Why don't all programs that appear in win explorer show up in start menu?

[frank1492]

Why do only certain programs that show up in the Programs
folder in Windows Explorer also show up in the Start Menu under
"Programs?" I just moved some old programs into the Programs
folder and expected to see them as Start Menu programs, but
don't. Is it only programs that affect the registry that show up
there? Or do I have to take specific action to get them to show
up there?
Many thanks for help!
FrankD

 

[LAB Enterprises]

The ones you use most often or manually "pin to the start menu" are the ones
that show up under the start menu. Right click on any you want to pin it and
you can control what shows up there.

Lori

 

[frank1492]

Thanks Lori. I see I can do this in Explorer. However, my basic
question is that the Start Menu has an "All Programs" option that
can be clicked, and when that list opens, not all the programs
show up. Do you know why? (I would assume I could pin them
from that list also.)

 

[ALVARO DE CASTRO VASCONCELLOS]

HI! YOUR PROBLEM IS CONFIGURATION.
CLICK RIGHT BOTTOM YOUR MOUSE ON START MENU. YOU SEE PROPERTY. OPEN
PROPERTY. CLICK CUSTOM. SEARCH
YOUR FILE. CLICK IN THE BOX. YOUR OLD PROGRAMS DON`T AFFECT THE REGISTRY.
ANOTHER WAY: OPEN WINDOWS EXPLORER AND SEARCH YOUR FILES. TRY DOCUMENT AND
SEARCH. OR USE SEARCH PROGRAM TO FIND THE FILES.

 

[David Trimboli]

Why do only certain programs that show up in the Programs
folder in Windows Explorer also show up in the Start Menu under
"Programs?" I just moved some old programs into the Programs
folder and expected to see them as Start Menu programs, but
don't. Is it only programs that affect the registry that show up
there? Or do I have to take specific action to get them to show
up there?

The All Programs menu is actually made up of shortcuts in folders. These
shortcuts are found in "\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start
Menu\Programs" on your system drive. Note that \ProgramData is a hidden
folder. You can get to this folder easier by right-clicking the Start
Menu, clicking Open All Users, and double-clicking Programs.

To add an item in the All Programs list, create a shortcut to the
program here. If you want to make a sub-menu, create a folder here and
put shortcuts into it.

Note that you can also add items to the All Programs list that only your
user account will see. Put these shortcuts in
"\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start
Menu\Programs". Get there easier by right-clicking the Start Menu,
clicking Open, and double-clicking Programs.

 

[Sharon Fink]

However, my basic
question is that the Start Menu has an "All Programs" option that
can be clicked, and when that list opens, not all the programs
show up. Do you know why? (I would assume I could pin them
from that list also.)

Programs that have an installer will (usually) place shortcuts in the
Start Menu as part of the installation process. Programs that don't have
an installer (the ones that you copied over to your hard drive) do not
have that installer doing that start menu shortcut work for you. For
these you will need to manually create a shortcut to the program
executable and manually add that shortcut to the start menu.

 

[frank1492]

Thank you all. I should have known that.
It's no great problem not to have them all there,
I just wondered why they weren't.