Start Menu - Customize

Page 1 of 5 123 ... LastLast
    Start Menu - Customize

    Start Menu - Customize

    How to Open and Set "Customize Start Menu" Settings in Windows 7
    Published by
    Designer Media Ltd


    How to Open and Set "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
    Start Menu - Customize-start_menu.jpg



    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)
    Start Menu - Customize-properties.jpg
    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.
    Start Menu - Customize-customize-1.jpgStart Menu - Customize-customize-2.jpg
    Start Menu - Customize-customize-3.jpgStart Menu - Customize-customize-4.jpg
    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.

    2. If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes.

    3. In regedit, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)

    Code:
    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
    Start Menu - Customize-reg-1.jpg
    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

    Start Menu - Customize-reg-2.jpg
    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

    Start Menu - Customize-reg-2.jpg
    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

    Start Menu - Customize-reg-2.jpg
    7. For the "System administrative tools" Option
    A) See OPTION TWO or OPTION THREE at this tutorial link below for how.
    8. Close regedit.

    9. Log off and log on, or restart the computer to apply.
    That's it,
    Shawn Brink




    Related Tutorials





  2. davehc
    Posts : 748
    Vista and now 7 in 32 and 64 bit.
       New #1

    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.
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

  4. Brink
    Posts : 72,714
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       New #2

    Hello Dave,

    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.

    It is on the list on tutorials to make though.

    Thank you,
    Shawn
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

  5. Brink
    Posts : 72,714
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       New #3

    Ok Dave,

    The tutorial for that is done.

    Start Menu All Programs - Add or Delete Shortcuts
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

  6. davehc
    Posts : 748
    Vista and now 7 in 32 and 64 bit.
       New #4

    Great stuff.
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

  7. PhoneyVirus
    Posts : 57
    Windows 7 Professional (64-bit)
       New #5

    Better than the Registry Editor


    Thanks for that little Tip after me being in there and tweaking, I never seen it LOL better then going in the Registry Thanks Man
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

  8. Brink
    Posts : 72,714
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       New #6

    You're welcome PhoneyVirus.
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

  10. Inskipp
    Posts : 7
    Windows 7 Professional RTM (6.1 Build 7600)
       New #7

    My Customize Start Menu is missing the Pictures link. I could just click my username, and then the My Pictures folder, but that defeats the purpose.

    Seen below, I have no Pictures choices like in the 2nd picture in step 3 above.

    Does any one else have this problem, or have any idea how to fix it? I didn't have this problem in the beta or the RC.

    Thanks for any replies.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Start Menu - Customize-missing_pictures_link.jpg  
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

  11. Brink
    Posts : 72,714
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       New #8

    Hello Inskipp,

    Double check in the Local Group Policy Editor to make sure that the policy highlighted in blue below is set to Not Configured.
    Start Menu - Customize-gpedit.msc.jpg
    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.

    Hope this helps,
    Shawn
    Start Menu - Customize Attached Files
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

  12. Inskipp
    Posts : 7
    Windows 7 Professional RTM (6.1 Build 7600)
       New #9

    The group policy was not configured.

    The registry had the difference, I had a 1 in NoSMMyPictures in the HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer folder.

    Your fix took care of it, thank you very much.
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

 
Page 1 of 5 123 ... LastLast

  Related Discussions
So I have the Classic Shell start menu replacement program (fantastic by the way), and it just occurred to me. Is it possible to have a menu on the right pane, instead of adding a scroll arrow on the bottom when there's too many items to fit on a screen, behave like the All Programs menu and...
Could I change "Default Programs" to "Add/Remove programs"? Or even add a new entry in the start menu?
Hi all, well what i would like to do is put an image of my choice in the background of my start menu, which file do i have to change/modify to get something simular to these pictures? http://i50.tinypic.com/111o86c.jpg and this one, both outlined in RED http://i49.tinypic.com/168a7hy.jpg ...
customize the Start Menu
in General Discussion

hello I'd like to remove the arrow Associate WLM (submenu) to the right of the shortcut WLM http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/994/capturefhl.png what is possible and how?
Our Sites
Site Links
About Us
Windows 7 Forums is an independent web site and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation. "Windows 7" and related materials are trademarks of Microsoft Corp.

 © Designer Media Ltd
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:04.
Find Us