problem with start menu

when I try to start my programs from the start menu, nothing happens, it
doesn't freeze but nothing opens. The only way I can get to a program is
through the run command.

"carrie" wrote in message
...

when I try to start my programs from the start menu, nothing happens, it
doesn't freeze but nothing opens. The only way I can get to a program is
through the run command.

1. Check for viruses.

2. The start menu is only a standard windows folder
c:\windows\start menu
that contains links (files of type *.LNK) to various apps
and DOC files;
so you can rebuild it by brute force (cut and paste).
Just make sure the folder exists:
c:\windows\start menu
Then you can move into it any LNK you like.

It makes sense to group them. The Start Menu
gets too long if you just let it grow with every new
app. It makes sense to create new folders e.g.
c:\windows\start menu\graphics
c:\windows\start menu\wordpro
and just move into these all LNK files for the same
or similar functions; and then delete all the
parent folders generated at installation for every
separate app.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

"carrie" wrote in message
...

when I try to start my programs from the start menu, nothing happens, it
doesn't freeze but nothing opens. The only way I can get to a program is
through the run command.

1. Check for viruses.

2. The start menu is only a standard windows folder
c:\windows\start menu
that contains links (files of type *.LNK) to various apps
and DOC files;
so you can rebuild it by brute force (cut and paste).
Just make sure the folder exists:
c:\windows\start menu
Then you can move into it any LNK you like.

It makes sense to group them. The Start Menu
gets too long if you just let it grow with every new
app. It makes sense to create new folders e.g.
c:\windows\start menu\graphics
c:\windows\start menu\wordpro
and just move into these all LNK files for the same
or similar functions; and then delete all the
parent folders generated at installation for every
separate app.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

"Don Phillipson" wrote in message
...
[]
It makes sense to group them. The Start Menu
gets too long if you just let it grow with every new
app. It makes sense to create new folders e.g.
c:\windows\start menu\graphics
c:\windows\start menu\wordpro
and just move into these all LNK files for the same
or similar functions; and then delete all the
parent folders generated at installation for every
separate app.
[]
Agreed - though doing it that way means the uninstall routine, should you
come to try to use it, doesn't know where they are, and leaves them (but
Start Menu Cleaner - or other app.s, but I like SMC as it's simple - will
find and prompt for their removal).

An alternative, provided the install routine allows (most, though not all,
do), is: do as Don suggests and make some generic ones (I have things like
netstuff, hardware, text.etc, images, ... - IIRR I also put a # or two
before them, which [a] shows they're mine [b] makes them come at the top, at
least in the shell I use), then when a new app. asks where to put its
shortcuts, suggesting something like

newapp

, I just stick my one before it, thus

netstuff\newapp

, which then puts it as a submenu under netstuff, and uninstall knows where
to find it. (If your generic names are too long to type easily, _copy_ [e.
g. Ctrl-C] the suggested new name, select your generic from the list shown,
type \ at its end, and paste [Ctrl-V] the new one.)

If you know the new app. is only going to make one shortcut, then I'd say
just override the suggested folder name with one of your existing ones - I
find single-entry submenus to the start menu somewhat irritating - but YMMV!

"Don Phillipson" wrote in message
...
[]
It makes sense to group them. The Start Menu
gets too long if you just let it grow with every new
app. It makes sense to create new folders e.g.
c:\windows\start menu\graphics
c:\windows\start menu\wordpro
and just move into these all LNK files for the same
or similar functions; and then delete all the
parent folders generated at installation for every
separate app.
[]
Agreed - though doing it that way means the uninstall routine, should you
come to try to use it, doesn't know where they are, and leaves them (but
Start Menu Cleaner - or other app.s, but I like SMC as it's simple - will
find and prompt for their removal).

An alternative, provided the install routine allows (most, though not all,
do), is: do as Don suggests and make some generic ones (I have things like
netstuff, hardware, text.etc, images, ... - IIRR I also put a # or two
before them, which [a] shows they're mine [b] makes them come at the top, at
least in the shell I use), then when a new app. asks where to put its
shortcuts, suggesting something like

newapp

, I just stick my one before it, thus

netstuff\newapp

, which then puts it as a submenu under netstuff, and uninstall knows where
to find it. (If your generic names are too long to type easily, _copy_ [e.
g. Ctrl-C] the suggested new name, select your generic from the list shown,
type \ at its end, and paste [Ctrl-V] the new one.)

If you know the new app. is only going to make one shortcut, then I'd say
just override the suggested folder name with one of your existing ones - I
find single-entry submenus to the start menu somewhat irritating - but YMMV!