Links folder

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jeremy Schubert
  • Start date Start date
J

Jeremy Schubert

How does my 'Links' folder relate to my start menu (or whatever it's called
when I click the start button)? I guess I'm really asking what is the
purpose of that folder. Also, how do I get more of the shortcuts that show
up in that folder to show up on my start menu?
Thanks,
 
It doesn't relate to the Start menu. It contains the shortcuts that are
displayed in the 'Favorite Links' pane in Explorer. All Start Menu options
are available via its Properties dialog.
 
Only if you're willing to take over an existing Menu item. I took over the
Games entry to add Videos to the Start Menu. Would you want to do something
like that?
 
You'll find the CLSID for the Games folder here:

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{ED228FDF-9EA8-4870-83b1-96b02CFE0D52}]

Export the key so you have a backup of the original settings, then take
ownership of the key & delete it (you may have to do subkeys first. I know
I've wrestled with permissions in the registry before -- can't remember if
this was one).

Links is especially easy because there's already a CLSID for it, it's found
at:

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{d34a6ca6-62c2-4c34-8a7c-14709c1ad938}]

Export this key & open in Notepad. Execute a search & replace, replacing
all instances of '{d34a6ca6-62c2-4c34-8a7c-14709c1ad938}' with
'{ED228FDF-9EA8-4870-83b1-96b02CFE0D52}'

Edit the name to whatever label you want to appear on the Start Menu and you
should have a file looking like this:

-------------------------------------------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{ED228FDF-9EA8-4870-83b1-96b02CFE0D52}]
@="FavLinks"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{ED228FDF-9EA8-4870-83b1-96b02CFE0D52}\InProcServer32]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\
00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,73,00,68,00,\
64,00,6f,00,63,00,76,00,77,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,00,00
"ThreadingModel"="Apartment"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{ED228FDF-9EA8-4870-83b1-96b02CFE0D52}\Instance]
"CLSID"="{F3364BA0-65B9-11CE-A9BA-00AA004AE837}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{ED228FDF-9EA8-4870-83b1-96b02CFE0D52}\Instance\InitPropertyBag]
"TargetKnownFolder"="{bfb9d5e0-c6a9-404c-b2b2-ae6db6af4968}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{ED228FDF-9EA8-4870-83b1-96b02CFE0D52}\ShellFolder]
"Attributes"=dword:60000000
"WantsFORPARSING"=""
"WantsParseDisplayName"=""

--------------------------------------------------------------

If you want to customize the icon, add:

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{ED228FDF-9EA8-4870-83b1-96b02CFE0D52}\DefaultIcon]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,\
00,25,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,69,00,\
6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,72,00,65,00,73,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,\
00,31,00,38,00,35,00,00,00

Then save the edited file and merge it. Now if you select 'Show Games as
Menu' from the Start Menu options, your Links folder will appear. You may
need to log off & back on for all changes to take.
 
Addendum:

Slightly different approach here (so that you don't have to alter the permissions):
http://www.winhelponline.com/temp/favlinks-sm.reg
Also, changes are for current user only.

Looks like the Info Tip can't be changed for the "Games" slot, eventhough you set the InfoTip value for the GUID.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com
Winhelponline.com blog http://www.winhelponline.com/blog


You'll find the CLSID for the Games folder here:

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{ED228FDF-9EA8-4870-83b1-96b02CFE0D52}]

Export the key so you have a backup of the original settings, then take
ownership of the key & delete it (you may have to do subkeys first. I know
I've wrestled with permissions in the registry before -- can't remember if
this was one).

Links is especially easy because there's already a CLSID for it, it's found
at:

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{d34a6ca6-62c2-4c34-8a7c-14709c1ad938}]

Export this key & open in Notepad. Execute a search & replace, replacing
all instances of '{d34a6ca6-62c2-4c34-8a7c-14709c1ad938}' with
'{ED228FDF-9EA8-4870-83b1-96b02CFE0D52}'

Edit the name to whatever label you want to appear on the Start Menu and you
should have a file looking like this:

-------------------------------------------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{ED228FDF-9EA8-4870-83b1-96b02CFE0D52}]
@="FavLinks"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{ED228FDF-9EA8-4870-83b1-96b02CFE0D52}\InProcServer32]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\
00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,73,00,68,00,\
64,00,6f,00,63,00,76,00,77,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,00,00
"ThreadingModel"="Apartment"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{ED228FDF-9EA8-4870-83b1-96b02CFE0D52}\Instance]
"CLSID"="{F3364BA0-65B9-11CE-A9BA-00AA004AE837}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{ED228FDF-9EA8-4870-83b1-96b02CFE0D52}\Instance\InitPropertyBag]
"TargetKnownFolder"="{bfb9d5e0-c6a9-404c-b2b2-ae6db6af4968}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{ED228FDF-9EA8-4870-83b1-96b02CFE0D52}\ShellFolder]
"Attributes"=dword:60000000
"WantsFORPARSING"=""
"WantsParseDisplayName"=""

--------------------------------------------------------------

If you want to customize the icon, add:

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{ED228FDF-9EA8-4870-83b1-96b02CFE0D52}\DefaultIcon]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,\
00,25,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,69,00,\
6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,72,00,65,00,73,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,\
00,31,00,38,00,35,00,00,00

Then save the edited file and merge it. Now if you select 'Show Games as
Menu' from the Start Menu options, your Links folder will appear. You may
need to log off & back on for all changes to take.


--
Good Luck,

Keith
Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
 
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