Most start menu program folders say (empty)

[Britton30]

after searching around i found this and it worked for me:


Hey, I figured out how to get my all programs folders restored to where they were no longer empty.

1)Go to the startup icon
2)then put cursor over "All Programs" and right click and click on "open"
3) then select the "programs" folder and right click and select "properties"
4) then select the "previous version" tab, await the previous versions to show up and select the folder that existed prior to your problems and hit restore and follow through with prompts.

Can you post a snip of that? IT doesn't work for me.
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[UsernameIssues]

after searching around i found this and it worked for me:


Hey, I figured out how to get my all programs folders restored to where they were no longer empty.

1)Go to the startup icon
2)then put cursor over "All Programs" and right click and click on "open"
3) then select the "programs" folder and right click and select "properties"
4) then select the "previous version" tab, await the previous versions to show up and select the folder that existed prior to your problems and hit restore and follow through with prompts.

Can you post a snip of that? IT doesn't work for me.
This is the preferred, best way to upload an image to a post.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9733-screenshots-files-upload-post-seven-forums.html#post93869
You may also upload a photo or image as you would a file, without using the Snipping tool.

Since there are two program folders, one might have to restore both of them in order to get the shortcuts back:


I don't know why some users will not have any restore entries available even though they have restore points:

 

[imneverlast]

I got this, way easier than you guys have been reporting.

I did the same thing this guy did , on a fairly new install. I used CCleaner to clean up my messes after downloading all the new drivers and the updates from this old disk I was using. some how, ccleaner was set to erase my start menu shortcuts and my settings were changed to ( DO NOT LIST RECENTLY USED ICONS in the start menu)

I did not choose these options and never have and I never even realized it had been done. On top of that when the setting is unchecked that I listed above, the setting for the number of items in the list is auto set to zero and is grayed out so that you cannot adjust it till you set the that other box in advanced to ADD RECENTLY USED ICONS - soon as you do that you can adjust the number to whatever you like - default is 10.

it's almost like a I had a little virus in here that just wanted to mess with me. It really did mess with me, I even re ran my 7 pro 64 instal disk again under upgrade to see if that would fix it because system restore would not go back far enough due to another ccleaner wipe.

anyway, here is how I came to this conclusion, I made my guest account active and then I entered it, I looked at the menu and it was perfect. just like it was supposed to be. this gave me the idea that it was a simple fix and after I fixed it I kicked myself in the butt for wasting so much time and came in here to tell you so you didn't waste the time as well.

so really. Jus click the start box. right click to properties, click start menu tab, then look under PRIVACY there is two boxes, make sure one of those is checked - I like the top one myself. after that go click the custom tab in that same window and you will see at the lower part your number of items listed box is active again, make it what you like, default is ten. push OK.

now your list is still blank! yup you have to repopulate it yourself by opening your favs up so that they list in the menu. soon as you use your regular things their icons will appear in the list.

If it happens again its some setting in CCleaner that need unchecked. I just went to advanced settings in ccleaner and push rest to default. then I ran ccleaner - it removed 108 mb of crap I don't need and then I checked my menu and it is still there. so I am good to go.

Cool?

 

[Florio]

Hi there guys,

I've just worked out my own fix for this annoying problem. NOTE: many of the solutions posted here are for when ALL PROGRAMS is empty, whereas the OP's START menu was in fact displaying program folders, but many of these were empty. This is exactly the same situation that I found myself in.

Anyway, thought I'd post my findings here so that someone else might gain some benefit from them.

1. - Click on 'Start', and right click on 'All Programs'

2. - Explore All Users

3. - Double click the 'Programs' folder on the Windows Explorer page that opens. Hopefully your program folders will all be listed.

4. - Double click on any folder that has been showing up 'empty' under 'All Programs'. A message will come up saying that you do not have the necessary authorisation to open the folder; click on 'Continue' to get permanent access to the folder and its contents.


5. - At this stage, one of two things could happen. Either the contents of the folder will be displayed on a new page of Windows Explorer, which you can then close. You are done with that particular program.


6. - Alternatively, a message may come up saying that access to the folder is denied. Click on the 'Security tab' link in that message pane. In the window that opens, which asks you to change owner privileges, click on 'Continue'. In the next window, choose 'Administrator', then click on OK. Click OK in the following two windows, and then 'Close' in the original message pane (the one that says you do not have the necessary authorisation to open the folder). You have now just granted yourself administrator privileges. Now repeat step 4., but double clicking on the folder you have just been given administrator privileges for.

The only problem with step 6. is that some of the icons that then appear in the formerly empty Start Menu folders may be 'blank'. I'm still working out how to get the original icons back and working, but it must be possible.