Issue with Recent Programs List on Start Menu

[Mark M Morse]

WindowsXP Home SP2 laptop.

Start menu no longer displays any recently-used applications. I
checked the properties; the settings are correct to display up to 16
applications.

I tried turning this feature off; rebooting, and turning this
feature on again. The issue remains.

Is there a registry setting to check?

Cheers,

~ Mark

 

[Newbie Coder]

Mark,

START | RUN | Type 'regedit' (withought quotes) & click OK

Navigate to:

Currunt User:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

All Users:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

Key Name: NoRecentDocsHistory
Key Type: DWORD
Value: 0 = display recent docs, 1 = disable recent docs

Also, under the same key:

Key Name: ClearRecentDocsOnExit
Key Type: DWORD
Value: 0 = doesn't clean recent docs on shutdown, 1 = clean recent docs on shutdown

Key Name: MaxRecentDocs
Key Type: DWORD
Value: 16 (for the same as what you have the START MENU set to)

Remove from Start Menu:

Key Name: NoRecentDocsMenu
Key Type: DWORD
Value: 0 = display recent docs on Start Menu, 1 = disable recent docs on Start Menu

Close the registry editor

Note: When removing Recent Docs from the menu & re-enabling it you need a restart to add
it back to the menu, yet removal is instant

 

[Mark M Morse]

Hi Newbie Coder:

Are we discussing the same issue?

On this computer, the Start menu contains the item titled, 'My
Recent Documents'. When I hover the mouse pointer over that item, a
sub-menu opens with shortcuts to 15 recently-opened documents. So,
that feature appears to be working.

The issue that I want to resolve involves links for recently-used
applications. They no longer show up on the start menu. They used
to.

Now, the only application shortcuts on the Start menu are the ones
that I specifically put there. Windows XP no longer puts a shortcut
on the Start menu for other applications that I use. For example,
if I open MS Paint to paste and save a screen shot, and then close
MS Paint, then the next time that I go to the Start menu there
should be a shortcut for MS Paint. Windows XP puts shortcuts for
recently-used applications on the Start menu listed in order of
use-frequency. It's possible to limit the number of these shortcuts
that appear.

This feature is customized on the Customize Start Menu dialog box
(accessed through the [Customize...] button on the Start Menu tab of
the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box). There is a field
to enter the maximum number of recently-used application shortcuts
that Windows XP adds to the Start menu.

When I read your post, I get a sense that you might have
misinterpreted my issue as a problem displaying recently-used
document shortcuts as opposed to recently-used application
shortcuts. If you misinterpreted, then that's okay; I sometimes
make the same mistake when reading. I'm encouraged by your
knowledge of the registry, so perhaps you'll be able to post a
solution.

If you did not misinterpret, then I apologize to you! But, in this
event, I need more information about your post. I searched for the
string "recentdoc" in the registry. The registry contains several
sub-folders whose name includes that string, but there is only one
key name in the entire registry that does so. It is
Start_ShowRecentDocs (two instances). Additionally, none of the key
names in your post appear in the registry.

Also, I see that I was not very clear when I posted that I tried
turning the feature "off" and "on again". I should have written
that I tried setting the number field (referenced above) to zero,
and, after rebooting, setting it back to 16. It's set to 12, now.

~ Mark


Newbie Coder wrote, in part: