Most Frequently Used (MFU) list reset at login

[P.J. Whoopie]

The Most Frequently Used (MFU) Programs list (N.B., not talking MRU files
list here) on the Start menu on (only) one of my machines at home is reset
every time I log out and back in to any of the accounts. All accounts
belong to Administrators group.

I have set Auditing on
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\UserAssist
(and subkeys) and with each logout/login cycle I see a series of accesses to
the key by explorer.exe that include Search and Delete to the
{75048700-EF1F-11D0-9888-006097DEACF9} subkey. Explorer is the ONLY
executable shown to have accessed the key.

I do not have any policies set in
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
or
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
other than NoDriveTypeAutoRun

Searching the web and newsgroups have shown one other person having this
problem, but no solutions.

Help?

Running Windows XP Pro SP2.
Machines belong to a Workgroup, not a Domain so there is no domain policy
running.

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Start Menu Most Frequently Used programs (MFU) list is empty
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/startmfu.htm

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[P.J. Whoopie]

Wes,

Thanks for the suggestion. That's not the problem, though.

I had indeed seen that article in the MS KB, which is why I noted in the
original post that there were no relevant entries in the
....\Policies\Explorer registry keys.

P.J

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Did you?
Make sure that the "Number of programs on Start" is not set to 0.
Try clearing the MFU list in the registry once, by pressing Clear List
button.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[P.J. Whoopie]

From Properties:

"Number of programs on Start menu" = 6

Pressing Clear List leaves the Start menu with no MFU entries. Immediate
Logoff and Logon shows a Start menu with Internet Explorer, Tour Windows XP,
and Files and Settings Transfer Wizard. (Which is what I see EVERY time I
login).

Is there no hope?

P.J.

 

[P.J. Whoopie]

One additional oddity on this machine that may be germane. With each login
the Start menu opens (i.e., it is as though I have clicked on the Start
button after logging in -- though I don't). I mention this since Audit
shows only Explorer.exe accessing the offending registry key.

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

"StartMenuInit" setting might be causing the problem
http://www.google.com/search?q=startmenuinit

--
Regards,

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


One additional oddity on this machine that may be germane. With each login
the Start menu opens (i.e., it is as though I have clicked on the Start
button after logging in -- though I don't). I mention this since Audit
shows only Explorer.exe accessing the offending registry key.

 

[P.J. Whoopie]

Magnifico! That fixed both problems. For the benefit of future Googlers I
recap my problem and the solution below (without all the include history):

Most Frequently Used (MFU) programs on XP Start menu were getting reset with
each login. Start menu was also opening with each login as if Start button
had been clicked.

Problem resolved by manually adding DWORD entry StartMenuInit and setting
the value to 2 in each users registry under the key

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced


[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
"StartMenuInit"=dword:00000002


Thanks for the help in eliminating this annoyance.

P.J.

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Glad that helped and thanks for posting back, PJ.

--
Regards,

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


Magnifico! That fixed both problems. For the benefit of future Googlers I
recap my problem and the solution below (without all the include history):

Most Frequently Used (MFU) programs on XP Start menu were getting reset with
each login. Start menu was also opening with each login as if Start button
had been clicked.

Problem resolved by manually adding DWORD entry StartMenuInit and setting
the value to 2 in each users registry under the key

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced


[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
"StartMenuInit"=dword:00000002


Thanks for the help in eliminating this annoyance.

P.J.

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Obviously I was baffled.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

Glad that helped and thanks for posting back, PJ.

--
Regards,

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


Magnifico! That fixed both problems. For the benefit of future Googlers I
recap my problem and the solution below (without all the include history):

Most Frequently Used (MFU) programs on XP Start menu were getting reset with
each login. Start menu was also opening with each login as if Start button
had been clicked.

Problem resolved by manually adding DWORD entry StartMenuInit and setting
the value to 2 in each users registry under the key

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advance
d[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanc
ed]
"StartMenuInit"=dword:00000002


Thanks for the help in eliminating this annoyance.

P.J.

"StartMenuInit" setting might be causing the problem
http://www.google.com/search?q=startmenuinit

--
Regards,

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

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Wes,

I was baffled too.

For me that statement gave the clue. IIRC the StartMenuInit value was
responsible for that behavior. I have this in my "To do" list and will study
more on this and document it.

--
Regards,

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


Obviously I was baffled.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

Glad that helped and thanks for posting back, PJ.

--
Regards,

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


Magnifico! That fixed both problems. For the benefit of future Googlers I
recap my problem and the solution below (without all the include history):

Most Frequently Used (MFU) programs on XP Start menu were getting reset with
each login. Start menu was also opening with each login as if Start button
had been clicked.

Problem resolved by manually adding DWORD entry StartMenuInit and setting
the value to 2 in each users registry under the key

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advance
d[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanc
ed]
"StartMenuInit"=dword:00000002


Thanks for the help in eliminating this annoyance.

P.J.

"StartMenuInit" setting might be causing the problem
http://www.google.com/search?q=startmenuinit

--
Regards,

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

 

[P.J. Whoopie]

And you'd think that after 30+ years of developing and debugging software
that I'd have the common sense to list *all* of the oddities and symptoms up
front rather than focusing on what *I* think is relevant. It's so much
easier to debug when you see everything rather than just a soda straw view.
Thanks again for the help.

P.J.

Wes,

I was baffled too.

For me that statement gave the clue. IIRC the StartMenuInit value was
responsible for that behavior. I have this in my "To do" list and will
study
more on this and document it.

--
Regards,

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


Obviously I was baffled.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

Glad that helped and thanks for posting back, PJ.

--
Regards,

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


Magnifico! That fixed both problems. For the benefit of future Googlers I
recap my problem and the solution below (without all the include
history):

Most Frequently Used (MFU) programs on XP Start menu were getting reset with
each login. Start menu was also opening with each login as if Start button
had been clicked.

Problem resolved by manually adding DWORD entry StartMenuInit and setting
the value to 2 in each users registry under the key

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advance
d[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanc
ed]
"StartMenuInit"=dword:00000002


Thanks for the help in eliminating this annoyance.

P.J.

"StartMenuInit" setting might be causing the problem
http://www.google.com/search?q=startmenuinit

--
Regards,

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

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Well said, P.J. In most cases I needed that extra bit of information to fix
the actual problem itself.

Excellent profile! Me only 6+ years of experience in troubleshooting, and
still learning.

--
Regards,

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


And you'd think that after 30+ years of developing and debugging software
that I'd have the common sense to list *all* of the oddities and symptoms up
front rather than focusing on what *I* think is relevant. It's so much
easier to debug when you see everything rather than just a soda straw view.
Thanks again for the help.

P.J.

Wes,

I was baffled too.

For me that statement gave the clue. IIRC the StartMenuInit value was
responsible for that behavior. I have this in my "To do" list and will
study
more on this and document it.

--
Regards,

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


Obviously I was baffled.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

Glad that helped and thanks for posting back, PJ.

--
Regards,

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