Windows XP Start Menu

[awernitz]

I am running Windows XP. Recently the selection between default windows XP style or classic style start menu has dissapeared. Now only the selector button for the classic menu is visible and I can't switch back to the XP style menu.

How do I get this back? Is there a registry key to toggle between the different menu styles?

Please help...

[barradasba]

are you administrator ?

did you try with another profile to see the result ?

[Justice]

Try this: (commands I list that are contained in brackets, [ ] are buttons, italics are what you type.)

• Start > Run: mmc [OK]
• File > Add/Remove Snap in...
  
• [Add]
  
• Scroll down to Group Policy and highlight it. Click [Add]
  
• [Finish], [Close], [OK]
  
• Expand the tree: Console Root\Local Computer Policy\User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Contol Panel\Display\Desktop Themes
  
• The policy settings you need to look at are: Remove Theme Option, Prevent selection of windows and button styles, and Load a specific visual style file or force Windows Classic
  

Click on the explain tab for each setting if you need to know what each policy does and what is the correct setting for you.

Hope this helps. IF this machine is part of a Domain, the polices for global and site will override any setting of a local machine. So even if you make the changes to the policy locally, they will still be overridden by the domain settings.

[ScottFQ]

I have a similar problem where the Display Properties>Appearance tab>Windows and Buttons is disabled. A recent "big brother" setting. The mmc settings that you mentioned aren't available either.

Is there a registry tweak to be able to change this?

[jrzycrim]

Unless you Administator privileges, which it appears you do not, then you can't change these settings. You would have to ask an administrator to make these changes.

Cheers,

[t001z]

ScottFQ, Even if you do find a way to get around the policy that is put into place, chances are that your administrator not only blocked your ability to get at those settings, but also put a policy into effect to force certain "look" down to you.

If this is the case and you find a way around it, the policy will come right back down to you in a matter of moments and definately the next time you log on.

I know that is what I do to users I want to punish in this way!