"Start" box now empty

[quintain]

UMMMMM
I think I just broke W7 Home Premium after 3 hours use.
When I now select "Start" the box (left hand sde portion) which should show programmes is empty.
When I click 'All Programs' it re - populates.

I Think during my set up of this new computer yesterday when I tried to install an old version of Photoshop CS3 which initially failed I used a newly downloaded version of CCleaner to remove all CS3 left over files including in the Registry and accepted CC default suggestions to zap.

I'm sure its not a record of breaking W7 but it must be close.

Can any one help and advice me how to get my "Start" prog' to behave itself please.

 

[electrotune1200]

Do you have a system restore point prior to your failed installation?

 

[quintain]

nope; I really did everything wrong!!!

 

[electrotune1200]

Does it still show your pictures, music, documents etc.? If all that stuff is still there, can you try manually dragging shortcuts to your list panel?

 

[electrotune1200]

Actually I just did a bit of playing around. If you go into your program files, right click the icon of a program you want to appear in the start menu, and select pin to start menu. When you do that do items stay there?

 

[ChristianKlint]

Hi mate!
Try the standard troubleshooting, (just type trouble in search bar).

If that doesn't work, let me know.

 

[quintain]

Actually I just did a bit of playing around. If you go into your program files, right click the icon of a program you want to appear in the start menu, and select pin to start menu. When you do that do items stay there?

That would work but all my progs are their BUT only show when I click on 'All Progs' button. It seems to be a auto populating problem.
I have also discovered that if I hover the pointer over 'All Progs' for 2 seconds the box is populated.
Documents, Pictures, Video links are all on Right hand side of the box immediately I click on Start button

 

[quintain]

Hi mate!
Try the standard troubleshooting, (just type trouble in search bar).

If that doesn't work, let me know.

Thanks, tried that but cannot find anything (so far) to help with this prob.

 

[stormy13]

Check the Start menu properties,

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/265-start-menu-customize.html

and under #2 make sure that "Store and display...programs" is checked.

 

[quintain]

Thanks Everyone
With a combination of a little from all of you I now have what I need.
My knowledge of W7 is growing enormously "I really must read the book !!! "

 

[1Bowtie]

After only 3 hours of use you can't have much installed and since you've messed up the registry i would reinstall from the start. That way you know the reg and everything else is back to new.

 

[quintain]

yup your right I thought I would need a clean instal.
3 hours was from opening the boxes, coffee, scratching of head and elswhere etc etc

 

[stormy13]

"I really must read the book !!! "

Here you go (free version, unless you want the pictures),

TweakGuides.com - The TweakGuides Tweaking Companion

Between the 415 pages in that and here,

Tutorials - Windows 7 Forums

you should be able to find just about everything you need. And when in doubt, there is always the forum.

 

[electrotune1200]

Thanks Everyone
With a combination of a little from all of you I now have what I need.
My knowledge of W7 is growing enormously "I really must read the book !!! "

Sorry we couldn't get you all the way sorted. Doing a clean install as previously stated would be the safest way. If you learned something new today, it's to stay away from those registry cleaners!

After you get this clean install done, update your drivers and windows patches then IMMEDIATELY make an image of your drive. Windows 7 can do this natively now. If you run into a situation like this in the future you can reinstall from the fresh install image and be up in running in 10 minutes.

 

[quintain]

Thanks again, sounds like good advice which I will take.

 

[PoPPeR]

don't reinstall!!! try creating another user account and log on as that user.