to 1. In future, Windows will always start with the same desktop configuration.
- Neville Clarkson