Customizing Programs menu for all users

[Joe Grover]

I have a Vista machine in the lab that is joined to our Windows 2003 domain.
I would like to know how to modify the contents of the Programs menu to
remove miscellaneous items such as Movie Maker, DVD Maker, Media Center, etc
for all users. I don't want the applications uninstalled, just removed from
the Programs menu. Is this possible? I am unable to access the Start
folder under All Users due to an access denied message. I have tried
setting the Domain Admins as the Owner of these folders (which was
successful) and granting this group Full Control (which was not successful,
get Access Denied errors when trying to apply these permissions).

What are my options? It seems our need for a more secure desktop
environment is making me click boxes every other second. :/

Thanks!

Joe

 

[Jane C]

Right-click on the Start orb and select 'Open All Users'. This will open
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu. Open 'programs' and you can
delete unwanted shortcuts from there. You will need to accept any UAC
prompts for confirmation of deletion.

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

You need to look in a different location in Vista. The All Users folder that
you are trying to access is a junction that contains no useful data.

The new location in Vista for the all users start menu is:
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu.

You can click Start and then right click All Programs and select Explore All
Users and get to the same location.

 

[gigodemon]

Hi,

Try Tidy Start Menu -
http://www.tidystartmenu.com
For Vista run program as admin

For your task turn on in menu admin mode

 

[Guest]

I guess this is a link from C:\users\all users\Microsoft\windows\start
menu\programs. So that should work too.

 

[Guest]

Look in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\windows\start menu\programs directory. I
believe you can remove them from here and they will not show up in the
program menu list.