Recently Opened Programs Bug

[Guest]

Problem
There is a problem with some short cuts in the list of shortcuts in
‘Recently Opened Programs’ in Windows Vista’s Start Menu.
Some of these Shortcuts wont open, all Microsoft Office shortcuts don’t
work. When I click on them I get no response, nothing happens.

Observations
When I look at the properties of the shortcuts that don’t open I notice that
the target field is uneditable and only contains the programs name, the ‘open
file location’ and ‘change icon’ option are also unavailable.
It still appears to be a .lnk file.

I am Running Windows Vista Home Premium.

Is there a hotfix or other solution for this bug?

 

[Andrew McLaren]

When I look at the properties of the shortcuts that don't open I notice
that
the target field is uneditable and only contains the programs name, the
'open
file location' and 'change icon' option are also unavailable.
It still appears to be a .lnk file.

This part is normal. Office creates its Start Menu icons, by using objects
in the Shell Namespace, rather than *.lnk files (this is a bit hard to
explain, without a long tiutorial on Shell programming; but ...) the Shell
(basically, Explorer) keeps a namespace of objects it's interested in;
including applications which are registed as Shell objects in the Registry.
This is all layered on top of COM. The Start menu entries point to objects
in Explorer's memory space, constructed from Registry entries; not to lnk
files out in the external file system.

As to why your Office apps won't run, that's a different problem. See if
they start when you run the EXE file, eg Winword.exe. This will show whether
the problem is in the applications themselves, or just in their Start menu
icons.

Unfortunately the Office menu icons are not easy to repair manually, as far
as I know. Why Office chooses that technique to create its icons I don't
know; lnk file seem easier to manage, to me. Your best bet would be to go to
Control Panel, Programs and Features, select Office, and then select the
"repair" option. That will rebuild any missing Start menu icons, and
probably replace damaged ones too.

If that doesn't help, you may need to ask in an Office related group such as
microsoft.public.office.misc - it's more an Office problem, than a Vista
problem as such.

Hope it helps,

 

[Guest]

All Office Aplications run normally, all shortcuts function normally, except
when I attempt to run them from the 'Recently Opened Programs' list. This
appears to be a Windows bug, perhaps something conflicting with Vista's
security. Im not sure, all i know is these type of short cuts don't run from
the 'Recently Opened Programs' list in Vista.

 

[Andrew McLaren]

All Office Aplications run normally, all shortcuts function normally,
except
when I attempt to run them from the 'Recently Opened Programs' list. This
appears to be a Windows bug, perhaps something conflicting with Vista's
security. Im not sure, all i know is these type of short cuts don't run
from
the 'Recently Opened Programs' list in Vista.

I don't think it's a bug, as such - that behaviour is far from being the
universal experience of most Vista/Office users, in fact this is the first
report I've heard. But something is undoubtedly broken, on that particular
machine.

As above, I'd try running the Office repair option; that has fixed several
weird Office problems I've had from time to time.

 

[Guest]

There are plenty of cases on the web where others have reported this issue
including a few others in this discussion group.

I will run the office repair tool but I am fairly sure that the problem is
OS related as the problem is with both Office 2007 and Office 2003
aplications. There is just an issue with this type of shortcut running from
this location.

Note: These shortcuts will run from all other locations (eg Desktop and
Start>All Programs>Microsoft Office). This is why I think it is an OS bug
and running office repair wont work.

 

[Andrew McLaren]

Oh, sure - it might eventually prove to be a bug; I don't know. I've
certainly seen occasional weird behaviour in Vista's Start Menu.

But at present, there is no public Knowledgebase article from Microsoft, and
no hotfix for the issue.

If it is a bug, this will presumably change in time.

Meanwhile, a repair is the best I can suggest.

 

[Guest]

Yes, i have used Webroot Windows Washer, Registry Mechanic and Advanced
System Optimizer.

I really don't think these programs have caused the problem, i think it is
just a general Vista problem. Perhaps there will be a hotfix in SP1 when it
is released.

I have Office 2007 and Front Page 2003, this bug affects both.

If you will right click and view the properties of a working shortcut file
and one that is not working (Office one) you will notice there there is a
difference.

 

[Guest]

Ok I did that, created a new user account, deleted my old one and transfered
all my contacts and shortcuts to my new account. This didn't fix this this
problem, but it has fixed issues with performance. Things are running better
now for some reason. This is all very strange, I don't know how these
shortcuts work so i have no idea what could be causing this problem.

A guess would be missing registry keys/values or corupted operating system
files but i really don't know.

 

[Guest]

OK, Microsoft just admit it that some Vista systems have this issue!

Recently opened programs is not the only place where Office Apps wont open,
they also wont open from "start search".

Why would this be happening?

 

[Guest]

OK, Microsoft just admit it that some Vista systems have this issue!

Recently opened programs is not the only place where Office Apps wont open,
they also wont open from "start search".

Why would this be happening?

 

[Guest]

I have the same problem with Office 2003 shortcuts not opening from the start
menu or from the search. If I pin a shortcut to the menu it also fails to
open AND I have lost the open new Office links. The funny thing is if you
change to classic menu view they reappear and work ok. They also work ok if
you go to programs and click on the office link there. Unistalling Office and
reinstalling failes to rectify the problem which started after installing
"Prospector". I am about to try system restore and will post back

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Hi,

Follow the steps in "Method 2" here:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/slowrightclick.htm

--
Regards,

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


I have the same problem with Office 2003 shortcuts not opening from the start
menu or from the search. If I pin a shortcut to the menu it also fails to
open AND I have lost the open new Office links. The funny thing is if you
change to classic menu view they reappear and work ok. They also work ok if
you go to programs and click on the office link there. Unistalling Office and
reinstalling failes to rectify the problem which started after installing
"Prospector". I am about to try system restore and will post back

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Hi,

Follow the steps in "Method 2" here:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/slowrightclick.htm

--
Regards,

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


OK, Microsoft just admit it that some Vista systems have this issue!

Recently opened programs is not the only place where Office Apps wont open,
they also wont open from "start search".

Why would this be happening?

 

[Guest]

I solved this problem, i did a clean install, yes i only own the upgrade
version of vista but there is a very straight forward way of doing a clean
install of vista with the upgrade version, look it up!

did the clean install, ran all vista updates, installed vista sp1 beta (as i
was invited by microsoft a while ago), then installed all my security
software and then other software.

Hey presto, i actually have no problems with my OS. Maby a registry cleaner
damaged windows before... Definatly upgrading is a bad choise, and from what
i have seen, upgrading from XP media center is just useless.

Finally, i am experiencing the wow!

 

[Guest]

Thanks Ramesh, I downloaded that tiny prog and found out it was a context
menu as you so rightly suggested. Turned out to be my Drive HQ backup right
click. Thanks again

Hi,

Follow the steps in "Method 2" here:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/slowrightclick.htm

--
Regards,

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


I have the same problem with Office 2003 shortcuts not opening from the start
menu or from the search. If I pin a shortcut to the menu it also fails to
open AND I have lost the open new Office links. The funny thing is if you
change to classic menu view they reappear and work ok. They also work ok if
you go to programs and click on the office link there. Unistalling Office and
reinstalling failes to rectify the problem which started after installing
"Prospector". I am about to try system restore and will post back

OK, Microsoft just admit it that some Vista systems have this issue!

Recently opened programs is not the only place where Office Apps wont open,
they also wont open from "start search".

Why would this be happening?

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Excellent! Thanks for the feedback, scrumpyjoe.

--
Regards,

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


Thanks Ramesh, I downloaded that tiny prog and found out it was a context
menu as you so rightly suggested. Turned out to be my Drive HQ backup right
click. Thanks again

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Thanks for the update!

--
Regards,

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


I solved this problem, i did a clean install, yes i only own the upgrade
version of vista but there is a very straight forward way of doing a clean
install of vista with the upgrade version, look it up!

did the clean install, ran all vista updates, installed vista sp1 beta (as i
was invited by microsoft a while ago), then installed all my security
software and then other software.

Hey presto, i actually have no problems with my OS. Maby a registry cleaner
damaged windows before... Definatly upgrading is a bad choise, and from what
i have seen, upgrading from XP media center is just useless.

Finally, i am experiencing the wow!

 

[stroke]

<< Problem
There is a problem with some short cuts in the list of shortcuts in
‘Recently Opened Programs’ in Windows Vista’s Start Menu.
Some of these Shortcuts wont open, all Microsoft Office shortcuts don’t
work. When I click on them I get no response, nothing happens. >>

I had this same problem with Vista and Office 2007. It started after I had
installed a set of Vista hotfixes from HP
(http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsuppor...5681&swEnvOID=2096&swLang=8&taskId=135&mode=3).
I also had installed Diff Doc
(http://www.softinterface.com/MD/Document-Comparison-Software.htm) too. I
tried repairing my Office 2007 installation, but that didn't work. I ended
up removing the set of Vista hotfixes and Diff Doc, and that seemed to
correct the problem. I'm not sure what was the culprit, but hopefully this
will shed some light upon the problem.

 

[Kobenhaven]

I had same problem, no Microsoft link open in recently used programs list and
also Device Manager link would not open in Control Panel/Sytem and
Maintenance/System.
I used suggested "method 2", and as i remembered last program i had
installed was "Image To PDF" from "Adult PDF" and that was the problem. I
disabled ImageToPDF ContextMenu Menu.dll. Everything is working! Big thanks
to "Ramesh, MS-MVP"!

Hi,

Follow the steps in "Method 2" here:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/slowrightclick.htm

--
Regards,

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


I have the same problem with Office 2003 shortcuts not opening from the start
menu or from the search. If I pin a shortcut to the menu it also fails to
open AND I have lost the open new Office links. The funny thing is if you
change to classic menu view they reappear and work ok. They also work ok if
you go to programs and click on the office link there. Unistalling Office and
reinstalling failes to rectify the problem which started after installing
"Prospector". I am about to try system restore and will post back

OK, Microsoft just admit it that some Vista systems have this issue!

Recently opened programs is not the only place where Office Apps wont open,
they also wont open from "start search".

Why would this be happening?

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Excellent! Thanks for the feedback, Kobenhaven.

--
Regards,

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


I had same problem, no Microsoft link open in recently used programs list and
also Device Manager link would not open in Control Panel/Sytem and
Maintenance/System.
I used suggested "method 2", and as i remembered last program i had
installed was "Image To PDF" from "Adult PDF" and that was the problem. I
disabled ImageToPDF ContextMenu Menu.dll. Everything is working! Big thanks
to "Ramesh, MS-MVP"!

Hi,

Follow the steps in "Method 2" here:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/slowrightclick.htm

--
Regards,

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


I have the same problem with Office 2003 shortcuts not opening from the start
menu or from the search. If I pin a shortcut to the menu it also fails to
open AND I have lost the open new Office links. The funny thing is if you
change to classic menu view they reappear and work ok. They also work ok if
you go to programs and click on the office link there. Unistalling Office and
reinstalling failes to rectify the problem which started after installing
"Prospector". I am about to try system restore and will post back

OK, Microsoft just admit it that some Vista systems have this issue!

Recently opened programs is not the only place where Office Apps wont open,
they also wont open from "start search".

Why would this be happening?