Programs not showing in "all programs"

[mingum]

Hi
I just got a new computer and I'm reinstalling all my software. it defaults to installing it into the folder Program Files x86. I've so far installed itunes and Quicken, but neither of them are showing up in the "all programs" menu on the start tab as they did in XP. I don't want to have to figure out how to make this happen every time I install something new, so how can I get windows to put my programs in this place so I can see all of them at once? Also, in XP there were folders for programs, and now they are all lumped together in one big mess. How do you organize this mess?

 

[Brink]

Hello Mingum, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Usually when you install a program, it may have an option to select to create a "Start Menu shortcut" or not. If selected, it will create a shortcut in the Start Menu for that program during installation.

If not, then you could also manually create a shortcut from the program's exe file in it's folder in the Program Files (x86) folder, and place it in the Start Menu to use. The tutorial below can help show you how to do this.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/296-start-menu-all-programs-add-delete-shortcuts.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[mingum]

So far neither of the 2 programs I've installed have asked about creating shortcuts. It used to be they just appeared on the Start Menu. I will read your reply and see if it makes sense and if I can do it. I think this is a real flaw. It's better that they are added by default and then you can delete what you don't want. Otherwise it's too hard to find your programs.

Ok I went into the Programs x86 folder and said "create shortcut" but it would only let me pin it to the start menu. I did that and tried to drag it into the All programs folder but I got an X and it won't let me do it. Why is this so hard?

 

[Brink]

Be sure that you do steps 1, 2, or 3 first in OPTION TWO at the tutorial link above first to open the Start Menu folder under step 4. This is where you will be moving the shortcut to instead.

 

[mingum]

Actually I just did something and now all the programs are appearing. I clicked something in Properties on the Start button and it seems to have worked. Not sure what I did, but there they all are.

 

[mingum]

Sorry here I am again. Now that I got the new programs to appear, I want to add other programs that are saved in yet a different folder that I migrated from my old computer. I followed all the steps in that tutorial, but it still doesn't let me drag the icon of the exe file into that folder for Startup programs. Everything I do says "you can't create a shortcut here do you want to put it on the desktop instead." No I want to create the shortcut. Why why is this so freaking hard?

 

[mingum]

I wanted to delete that last post because I went back and have actually been able to get the program listed. Now I have a new problem. When I try to open it, it says I'm missing a dll file. However when I open the program from Explorer in the Program folder where it is living, it opens perfectly. How can I fix this?

 

[Brink]

That's good news.

It's not so hard mate. You're just not doing it correctly. That's all.

While in the Start Menu folder click on Programs to open it like under step 4. Next, right click on a blank spot in the window (step 4), click on New and Shortcut, then navigate to and select the EXE file of the program that opens the program.