Protected Overrides Sub OnFormClosing(ByVal e As _
      System.Windows.Forms.FormClosingEventArgs)
        Dim settings As String = String.Empty
        For idx As Integer = 0 To dgv1.Columns.Count - 1
            settings += dgv1.Columns(idx).DisplayIndex.ToString()
            settings += "/"
            settings += dgv1.Columns(idx).Width.ToString
            settings += "$"
        Next
        My.Settings.dgv1_settings = settings
    End Sub

    Protected Overrides Sub OnLoad(ByVal e As System.EventArgs)
 
        '....
 
        If My.Settings.dgv1_settings <> String.Empty Then
            Dim settings() As String = My.Settings.dgv1_settings.Split("$"c)
            For idx As Integer = 0 To dgv1.Columns.Count - 1
                Dim sv() As String = settings(idx).Split("/"c)
                dgv1.Columns(idx).DisplayIndex = CInt(sv(0))
                dgv1.Columns(idx).Width = CInt(sv(1))
            Next
        End If
 
    End Sub

Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do - Isaac Asimov