Start Menu

[D.Arbib]

XPpro/SP3/IE7

Recently and for unknown reason I have developed the following problem in "Start Menu"

1. Start Menu/Customise. Set to have 6 programs and large icons

2. Frequently used programs were never nserted, nor newly installed ones.

3. So I pinned up to 10 program icons and expected 4 to be rejected, but this didn't happen

4. Tried to "Clear List" AND NOTHING HAPPENED

5. The start menu panel extended upwards to almost the top of the monitor and obliterated many of my own icons,

6. However the lower part of this panel was large are of blank (ie nothing in it) and was only reduced by removing all of the pinned icons

7. I can just about use it by selecting "small icons"

I believe there may be a number of registry items which are causing these difficulties, but I am too inexpert to establish any errors.

Can anyone please advise? I can send a desktop picutre attachment n any reply e-mail to show the problem.

[TheFlash428]

The number of programs you select under "customize" refers to the history list of recently used programs (the ones that are listed underneath the programs that are "pinned"). Items you "Pin to the Start Menu" are not affected by this setting--THEY WILL ALWAYS BE SHOWN.

If you want less items there, don't pin as many. If you only want the ones you pin, then select "0" as the number of programs under the "customize" settings.

Keep in mind that the right-hand side of the start menu will affect the overall size as well. The more items you have shown on the start menu's right side, the larger it will be (i.e. "Adminstrative Tools" or "Control Panel"). I usually "pin" the programs I want, set all my other options for what I want to appear on the right-hand side, then, based on how much room is left, set the number of programs for the amount of room remaining to display that amount.

Edited August 11, 2008 by TheFlash428

[D.Arbib]

Thank you.

1. I have tried with no pinned icons

2, Frequently used program icons and new program icons do not ever appear

3. When opening with large size icons then the opening panel is normal in size

4. Immediately I pin, say 6, items, then the opening panel rises to fill almost the whole vertical side of the monitor and obliterates progrm icons

5. Under both the right hand and left side have large empty space under the various items

I have used the normal start menu for many years with never any problems like this. I cannot attach a desktop picture to illustate as the limit is 200k only and the picture is over 5MB

[TheFlash428]

Just hit the "Print Screen" button, open up Paint and then paste the image from the clip board. I usually save as a JPG or PNG format. It should be under 200k...and it definately should be <5MB!

[D.Arbib]

I have the picture in both .bmp and jpg form and both are well over the 200K limit. I have tried to upload it and I get a refusal. I could, of course, send it directly as an attachment to an e-mal which is not so limited

I am also in contact with Microsoft UK to try to assist with this stupid error but nothing so far. I am reluctant to go through the process of a full re-installation.

What I need is to locate the start menu and task bar .dll and compare it to a slave drive I have in my computer with a similar setup.

[Mr Snrub]

If you bring the Start menu up and then hit ALT-PRTSCR, then open Paint and paste the contents in there - it should be just the active window and not the entire desktop, making the image (and hence size) smaller.

JPG format should be the smallest you can make it (in Paint on XP) I think.

You can do the same (ALT-PRTSCR, paste into Paint) for the Properties pages and save those as separate files too, so we can verify the settings you have configured.