How to Open and Set the "Customize Start Menu" Settings in Windows 7
Information
This will show you how to customize the links, icons, and menus look and behave in the Windows 7 Start Menu using the Taskbar Start Menu Propertes page settings.
Note
Display as a link - When the Start Menu button is clicked on, it opens a window for it.
Display as a menu - When the Start Menu button is clicked on or hovered over, it expands a menu for it.
EXAMPLE: Customized Windows 7 Start Menu
OPTION ONE
Through Customize Start Menu Property Settings
1. Right click on the Start button and click on Properties.
2. Click on the Customize button. (See screenshot below)
3. To Customize the Start Menu
A) Dot, check, and uncheck the settings for how you want them to look and behave in the Start Menu. NOTE:The four screenshots below show all available customize settings.
B) Go to step 5.
4. To Restore All Default Customize Settings
A) Click on the Use Default Settings button at the bottom. (See bottom right screenshot above)
5. Click on OK. (See screenshots below step 3A)
6. Click on OK. (See screenshot below step 2)
OPTION TWO
Manually Through Registry Editor
1. Open the Start Menu, then type regedit in the search box and press Enter.
4. For User Folder, Computer, and Control Panel Links or Menu Buttons
A) In the right pane of Advanced, double click on the DWORD value for the Customize Start Menu option that you want to set. (see screenshot above and table below) NOTE:If the DWORD value is not here, then right click on a blank space in the right pane of Advanced, click on New and DWORD (32-bit) value, type in the DWORD value name below and press enter.
Customize Start Menu option
DWORD value
Computer
Start_ShowMyComputer
Control Panel
Start_ShowControlPanel
Documents
Start_ShowMyDocs
Downloads
Start_ShowDownloads
Games
Start_ShowMyGames
Music
Start_ShowMyMusic
Personal folder
Start_ShowUser
Pictures
Start_ShowMyPics
Recorded TV
Start_ShowRecordedTV
Videos
Start_ShowVideos
B) Type in the Data value for the Display option that you want for the selected Customize Start Menu option (step 4A), then click on OK. (see screenshot below)
Display option
Data value
Don't display this item
0
Display as link
1
Display as a menu
2
5. For Enable or Disable Only Options
A) In the right pane of Advanced, double click on the DWORD value for the Customize Start Menu option that you want to set. (see screenshot below step 3 and table below) NOTE:If the DWORD value is not here, then right click on a blank space in the right pane of Advanced, click on New and DWORD (32-bit) value, type in the DWORD value name below and press enter.
Customize Start Menu option
DWORD value
Connect To
Start_ShowNetConn
Default Programs
Start_ShowSetProgramAccessAndDefaults
Devices and Printers
Start_ShowPrinters
Enable context menus and dragging and dropping
Start_EnableDragDrop
Favorites menu
StartMenuFavorites
Help
Start_ShowHelp
Highlight newly installed programs
Start_NotifyNewApps
Homegroup
Start_ShowHomegroup
Network
Start_ShowNetPlaces
Open submenus when I pause on them with the mouse pointer
Start_AutoCascade
Recent Items
Start_ShowRecentDocs
Run command
Start_ShowRun
Search programs and Control Pane
Start_SearchPrograms
Sort All Programs menu by name
Start_SortByName
Use large icons
Start_LargeMFUIcons
B) Type in the Data value for the Display option that you want for the selected Customize Start Menu option (step 4A), then click on OK. (see screenshot below)
Display option
Data value
Disable this item
0
Enable this item
1
6. For the "Search other files and libraries" Option
A) In the right pane of Advanced, double click on the Start_SearchFiles. (see screenshot below step 3) NOTE:If the Start_SearchFiles DWORD value is not here, then right click on a blank space in the right pane of Advanced, click on New and DWORD (32-bit) value, type in Start_SearchFiles and press enter.
B) Type in the Data value for the Display option that you want for this Customize Start Menu option, then click on OK. (see screenshot below)
Display option
Data value
Don't search
0
Search without public folders
1
Search with public folders
2
7. For the "System administrative tools" Option
A) See OPTION TWO or OPTION THREE at this tutorial link below for how.
Hi.
You are really proficient at displaying these useful little help items. Maybe you could supplement the above.
What you have outlined, customises the right hand panel and associated windows.
I am a customise freak. I like to move quite a few of the Program items around into fiolders of my choice. In Vista, I found that to do this, I needed to go into classic mode. Unfortunately, in "7", for the time being, the option is not available. Nerds like me will find they cannot drag and drop. Not all the items appear under the Users - username - Appdata - Roaming - Microsoft - Windows - Startmenu. It is necessary to also open Program data - Microsoft - Windows - Startmenu, and drag and drop between those two.
I'm not sure why they did not include (yet) that Start Menu button's context menu item in Windows 7 to make it easier to open those locations to Customize the Start Menu shortcuts like it is in Vista.
OS Dual-booting Windows XP Home - Windows 7 Ultimate Build 7000 CPU Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 45nm Motherboard ASUS P5Q Pro - P45 Chipset Memory OCZ PC2 8500 SLI 1066MHz Graphics Card EVGA GeForce GTX 260 Core 216 55nm Sound Card RealtekI ACL1200 Monitor(s) Displays Acer AL2216WBD Screen Resolution 1680+1050
Keyboard Microsoft Key 102+ Mouse Logitech MX518 PSU PC Power & Cooling 610W Case NZXT Apollo Cooling FANS+3 Hard Drives WD 400GB Internet Speed 500+Kbs upload on Speedtest.net Other Info Anyone with the same system Spec or close to it benchmark with 3Dmark06 for a Vs match. Game's I'm Playing Call of Duty 4 and Command & Conquer Tiberium Wars!
System Manufacturer/Model Number Inskipp the Uncatchable/Tower of Power OS Windows 7 Professional RTM (6.1 Build 7600) CPU Intel C2D E6750@3.0Ghz Motherboard EVGA 680i Memory 4GB Corsair Dominator Graphics Card Geforce 8800GT Sound Card High Definition Onboard Monitor(s) Displays Samsung 22" LCD 226BW Screen Resolution 1680x1050
Keyboard Microsoft Digital Media Pro Mouse Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer 3.0 PSU PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750W Quad Case Lian-Li PC-A70A full tower Cooling Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro Hard Drives twin 74GB WD Raptors (raid 0)
twin 750GB WD Caviar
500GB WD Caviar
250GB WD Caviar Internet Speed 8Mbit down, 1.5Mbit up
Double check in the Local Group Policy Editor to make sure that the policy highlighted in blue below is set to Not Configured.
Downloading and merging this registry file should restore Pictures back to the Start Menu as well for you. It sets the group policy back to default for you automatically.
System Manufacturer/Model Number Inskipp the Uncatchable/Tower of Power OS Windows 7 Professional RTM (6.1 Build 7600) CPU Intel C2D E6750@3.0Ghz Motherboard EVGA 680i Memory 4GB Corsair Dominator Graphics Card Geforce 8800GT Sound Card High Definition Onboard Monitor(s) Displays Samsung 22" LCD 226BW Screen Resolution 1680x1050
Keyboard Microsoft Digital Media Pro Mouse Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer 3.0 PSU PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750W Quad Case Lian-Li PC-A70A full tower Cooling Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro Hard Drives twin 74GB WD Raptors (raid 0)
twin 750GB WD Caviar
500GB WD Caviar
250GB WD Caviar Internet Speed 8Mbit down, 1.5Mbit up
Information
Note
OPTION ONE 
better then going in the Registry Thanks Man 
