XPHome2 start menu problem

[David Holmstrom]

OK, I've seen lots of weird stuff in Windows, but this one has me stumped.

The "all programs" list on the start menu is supposed to have all shortcuts
--links to other locations, right?

Well, for the last month or so (I think -- not sure when this started, or
if it happenned before I installed service pack 2) some of my start menu
items have populated themselves with actual files and folders, not
shortcuts. So that, for example, when I roll the pointer over a menu
choice with the little arrow next to it (ie it is supposed to open a sub-
menu) it opens a full page of files, dll's, drivers, text files, etc.

Yes, I have looked in the StartMenu folders under documents and settings
for Admin, All Users, Owner & Default User. The screwed up items -- and
several other items that are working OK -- do not appear in ANY of those
folders. FOr example, I have a menu item called "DOSAPPS" with pointers to
123.exe and dbase.exe. I can't fing a DOSAPPS folder anywhere in documents
and settings, and WinXP Search doesn't find it anywhere on my system.
Where the he.. are they coming from?

Is it too much to ask for M$ to give us a decent start menu management tool
-- eg one that would allow us to rearrange the items, put them in
hierarchical folders, and check a box assigning them to Admin, All Users,
Owner, etc?

Thanks in advance for any advice. Please also reply to

(e-mail address removed)

David

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

Rightclick the start button, and click Explore

 

[David Holmstrom]

Rightclick the start button, and click Explore

Thanks for your advice, but doing that brings you to Docs &
Settings/Owner/Start Menu and, as I said in my original posting, I had
already checked there (and in All Users, Admin, Default . . .).

The problem menu items DO NOT appear in any of those folders, and I still
don't know where they are coming from or how they got there, or how to get
rid of them.

Any other advice would be appreciated.

David

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

It's possible your Theme files are corrupt. Try changing to the Classic
theme to test that.

To repair all system files, go to Start/Run, and type:

SFC /SCANNOW