Solved Customizing the Start Menu

[markaz]

This is my Start Menu:

What I would like to do is move the item "Shortcuts" from its Pinned location in the left pane to the right pane. Is this possible?

 

[Hacb]

did you intend to post an image here??

 

[derekimo]

did you intend to post an image here??

There is one posted,

 

[Boozad]

What I would like to do is move the item "Shortcuts" from its Pinned location in the left pane to the right pane. Is this possible?

No it's not, not that I'm aware of.

 

[Hacb]

oh, for some reason I couldn't see it,

 

[Callender]

See the discussion here:

http://www.sevenforums.com/customization/26716-add-custom-folder-library-start-menu.html

For me - displaying the downloads folder and renaming it then adding the location for the desired folder works. Howerver - if you actually use your downloads folder it won't be a suitable solution.

 

[markaz]

Thanks for all of the replies! I've been playing around with the suggestions here since yesterday and if the truth be known since Win7 came out with Libraries it has done nothing but confuse. Works like a charm for many, but for me...not.

One thing I neglected to state in my original post is that I use ClassicShell. I will continue to use it as it allows for some personalizations that I find extremely useful. If it has prevented me from having any success with the straight-forward recommendations by the posters here then I apologize. The only thing I tried that came close was utilizing the Favorites folder, however, I could not rename it by right-clicking or chaning the name in Properties. Except for that, Favorites became a menu item that contained all of the shortcuts I want. Many of the other folders (such as download) do not appear as an optional folder in ClassicShell's Classic style menu.

If you all think that ClassicShell is preventing me from being successful in accomplishing your recommendations, then I'll just leave well enough alone and thank all of you for your guidance.

 

[Callender]

Okay so take a look at renaming the Favorites folder. There's a tutorial here:

Favorites - Rename in Windows 7 Navigation Pane

I can rename it using this method. Note: I use Classic Theme rather than Classic Shell. Also you need to use the "Rename Favorites in Navigation Pane" method before you can rename Favorites in Start Menu.

Also note: For registry key permissions the steps in the tutorial work but I've always found it easier to use RegOwnershipEx as it takes ownership and restores permissions using less steps. You need to leave the RegOwnershipEx window open until you've made the registry changes then restore permissions before closing the window.

Also note: You will not be able to download RegOwenershipEx if you've modified your browser to block referrer.

And another note: You may need to toggle display favorites in start menu on/ off twice in order to see the changes.

Tested and working for me. I've reverted the changes since taking the screenshot.

 

[markaz]

Callender - When I can set aside the time today I will definitely do this. What's funny (or not so funny) is that I tried making the change using Favorites (before your post) and felt like I was chasing my tail. Favorites got replaced by Favorites Bar, had to give the shortcuts folder a different name and on and on. Took me 30 minutes to unwind all the changes I made.

I look forward to trying your recommendation(s). If Classic Theme will allow me to pare down the Start Menu and display only those items I want with no big blank spaces (as one would see using the Windows 7 menu) then I will give it a go as well if that's what it take to get my Shortcuts moved to the right pane.

I'll report back. Thanks for the post!!.

 

[UXGaurav]

This is my Start Menu:

What I would like to do is move the item "Shortcuts" from its Pinned location in the left pane to the right pane. Is this possible?

That appears to be the Classic Shell start menu. What you want is definitely possible.

Open Classic Shell Start Menu settings, go to Customize Start Menu tab. Add a Custom item there. The screenshot tells me you are using Classic style, so "Custom" will be at the very bottom of the right column on the Customize tab. Drag it to the left column and position it where you want it to appear in the menu and then double click its icon. In the "Edit Menu Item" dialog, there will be a LINK field. Specify the path of your shortcuts folder in that LINK field and click OK.

Once you get the Custom item working in the right side column, you can unpin/delete the shortcuts folder from the left side pinned area.

Let me know if you could do this.

 

[markaz]

Callender - I attempted the tutorial and was able to change permissions, etc, etc, but it would only work when the Start Menu was the Windows 7 menu. Once it changed in Classicshell to Classic Menu, it would no longer function (it would add Favorites Bar to the folder). I just unwound everything at that point....but thanks so much for trying it out and then offering it as a solution.

UXGaurav - Bingo! In trying to do it via ClassicShell I never moved the custom folder from the right pane to the left. But I did so and put in the link path and it works like a charm. Thanks so much!!

 

[Callender]

Glad you found a solution!

 

[markaz]

Callender - While you're online. If you don't mind me asking.....when the string name was changed to Shortcuts in the registry should that have appeared in the Start Menu (replacing the nam Favorites)? I ask because even though I restarted the entire system after making the change it would still not change. However, I could go to my Users folder and change the name from Favorites to Shortcuts without the error message. Problem that created is that the Users folder then had two Shortcuts folders. Just curious.

 

[Callender]

For me - the registry hack didn't rename Favorites in the Start Menu but it did allow it to be renamed to Shortcuts after toggling the display settings for Favorites on /off then on again in Start Menu properties.

 

[Callender]

Better explanation

If you don't mind me asking.....when the string name was changed to Shortcuts in the registry should that have appeared in the Start Menu (replacing the nam Favorites)? I ask because even though I restarted the entire system after making the change it would still not change. However, I could go to my Users folder and change the name from Favorites to Shortcuts without the error message. Problem that created is that the Users folder then had two Shortcuts folders. Just curious.

Sorry my earlier reply wasn't clear.

When the string was changed in the registry faorites was renamed to shortcuts in the left pane of any explorer window.

Favorites still showed up in the start menu but it could then be renamed to shortcuts with a little effort. That's set Favorites not to display in start menu and exit. Then set favorites to display in start menu. Then right click favorites in start menu and rename it to shortcuts.

Well - that's what worked for me.

 

[markaz]

Thanks so much. I never did check what happened in Explorer after the reg. tweak.....just the Start Menu.