start menu - no progs show up

hi there

i _upgraded_ win 7 beta to win 7 rc. according to hack to edit ini to build7000 instead of release buld7100.

i did a manual backup. i did an easy-transfer.

upgrade took its time --- but as far as i can see by now, after 1 day, most of even tiny personal settings are present.

BUT --- no progs show up in start menu. if i look in

... users / [...] / app data / roaming / microsoft / windows / start menu

well, yes ... there's "programs" folder. & in it i find all shortcuts to sub-folders & apps ---

nonetheless: in start menu / all programs ... _nothing_ shows up. a very white empty space.

yes, i can access apps by doing search or creating new shortcuts in different locations. yes.


nonetheless... if anybody heard of this b4 & knows a fix --- i'd be glad.


no, if i can avoid it... i don't wanna to do a clean install. i wanna wait 'til october, get a license then & do a complete format, re-partitioning, data-structure etc _THEN_.


btw --- thx for this forum na

wish u well

i just had this happen to me yesterday. the way i fixed it (and i know sounds stupid but it works) was i went to users / [...] / app data / roaming / microsoft / windows / start menu and right clicked on the programs folder, then properties. then i checked the 'hidden' check box to make the folder (and all subfolders) hidden. then click 'ok'.

i don't know what happened to make the programs disappear in the start menu. i don't know why making that folder hidden makes them reappear. all i know is that it worked for me.

and im running a clean install of the RC.

hope this helps as it bugged the hell out of me all day.

wow. that was fast. &: _it works_ !!!

nonetheless... now that i'm working (as in: really working) w setup for a day... i encounter some really weird slow-downs now & then. so i guess... i'll do a clean install on weekend.

anyhow: lot of thx from thailand to canada

i'm sorry... but after another day... i'm back to square one ;-)

there seem to be some problems with

a) old/previous entries in "start menu" - be that authentic installation routines, manual add-ons. subfolders as well as app-entries. some show up, others don't.

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b) i don't get that obviously there are _2_ managing paths:

b.1) C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

b.2) C:\Users\[...]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs


it seems authentic new software installation _tends_ to go for b.2. but there are exceptions.

even copying or short-cutting files/folders from one location to another doesn't help.

also, greenlink23's hack "to hide" "C:\Users\[...]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs" does not _reveal_ folders/apps... that are registered in b.1 &/or b.2 --- but nonetheless don't show up in "start menu"

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c) after a day now... "start menu" is blank again.

d) also, "recent items" don't show any entries.

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i _upgraded_ from an oem-vista to sp1 to win7 beta. & it all worked out fine.

by _now_ i'd say... i'll try a clean win7rc install next days.

When this problem occured to me during a beta install I simply created another administrator account. The new user account worked flawlessly.

polycue said:

When this problem occured to me during a beta install I simply created another administrator account. The new user account worked flawlessly.

thank you poly cue. that sounds like a reasonable approach

i took the opportunity now to... complete re-organize hard disk & data structure, did a clean win7rc install, slowly added app & by app... like renovating an old house ;-)

& by now it's running fast & sweet

though problem occured again after i installed some 9year old app ;-(

commons said:

though problem occured again after i installed some 9year old app ;-(

Which "9year old app"?

polycue said:

Which "9year old app"?

some special astrology stuff na

anyhow... i've encountered same problem again & again last weeks w up-to-date apps. [eg, i haven't found any cd/dvd-burning app. i worked w nero for years & i encouraged many ppl na. by now: no way. pls hv a look @ nero web-site/forum to learn ab "customer support". ashampoo install left start menu "blank"]

as i'm not paid for testing & i need system running... by now... i'm creating sys-restore points b/4 _any_ install.

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it was _way_ different while migrating from vista to 7b.

i'm not "complaining". win7 is first ms os in decades i really appreciate

greenlink23 said:

i just had this happen to me yesterday. the way i fixed it (and i know sounds stupid but it works) was i went to users / [...] / app data / roaming / microsoft / windows / start menu and right clicked on the programs folder, then properties. then i checked the 'hidden' check box to make the folder (and all subfolders) hidden. then click 'ok'.

i don't know what happened to make the programs disappear in the start menu. i don't know why making that folder hidden makes them reappear. all i know is that it worked for me.

and im running a clean install of the RC.

hope this helps as it bugged the hell out of me all day.

Thanks
its working 1000%