Go here:
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm
Read instructions at the top
50. Right hand side
Prevent My Documents and Recent Documents
Or...
Use TweakUI
[+] Explorer
UNCheck: Allow Recent Documents on Start Menu
Check: Clear document history on exit
Allow Recent Documents on the start menu
[[This check box enables the display of “Documents” on the classic start
menu and enables the “List my most recently opened documents” checkbox on
the Start menu customization dialog. This is a per-user setting.]]
Clear Document history on exit
[[This check box will control whether Explorer will clear the recent
documents history, run dialog history and typed-URL history when you log
off. This is a per-user setting.]]
-----
Download TweakUI here >>>
Microsoft PowerToys for Windows XP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/downloads/powertoys.asp
Tweak UI
TweakUI.exe
=====
Tweak UI for Windows XP Guide
http://www.winxpsolution.com/Tweakuixppro.aspx
=====
=====
Or if you have XP Pro...
Open Group Policy
Start | Run | Type: gpedit.msc | OK |
Navigate to...
Local Computer Policy\User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu
and Taskbar\
Do not keep history of recently opened documents
[[Prevents the operating system and installed programs from creating and
displaying shortcuts to recently opened documents.
If you enable this setting, the system and Windows programs do not create
shortcuts to documents opened while the setting is in effect. Also, they
retain but do not display existing document shortcuts. The system empties
the Documents menu on the Start menu, and Windows programs do not display
shortcuts at the bottom of the File menu.
If you disable this setting, the system defaults are enforced. Disabling
this setting has no effect on the system.
Note: The system saves document shortcuts in the user profile in the
System-drive\Documents and Settings\User-name\Recent folder.
Also, see the "Remove Documents menu from Start Menu" and "Clear history of
recently opened documents on exit" policies in this folder.
If you enable this setting but do not enable the "Remove Documents menu from
Start Menu" setting, the Documents menu appears on the Start menu, but it is
empty.
If you enable this setting, but then later disable it or set it to Not
Configured, the document shortcuts saved before the setting was enabled
reappear in the Documents menu and program File menus.
This setting does not hide document shortcuts displayed in the Open dialog
box. See the "Hide the dropdown list of recent files" setting.
Note: It is a requirement for third-party applications with Windows 2000 or
later certification to adhere to this setting.]]
Clear history of recently opened documents on exit
Clear history of recently opened documents on exit.
[[If you enable this setting, the system deletes shortcuts to recently used
document files when the user logs off. As a result, the Documents menu on
the Start menu is always empty when the user logs on.
If you disable or do not configure this setting, the system retains document
shortcuts, and when a user logs on the Documents menu appears just as it did
when the user logged off.
Note: The system saves document shortcuts in the user profile in the
System-drive\Documents and Settings\User-name\Recent folder.
Also, see the "Remove Documents menu from Start Menu" and "Do not keep
history of recently opened documents" policies in this folder. The system
only uses this setting when neither of these related settings are selected.
This setting does not clear the list of recent files that Windows programs
display at the bottom of the File menu. See the "Do not keep history of
recently opened documents" setting.
This policy setting also does not hide document shortcuts displayed in the
Open dialog box. See the "Hide the dropdown list of recent files" setting.]]
