Can the start menu be changed?

[Lakesidezx]

I really *really* hate the new vista start menu, it's the tree type of
folders under all programs to me that is so crowded (with even minimal
software installed) that it makes it really really difficult to find what I
want.

Is there a way of changing vista so that just the start menu *all programs*
pops out the menu choices like XP did? XP brought the menu choices of the
all programs list to the front which made it real easy on the eyes to see
what was in focus for me and what wasn't. This was the easiest way of doing
it and I'd like to have vista use this method instead of the standard in
tree menu system.

Thanks,

 

[william.hooper]

Yes I agree having "all programs" leading to a pop out was much
better.. I switched to classic menus to avoid the new all programs
menu.

 

[Chad Harris]

You can collect and arrange the All Programs menu folders by copying and
putting them in folders--see a thread from yesterday on this, but I'm
afraid you can't hack the arrangement of the Start menu. During the TBT,
many of us asked them to make this XP option available and it fell on deaf
ears and RTM'd as one more congenital abnormaility in baby Vista.

I pasted from Chris on that thread. There are other ways to make a
collective folder just as there were in XP (in XP four folders comprised the
All Programs menu and the best discussion I ever saw in a library of books
was Woody Leohnard's in his excellent book

www.amazon.com/Windows-XP-Timesaving-Techniques-Dummies/dp/0764537482

The book is not a "dummies" book in reality, and it's an excellent aid for
XP and much applies to Vista even now.

Go on the start Orb (Menu.) Just right click on the Orb,
and choose Open All Users, and then right click on the Orb and select
Open, by itself. This will take you to two locations, where you can
rearrange things, create new folders, etc. Also, you can drag and drop
items on the menu itself to rearrange.

The two locations are:

C:\Users\"User Name"\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu

Don't delete the main Programs folder, but everything else is OK. They
are just shortcuts. You might want to keep the folders, like
accessories, to be safe, but any program icon, you can get rid of. One
compromise is to create a new folder called Misc (or whatever), and drag and
drop
(move) any shortcut you don't want to that folder.

You may want to modify how you make the composite folder. I just don't
think you can make the start menu All Programs work differently, but maybe
some reg artists like Kelly Theriot and her gang will be able to. If anyone
knows, I'd like to see their post.

Good luck,

CH

 

[Synapse Syndrome]

I really *really* hate the new vista start menu, it's the tree type of
folders under all programs to me that is so crowded (with even minimal
software installed) that it makes it really really difficult to find what I
want.

Is there a way of changing vista so that just the start menu *all
programs* pops out the menu choices like XP did? XP brought the menu
choices of the all programs list to the front which made it real easy on
the eyes to see what was in focus for me and what wasn't. This was the
easiest way of doing it and I'd like to have vista use this method instead
of the standard in tree menu system.

Yes, the new Start Menu > All Programs is one of the most shyte things in
Vista.

ss.

 

[Saran]

I really *really* hate the new vista start menu, it's the tree type of
folders under all programs to me that is so crowded (with even minimal
software installed) that it makes it really really difficult to find
what I want.

Is there a way of changing vista so that just the start menu *all
programs* pops out the menu choices like XP did? XP brought the menu
choices of the all programs list to the front which made it real easy
on the eyes to see what was in focus for me and what wasn't. This
was the easiest way of doing it and I'd like to have vista use this
method instead of the standard in tree menu system.

Thanks,

Easiest way is either getting XP Pro or running XP via Virtual PC or VM
Ware. Not sure why you wasted money on Vista in the first place.

 

[Lakesidezx]

Thanks,

That makes the organizing much easier to be able to drag and drop things and
create new folders.

I guess for the moment then Im just stuck with either using classic or
dealing with the clutteredness of the tree folder system in the new start
all programs menu.

 

[JP]

I have to disagree. The new Start menu is one of the shinning spots of Vista.
You can use the Classic Menu if you miss the old way - by changing the properties
of the Start menu, but give it some time, it will grow on you. Besides with the new
search functionality, you don't even have to click on folders to get to programs.
Just type the first few letters of the program name and voila - there it is.

How hard can that be?

 

[Lakesidezx]

Thanks,

I didn't know that we could go back to the old *old* start menu which
appears to be prior to XP, though I could be totally wrong on that.

I guess I'll just stick with the new start menu and see if it ever grows on
me. But it reminds me very much of the old xtree gold that I used to have
with it's tree type of design which is nothing special nor new.