Windows 7: Making changes to start menu (customization isn't working as expected)

I know I did something to change my Windows 7 start menu to the older look, I can't honestly recall what. I'm fine with this look, it is comfortable to use, I just have a couple tweaks I am trying to figure out how to do. This is what my menu looks like:



I looked at this thread about customizing the start menu.

However when I go here as directed in the article: C:\Users\(user name)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs



What I see is not reflective of what is in my start menu.

The second option the about article gives is to go here: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs



Once again, this is not reflective of what I see in my start menu.

I wanted to acomplish 2 things:



#1: The way the menu is now is fine, except I would like to add some folders to the menu. For example, I would like a folder that expands when you hover over it, such as "Photo Editors" where I can put links to several programs.

#2: I would like to turn off these auto-expanding menus for applications, which I never use and are just annoying, example:



Thank you very much for your assistance.

Jamie

The older look that you were talking about looks like you are using Windows Classic theme you probably need to right-click on the desktop go to Personalize and then switch to a Aero theme.

That picture of your start menu looks like they are the pinned items, look and see if they are here C:\Users\YOUR USER NAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\StartMenu, If you press on All Programs there on your start menu then you will get to the items listed in the locations you have looked at above in your post.

On your second question have a look at this tutorial Jump Lists - Change Number of Recent Items to Display see if this helps.

Let me know if you need more help.
Jerry

Thank You. Yes your right, they are pinned items. I looked and that folder has the exact shortcuts that I have in my menu.

I was trying to have folders that expand, i.e. groups of pinned items, but after reading some other posts, it seems this was more of a vista feature and isn't natively supported in Windows 7 if I understand properly.

Thanks for your help;
Jamie

You're Welcome, you cannot pin a folder to the start menu as far as I know.

Jerry