Using Windows Explorer to Modify the All Programs Menu in Windows XP !!

The All Programs submenu of the Start menu is merely a collection of shortcuts stored on your computer. Therefore, you can use Windows Explorer to add, delete, move, and copy items in the All Programs menu instead of using the procedures described in the preceding sections. (You can’t use Windows Explorer to establish the sort order, however. That information is stored in the registry, plus the sort order is best modified by working directly within the Start menu.)

The All Programs submenu contains the links stored in two different folders (along with all their subfolders, which create the cascading menu structure): %UserProfile%\Start Menu and %AllUsersProfile%\Start Menu. The items in your own user profile appear only when you’re logged on, whereas those in the All Users profile appear no matter who is logged on. Items from the two folders are merged into a seamless list. Store the items that you want to appear at the top of the All Programs menu in the Start Menu folders. (If you use the classic Start menu, items in the Start Menu folders appear at the top of the Start menu, above the Programs menu.) Store the shortcuts and folders that you want to appear in the lower part of the All Programs menu in the Start Menu\Programs folders. (In the classic Start menu, these items appear on the Programs menu.)

To work with these items in Windows Explorer, you can use the usual techniques to navigate to the folders. But an easier way is to right-click the Start button and choose Open (to open %UserProfile%\Start Menu) or Open All Users (to open %AllUsersProfile%\Start Menu). If you prefer to display the Folders bar in Windows Explorer, choose the Explore or Explore All Users command instead.

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No shortcut menu appears when you right-click on the start menu in Windows XP !!

When you right-click an item on the Start menu, a shortcut menu should appear. If instead the menu flashes and no shortcut menu appears, the Enable Dragging And Dropping check box has been cleared. Although it’s not apparent from the name, this option enables shortcut menus as well as drag-and-drop capability. To enable the option, right-click the Start button, choose Properties, and then click Customize on the Start Menu tab of the Taskbar And Start Menu Properties dialog box. If you’re using the default Start menu, click the Advanced tab and then, in the Start Menu Items box, select Enable Dragging And Dropping. If you’re using the classic Start menu, the option appears in the Advanced Start Menu Options box in the Customize Classic Start Menu dialog box.

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Sort Your Menus Automatically in Windwows XP !!

Even if you never change the Start menu order manually, your menu can soon become jumbled because new programs you install ordinarily place their shortcuts at the bottom of the menu. If you prefer to have your menus always sorted alphabetically, you can use a registry trick to force alphabetical sorts: Remove permissions to the registry key that controls menu order.

1. Open Registry Editor and select HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Explorer\MenuOrder.
2. On the Edit menu, choose Permissions.
3. In the Permissions For MenuOrder dialog box, click Advanced.
4. In the Advanced Security Settings For MenuOrder dialog box, clear the Inherit From Parent check box.
5. In the Security dialog box that appears, click Copy.
6. Click OK to return to the Permissions For MenuOrder dialog box, and then clear the Full Control access control entry for your own account and for any security groups that you’re a member of, leaving the Read access control entry in place.

Without Full Control permissions, Windows is prevented from rearranging menu items. Your programs remain in alphabetical order, even when new items are installed. The downside to this change is that you can no longer make your own ad hoc rearrangements, and any such arrangements you made previously are lost. To revert to default behavior, reinstate Full Control permissions, then log off and log on again.

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You can’t drag items on the Start menu in Windows XP !!

You might find that you can’t drag items to, from, or within the Start menu; when you drag items over the Start menu, an “unavailable” symbol appears instead of a black line that indicates the destination. In this case, you need to enable the Start menu’s drag-and-drop capability. To do that, right-click the Start button, choose Properties, and click Customize. If you’re using the default Start menu, click the Advanced tab and then, in the Start Menu Items box, select Enable Dragging And Dropping. If you’re using the classic Start menu, in the Advanced Start Menu Options box in the Customize Classic Start Menu dialog box, select Enable Dragging And Dropping.

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How to Remove the orange highlight from new program shortcuts in start menu in Windows XP !!

When you install a new program, by default, Windows highlights in orange the additions to your Start menu for a few days. This makes it easier to find the new items and makes you aware of added items that you might have otherwise overlooked. Some users find the highlights distracting, however. If you want to remove the highlights, open the Taskbar And Start Menu Properties dialog box. On the Start Menu tab, click Customize. Click the Advanced tab and clear the Highlight Newly Installed Programs check box.

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