Windows XP Classic Start Menu - hide unused programs

B

bill.zvonar

Anyone know how I can get the Start Menu to only show the Programs that
I've used recently (like in the last 7 days) unless I click on the
double-arrow at the bottom of the list, in which case it shows all of
the programs.

I'm using Windows XP Professional with SP2, and am using the Classic
Start Menu.

Any pointers appreciated, thanks...
 
W

Wesley Vogel

Use Personalized Menus

XP Start Menu >>
Right click the Start button | Properties |
Start Menu tab | Customize button | Advanced tab |
Scroll down to and Check:
Scroll Programs * |
Click OK | Click Apply | Click OK

Classic Start Menu >>
Right click the Start button | Properties |
Start Menu tab | Customize button |
Scroll down to and Check both of these:
Scroll Programs * |
Use Personalized Menus **
Click OK | Click Apply | Click OK

[*Specifies whether to display the items on the Programs menu as one long
scrolling menu or as horizontal pages. Depending on your screen resolution,
if you have more than 29 or 38 programs installed, and you select to have
one long scrolling menu, you can access the programs you don’t see
by clicking the arrow at each end of the list of programs.]

[**Specifies whether to turn on Personalized Menus.
Personalized Menus keeps the Programs menu clean by hiding items you haven't
used recently, while still keeping other programs easily accessible. You
can gain access to hidden programs by clicking the down arrow at the bottom
of the Programs menu.]

HOW TO: Show All Items on the Start Menu or Favorites Menu
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/230596

"Use Personalized Menus" Option in Taskbar and Start Menu Properties Has No
Effect on Internet Explorer Favorites Menu
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/257045


--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
B

bill.zvonar

Thanks Wes.

But I don't have the "Use Personalized Menus" option... any thoughts on
why this might not be there? I do have the "Scroll Programs" option.

I searched for "Personalized" in my registry and didn't find anything
that looked helpful.

As well, now that I think of it, I've got Tweakui installed & have
modified some of its settings (possibly I've done something in there to
disabled personalized menus).
 
W

Wesley Vogel

I could not find any XP TweakUI settings that relate to this.

Use Personalized Menus should be the very bottom item listed in Customize
Classic Start Menu under Advanced Start menu options. However, there are a
couple of registry settings that remove the Use Personalized Menus option
from the list. If IntelliMenus is set to 1 or 2.

Also if NoInstrumentation is set to 1 Use Personalized Menus gets removed.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Explorer
and/or
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Explorer

Value Name: IntelliMenus
Data Type: REG_DWORD
Value Data: 0, 1 or 2
0 = Enables personalized menus by default, but lets users change the
setting.
1 = Disables personalized menus and removes the Use Personalized Menus
option, so users cannot change the setting.
2 = Enables personalized menus and removes the Use Personalized Menus
option, so users cannot change the setting. (You cannot use Group Policy to
select this value.)

Description
Enables and disables personalized menus, and determines whether users can
change the setting.

This entry stores the setting of the Disable personalized menus Group
Policy. Group Policy adds this entry to the registry with a value of 1 when
you enable the policy. When you disable the policy or set it to Not
configured, Group Policy deletes the entry from the registry, and the system
behaves as though the value is 0.

Note
This entry takes precedence over a user setting. When this entry appears in
the registry with a value of 1, a policy is in effect and the system ignores
the value of Intellimenus (in the Explorer\Advanced subkey) and removes the
Use Personalized Menus option from the Start menu. If users cannot find the
Use Personalized Menus option, check the setting of the Disable personalized
menus policy.

Personalized menus require user tracking. If you enable the Disable user
tracking policy, Group Policy sets the value of NoInstrumentation to 1. As a
result, the system disables user tracking and personalized menus, and
ignores the value of the Intellimenus entry.
<quote>
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windows2000serv/reskit/regentry/93172.mspx?mfr=true

Group Policy:
User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar\
Turn off personalized menus

<quote>
Disables personalized menus.

Windows 2000 personalizes long menus by moving recently used items to the
top of the menu and hiding items that have not been used recently. Users can
display the hidden items by clicking an arrow to extend the menu.

If you enable this setting, the system does not personalize menus. All menu
items appear and remain in standard order. Also, this setting removes the
"Use Personalized Menus" option so users do not try to change the setting
while a setting is in effect.

Note: Personalized menus require user tracking. If you enable the "Turn off
user tracking" setting, the system disables user tracking and personalized
menus and ignores this setting.

Tip: To Turn off personalized menus without specifying a setting, click
Start, click Settings, click Taskbar and Start Menu, and then, on the
General tab, clear the "Use Personalized Menus" option.
<quote>
from...
gpedit.msc

IntelliMenus is also listed in
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
and/or
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

<quote>
IntelliMenus
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

Data type: REG_SZ
Range: YES | No
Default value: YES

Description
Enables and disables personalized menus.

This entry stores the setting of the Use Personalized Menus check box in the
Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box.

Windows 2000 personalizes a long menu by moving recently used items to the
top of the menu and by hiding items that have not been used recently. Users
can display the hidden items by clicking an arrow to extend the menu.

Value Meaning
---------------------------------------------
YES Enables personalized menus.
No Disables personalized menus.

Change method
To change the value of this entry, from the Start menu, point to Settings,
and then click Taskbar & Start Menu. On the General tab, select or clear the
Use Personalized Menus check box.

Note
This entry can be superceded by a Group Policy included in Windows 2000.
While the Disable Personalized Menus policy is in effect, the system removes
the Use Personalized Menus check box from the Start menu and ignores this
entry. The setting of the Disable Personalized Menus policy is stored in the
value of Intellimenus in the Policies subkey. If users cannot find the Use
Personalized Menus option, check the setting of the Disable Personalized
Menus policy.

Personalized menus require user tracking. If the Disable user tracking
policy is in effect, Group Policy sets the value of NoInstrumentation to 1.
As a result, the system disables user tracking and personalized menus and
ignores the value of Intellimenus.
<quote>
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windows2000serv/reskit/regentry/91640.mspx?mfr=true

<quote>
NoInstrumentation
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

Data type: REG_DWORD
Range: 0 | 1
Default value: 0

Description
Disables user tracking.

A value of 1 prevents the system from tracking the programs users run, the
paths they navigate, and the documents they open. The system uses this
information to customize Windows features. As a result, the system disables
customized menus and other features that require user tracking information.

This entry stores the setting of the Disable user tracking Group Policy.
Group Policy adds this entry to the registry with a value of 1 when you
enable the policy. If you disable the policy or set it to Not configured,
Group Policy deletes this entry from the registry, and the system behaves as
though the value is 0.

Value Meaning
---------------------------------------------
0 (or not in the registry) The policy is disabled or not configured.
Enables user tracking.
1 The policy is enabled. Disables user
tracking and features that require
tracking data, such as personalized
menus.

Change method
To change the value of this entry, use Group Policy. This entry corresponds
to the Disable user tracking Group Policy (User
Configuration\AdministrativeTemplates\Start Menu & Taskbar).
<quote>
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windows2000serv/reskit/regentry/91640.mspx?mfr=true

Disable user tracking is listed as Turn off user tracking in XP Group
Policy.

Group Policy:
UserConfiguration\AdministrativeTemplates\Start Menu & Taskbar\
Turn off user tracking

<quote>
Disables user tracking.

This setting prevents the system from tracking the programs users run, the
paths they navigate, and the documents they open. The system uses this
information to customize Windows features, such as personalized menus.

If you enable this setting, the system does not track these user actions.
The system disables customized features that require user tracking
information, including personalized menus.

Also, see the "Turn off personalized menus" setting.
<quote>
from...
gpedit.msc

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 

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