Left part of XP startmenu

[Newsreader 08/15]

Hi folks,

I love the functionality that one can just drag shortcuts into the left part
of the XP startmenu.
Unfortunately that will not work if the target of the shortcut lives on
another driver or location.

Now I am wondering if there is a way to get into that startmenu
configuration directly.
Does anyone know where these shortcuts are stored? Somewhere in the
filesystem? Or the registry?

 

[RobertVA]

Hi folks,

I love the functionality that one can just drag shortcuts into the left
part of the XP startmenu.
Unfortunately that will not work if the target of the shortcut lives on
another driver or location.

Now I am wondering if there is a way to get into that startmenu
configuration directly.
Does anyone know where these shortcuts are stored? Somewhere in the
filesystem? Or the registry?

Most are in two folders or sub-folders of those two folders.

Right click on the task bar's "start" button

Click "Explore" on the resulting context menu to view the folders for
your individual Windows XP log-in. The shortcuts for the "All Programs"
menu will be within the "Programs" sub-folder of the highlighted "Start
Menu" folder OR the sub-folders within the "Programs" folder. Note that
shortcuts in the "All Users" menu will also appear with your individual
shortcuts.

As an alternative you can click "Explore All Users" on that context menu
to view the shortcuts for all users of the computer (might require
administrative privileges).

Normally you can add a shortcut to the left column of the "start" menu
by hovering your mouse pointer over "All Programs", right clicking the
desired shortcut within the "All Programs" listing and then clicking
"Pin to Start menu" from the resulting context menu.

Like most files shortcuts will be MOVED to the new folder (or "Programs"
sub-folder) if you drag the file between source and destination folders
on the same disk partition (a partition may be the whole drive). Thus
the file (or shortcut) will no longer exist in the source folder. If you
right drag (hold the right mouse button instead of the left) the file
you will have the opportunity to select "move" or "copy" from a context
menu.

I suspect a shortcut's status as "pinned" to the "start" menu is a
registry entry, but it's not a good idea to go poking around in there if
there's a good automated alternative like the "Pin to Start menu"
procedure I described above.

 

[Newsreader 08/15]

Hi folks,

I love the functionality that one can just drag shortcuts into the
left part of the XP startmenu.
Unfortunately that will not work if the target of the shortcut lives
on another driver or location.

Now I am wondering if there is a way to get into that startmenu
configuration directly.
Does anyone know where these shortcuts are stored? Somewhere in the
filesystem? Or the registry?

[...]
I suspect a shortcut's status as "pinned" to the "start" menu is a
registry entry, but it's not a good idea to go poking around in there
if there's a good automated alternative like the "Pin to Start menu"
procedure I described above.

I am talking about the shortcuts that are "pinned" onto the left side of the
menu.
One can also drag shortcuts in there.
But unfortunately one cannot drag a shortcut in there if its target is
remote (drive or computer).
That is why I am looking for an alternative way to get shortcuts into that
part of the menu.

You don`t happen to know just where in the registry these entries would be
stored?

 

[dadiOH]

Hi folks,

I love the functionality that one can just drag shortcuts into the
left part of the XP startmenu.
Unfortunately that will not work if the target of the shortcut lives
on another driver or location.

Now I am wondering if there is a way to get into that startmenu
configuration directly.
Does anyone know where these shortcuts are stored? Somewhere in the
filesystem? Or the registry?

[...]
I suspect a shortcut's status as "pinned" to the "start" menu is a
registry entry, but it's not a good idea to go poking around in there
if there's a good automated alternative like the "Pin to Start menu"
procedure I described above.

I am talking about the shortcuts that are "pinned" onto the left side
of the menu.
One can also drag shortcuts in there.
But unfortunately one cannot drag a shortcut in there if its target is
remote (drive or computer).
That is why I am looking for an alternative way to get shortcuts into
that part of the menu.

You don`t happen to know just where in the registry these entries
would be stored?

They aren't stored in the registry, they are exactly where RobertVA told you
they are.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

 

[Newsreader 08/15]

Newsreader 08/15 wrote:
Hi folks,

I love the functionality that one can just drag shortcuts into the
left part of the XP startmenu.
Unfortunately that will not work if the target of the shortcut
lives on another driver or location.

Now I am wondering if there is a way to get into that startmenu
configuration directly.
Does anyone know where these shortcuts are stored? Somewhere in the
filesystem? Or the registry?

[...]
I suspect a shortcut's status as "pinned" to the "start" menu is a
registry entry, but it's not a good idea to go poking around in
there if there's a good automated alternative like the "Pin to
Start menu" procedure I described above.

I am talking about the shortcuts that are "pinned" onto the left side
of the menu.
One can also drag shortcuts in there.
But unfortunately one cannot drag a shortcut in there if its target
is remote (drive or computer).
That is why I am looking for an alternative way to get shortcuts into
that part of the menu.

You don`t happen to know just where in the registry these entries
would be stored?

They aren't stored in the registry, they are exactly where RobertVA
told you they are.

Actually Peter suspects that they are stored in the registry.
But since you sound so sure about the right place: Where is it?

 

[Newsreader 08/15]

RobertVA wrote:
Newsreader 08/15 wrote:
Hi folks,

I love the functionality that one can just drag shortcuts into the
left part of the XP startmenu.
Unfortunately that will not work if the target of the shortcut
lives on another driver or location.

Now I am wondering if there is a way to get into that startmenu
configuration directly.
Does anyone know where these shortcuts are stored? Somewhere in
the filesystem? Or the registry?

[...]
I suspect a shortcut's status as "pinned" to the "start" menu is a
registry entry, but it's not a good idea to go poking around in
there if there's a good automated alternative like the "Pin to
Start menu" procedure I described above.

I am talking about the shortcuts that are "pinned" onto the left
side of the menu.
One can also drag shortcuts in there.
But unfortunately one cannot drag a shortcut in there if its target
is remote (drive or computer).
That is why I am looking for an alternative way to get shortcuts
into that part of the menu.

You don`t happen to know just where in the registry these entries
would be stored?

They aren't stored in the registry, they are exactly where RobertVA
told you they are.

Actually Peter suspects that they are stored in the registry.
But since you sound so sure about the right place: Where is it?

I got not idea how I confused Robert with Peter .. Sorry about that.

 

[dadiOH]

RobertVA wrote:
Newsreader 08/15 wrote:
Hi folks,

I love the functionality that one can just drag shortcuts into the
left part of the XP startmenu.
Unfortunately that will not work if the target of the shortcut
lives on another driver or location.

Now I am wondering if there is a way to get into that startmenu
configuration directly.
Does anyone know where these shortcuts are stored? Somewhere in
the filesystem? Or the registry?

[...]
I suspect a shortcut's status as "pinned" to the "start" menu is a
registry entry, but it's not a good idea to go poking around in
there if there's a good automated alternative like the "Pin to
Start menu" procedure I described above.

I am talking about the shortcuts that are "pinned" onto the left
side of the menu.
One can also drag shortcuts in there.
But unfortunately one cannot drag a shortcut in there if its target
is remote (drive or computer).
That is why I am looking for an alternative way to get shortcuts
into that part of the menu.

You don`t happen to know just where in the registry these entries
would be stored?

They aren't stored in the registry, they are exactly where RobertVA
told you they are.

Actually Peter suspects that they are stored in the registry.
But since you sound so sure about the right place: Where is it?

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs

and/or

C:\Documents and Settings\user name\Start Menu\Programs if you use that
aspect of XP

Note that the number of shortcuts on the start menu is limited to six by
default. You can set the number by right clicking Start, Properties and
then Customize. You can also select large or small icons, same place. You
can pin/unpin by right clicking the icon on the start menu and the progam to
which the shortcut points need not be on C:

All in all, it is easier to use the classic start menu, IMO, YMMV. In that
case, you can put shortcuts directly in C:\Documents and Settings\user
name\Start Menu bypassing "Programs" so that they appear above "Programs"
when clicking the start button; similar effect to pinning, less hassle. You
can even make folders there and put in appropriate shortcuts.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

 

[dadiOH]

All in all, it is easier to use the classic start menu, IMO, YMMV. In that
case, you can put shortcuts directly in C:\Documents and
Settings\user name\Start Menu bypassing "Programs" so that they
appear above "Programs" when clicking the start button; similar
effect to pinning, less hassle. You can even make folders there and
put in appropriate shortcuts.

Meant to include C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu as well. A
better place IMO.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico