I'm relatively new to Windows XP. I have XP Professional installed, and have
been continually confused about how to handle the new Start Menu.

Instead of having just ONE Start Menu, there are now SIX Start Menus, as
follows:
1) Administrator 2) All Users 3) Default User 4) Local Service 5) Network
Service and finally, 6) nobodyz

When I try to group my start menu items together in folders (like "office"
or "sounds" or "games") I LOSE Start Menu Items on a regular basis. I can
find them by using Windows Explorer, as they've been tucked away in other
"user folders" under Documents and Settings.

I am the ONLY user on this computer. How do I get all my Programs on ONE
Start Menu?

Thank you for your help.
--
-nobodyz

nobodyz wrote:
> I'm relatively new to Windows XP. I have XP Professional installed,
> and have been continually confused about how to handle the new Start
> Menu.
>
> Instead of having just ONE Start Menu, there are now SIX Start Menus,
> as follows:
> 1) Administrator 2) All Users 3) Default User 4) Local Service 5)
> Network Service and finally, 6) nobodyz
>
> When I try to group my start menu items together in folders (like
> "office" or "sounds" or "games") I LOSE Start Menu Items on a regular
> basis. I can find them by using Windows Explorer, as they've been
> tucked away in other "user folders" under Documents and Settings.
>
> I am the ONLY user on this computer. How do I get all my Programs on
> ONE Start Menu?
>
> Thank you for your help.

Use all users' start menu.

Actually - in all you listed, the only ones ever in *use* are "All Users"
and "YOURUSERNAME". Only those are visible on the actual start menu at a
given time - when you are logged in.

Anything you want on your start menu but no one elses - you put in YOUR
profile folder under your start menu.
Anything you want on everyone's start menu - you put in the ALL USERS folder
under that start menu.

Since you are the only user - putting everything in ALL USERS or YOURNAME
(whatever your username is) start menu folder will work fine.

C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME

Put anything you want everyone to see in the "ALL USERS" start menu.
Put anything you want for the individual users in their corresponding Start
Menu/Desktop folders.

Essentially, you may (if you want some users to have some things
and others not have these things) have duplicate copies in
different Start Menu/Desktop areas.

HOW TO: Create and Configure User Accounts in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/279783

HOW TO: Set, View, Change, or Remove Special Permissions for Files and
Folders in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308419

Doug's Windows XP Security Console
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm

Windows XP is a multi-user OS, even when used by one person only, the
fundamentals don't change.

Documents and Settings is the directory that contains your user
information/documents/etc. It also contains a few extra directories used by
Windows.

One is "Default User" - This is used whenever a new account is created. It
bases the initial setup of that account off this directory.

Another is "All Users" - This is used by.. all users. If you want something
to appear on the desktop of every user of the machine, you put it on this
users desktop (in the desktop folder.) Etc.

You may also see "Administrator" - depending on your setup, this is the
original administrator user and if you know that account's password, you
should leave him alone and use him only in an emergency.

You could also (if you have it where you can see ALL files) see
"LocalService" and "NetworkService" folders. These are service accounts,
normally unused by the standard user.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html