Moving start menu entries to suite

[reader]

Setup:
WinXP Pro SP/2

I often find later on, that I want to move start menu items to
different locations than the install placed them, plus lots of
installable software doesn't allow a user choice in where items are
inserted in start menu.

First, does it make much difference that windows OS doesn't know where
some of its start menu entries are located?

If I wanted to let windows know where I am putting start menu entries;
is there a nifty way to register where start menu items are so
that for example, an uninstall will know what to remove and where to
find it.

 

[T. Waters]

Basically, Windows takes note of the change in location in a case where you
actually move a file, so there is little need to worry that Windows "doesn't
know," because it does know. In some cases, though, you are actually just
moving a shortcut, not the file or folder, and then the point is moot.
Finally, if you were trying to move a file or folder to an "illegal"
location, Windows would not let you move it there. So feel free to move
icons around. It will not cause a problem with uninstalling programs should
you decide to do so.

 

[Harry Putnam]

Basically, Windows takes note of the change in location in a case where you
actually move a file, so there is little need to worry that Windows "doesn't
know," because it does know. In some cases, though, you are actually just
moving a shortcut, not the file or folder, and then the point is moot.

Yes, these shortcuts are mostly what I am moving to suit my
organization system.

It will not cause a problem with uninstalling programs should
you decide to do so.

I find this last statement to be wrong, and that was what gave rise to
my original post. An example might be that I installed a trial or
free program which deposited its start shortcuts like this:

startmenu/programs/directoryOfSeveralShortcuts/shortcut1 shortcut2 ...

Now I move them to Startmenu/misc/TrialJunk/shortcut1 shortcut2 ...

I find that when I later uninstall this program, the shortcuts I moved
are not deleted. After many installs of various stuff one can lose
track of what these links were to or just have a bunch of dead links
on start menu.

I'm wondering if there is a way to register where the links are when I
move them so that an uninstall will find and delete them?

 

[Stan Brown]

I often find later on, that I want to move start menu items to
different locations than the install placed them,

Yup, me too.

First, does it make much difference that windows OS doesn't know where
some of its start menu entries are located?

Not sure what you mean by this. Windows knows to look in All Users
and the current user Start Menu folders to make up the menu you get
under Programs when you click the Start button. It doesn't care if
you move something within or between Start Menu folders.

If I wanted to let windows know where I am putting start menu entries;
is there a nifty way to register where start menu items are so
that for example, an uninstall will know what to remove and where to
find it.

Not so far as I'm aware. I just take it as a given that if I
uninstall a program I'll probably need to remove its Start Menu
items manually.

What bothers me is that the uninstaller just says "couldn't emove
everything", so I have no idea what _else_ (if anything) is still
there.

 

[Rock]

Yes, these shortcuts are mostly what I am moving to suit my
organization system.




I find this last statement to be wrong, and that was what gave rise to
my original post. An example might be that I installed a trial or
free program which deposited its start shortcuts like this:

startmenu/programs/directoryOfSeveralShortcuts/shortcut1 shortcut2 ...

Now I move them to Startmenu/misc/TrialJunk/shortcut1 shortcut2 ...

I find that when I later uninstall this program, the shortcuts I moved
are not deleted. After many installs of various stuff one can lose
track of what these links were to or just have a bunch of dead links
on start menu.

I'm wondering if there is a way to register where the links are when I
move them so that an uninstall will find and delete them?

Whether an uninstall routine removes all files such as shortcuts and
folders, depends on how the routine was written. For the most part
moving a shortcut will not affect that. Many uninstall routines leave
remnants about and a post uninstall clean up is needed.