1. Right-click an empty spot on the desktop and choose Personalize.

2. Click the link to Display Settings at the bottom.

3. Reduce your screen resolution.

For example, if you're running at 1,024 x 768, choose 800 x 600.

4. Click Apply, and when Vista asks whether you want to keep your new screen resolution, click Yes.

The icons move to the upper-left corner of the screen.

5. Right-click an empty place on the desktop, choose Personalize --> Display Settings, and return your desktop to its original resolution.

6. Click Apply.

Vista doesn't move the icons, so they stay in the upper-left corner.

To free up the entire right edge of the screen, pushing the icons aside, follow these steps:

1. Right-click an empty spot on the Windows taskbar and choose Properties.

2. Uncheck the Lock the Taskbar box and the Auto-Hide the Taskbar box. Click OK.

3. Click any unused part of the taskbar and drag it to the right edge.

After you have the taskbar in place, you can see that Windows moves all the icons out of the way.

4. Hover your mouse over the left edge of the taskbar until it turns into a double-headed arrow, and then click and drag the taskbar to the left, expanding it to fill as much of the screen as you like.

When you release the mouse button, the icons (and the Sidebar, if it's showing) get shoved out of the way.

5. Right-click an empty area on the taskbar, click Properties, and check the Auto-Hide the Taskbar box.

When the taskbar auto-hides itself, you'll be able to verify that all the icons have moved. Leave the Lock the Taskbar box unchecked.

6. Click any unused part of the taskbar and drag it back to wherever it originated.

None of the icons are disturbed.

7. Right-click an empty spot on the taskbar and check the line marked Lock the Taskbar.

The icons have all been pushed to the left.