Folders on Desktop move when file dragged to them

With Firefox 3 we now see an annoying behaviour in the Finder (MacOS 10.4.11.) When the Desktop has "Keep arranged by..." turned off (necessary due to the Finder's slow refresh in MacOSX), if we drag an image from Firefox onto the closed folder the folder moves. In some instances it moves to the center of the screen (so it's then hidden behind the browser window) and in others it moves to the location where it was created. This happens with images (gif, png, jpg...) but not with dragged text or links.
We deleted all our .DS_Store files and Finder prefs/plists but folders still move when an image is dragged to them. We see this on both our two MacBook Pros, and even with a newly created account.
A workaround is to use "Save Image As..." instead of dragging but ten+ years of habit and muscle memory make this undoable.
Has anyone else seen this and can anyone suggest a solution?

Not a solution but possible prevention:
Performance tip: Keep the Desktop clutter-free (empty, if possible)
Mac OS X's Desktop is the de facto location for downloaded files, and for many users, in-progress works that will either be organized later or deleted altogether. The desktop can also be gluttonous, however, becoming a catch-all for files that linger indefinitely.
Unfortunately - aside from the effect of disarray it creates - keeping dozens or hundreds of files on the Desktop can significantly degrade performance. Not necessarily because the system is sluggish with regard to rendering the icons on the desktop and storing them in memory persistently (which may be true in some cases), but more likely because keeping an excessive number of items on the Desktop can cause the windowserver process to generate reams of logfiles, which obviously draws resources away from other system tasks. Each of your icons on your desktop is stored as a window in the window server, not as an alias. The more you have stored, the more strain it puts on the window server. Check your desktop for unnecessary icons and clear them out.
Keeping as few items as possible on the Desktop can prove a surprisingly effective performance boon. Even creating a single folder on your Desktop and placing all current and future clutter inside, then logging out and back in can provide an immediately noticeable speed boost, particularly for the Finder.
And it is why Apple invented 'Stacks' for Leopard.

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Triple-click anywhere in the line below to select it:
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Copy the selected text to the Clipboard (command-C).
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If any personal information appears in the output, anonymize before posting, but don’t remove the context.

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annefromnantucket wrote:
Yes, I also managed to remember to empty the iPhoto trash too! I usually forget.
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What is the exact model/year of your MBA?
Ciao.

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Thanks
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BobInIndy1 wrote:
I know you can click on a file name in finder, it highlights it, and you can type in a new name. But often when I do this, I accidentally open the file. Is there an option to rename (like right click, rename in windows) to avoid clicking on it to rename?
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Robert B wrote:
I'm unable to start from the Install disk; I get the "Black Veil of Death" every time (You Need To Restart Your Machine...).
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Hi, I cannot move files into folders on desktop. They won't go in when I grab them and drag them to a folder.

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Copy the selected text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C.
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☞ Open LaunchPad and start typing the name.
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Relaunch the Finder.
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Folders on Desktop move when file dragged to them

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