Removing unwanted links from Start > All Programs

[piXelatedEmpire]

After using switches to install various apps for your unattended installation, is it possible to prevent or delete certain links etc that are created by these silent application installs?

For example, readme links, help links, uninstall links etc

[bevone]

easy,

look nero installation

isthead of your silent installation

run a cmq/batch file like this

@echo off

start /wait setup.exe

run silent installation

del "%AllUsersProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\Nero\Nero 6 Ultra Edition\Nero Wave Editor.lnk"

remove a shortcut in all user menu

del "%AllUsersProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\Nero\Nero 6 Ultra Edition\Nero Wave Editor.lnk"

remove a shortcut in all user menu

rd /s /q "%AllUsersProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\Nero\Nero Toolkit"

remove a group in all user menu

if your program installs in your menu, not in all user menu

use %Profile% instead of %AllUsersProfile%

B) B)

[Achdine]

%Profile% is not a Windows variable. The variable Bevone meant was %UserProfile%, which expands to something like "C:\Documents and Settings\Bevone".

You can see the other variables that Windows set by opening a command window and typing "set."

The rest of what he said is correct; the Start Menu is stored in the individual user profiles and in the shared profile under the Start Menu folder. Links from both places are in the Start Menu of any logged on user. You can edit anything in the Start Menu by simply adding/deleting files from these folders.

[bevone]

Aaaaarg!!!

I've make an error on my first post!!

)

[Yzöwl]

You could try something like this instead

• craplinx.cmd
  

::removes pointless shortcuts from Programs subdirectories

@echo off&setlocal enableextensions
for /d %%a in ("%UserProfile%\..\*") do if exist "%%a\Start Menu\Programs" call :doit "%%a\Start Menu\Programs"
endlocal&goto :eof

:doit
pushd %1
for /f "delims=" %%b in ('dir /b/s/a "*.lnk"^|findstr/il "uninstall readme help"^2^>nul') do if errorlevel 0 del /f/a/q "%%b"
popd
goto :eof

[ZileXa]

This is how I do it (extremely easy)

After al programs are installed, I remove all the shortcurts I don't want, catagorize some others until I have the perfect Startmenu (I make sure this is the All Users menu)

Then I create a RAR SFX of the all users starmenu,

in my CLEANUP.CMD I delete the contents of all users startmenu, the SFX will extract after the cleanup.

Works great. easy to modify..

[Martin Zugec]

For msi based installation I am creating mst file (for example acrobat reader)

[dirtyharry1971]

Ive been cleaning up my start menu using this method the only problems I had where alcohol as the .lnk file had the % symbol in it fixed it by using alcoho~1.lnk but am having a problem moving the 7-zip link to another folder in the start menu. I'm pretty sure the problem is being caused by the - symbol but have not been able to find a workaround I'm sure its something easy like putting a \ in or something. Please help......

[redfive19]

if I really want to move stuff around on the start menu (or even delete stuff) i use autoit. I usually get rid of desktop icons and move them to a menu ive made. If you want the code just ask.

[blinkdt]

@dirtyharry1971:

SET AllUsers=%systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\All Users\Desktop

DEL "%AllUsers%\Alcohol 120%%.lnk"

[nad01]

Here are some varibles.

%ALLUSERSPROFILE% = C:\Documents and Settings\All Users

%USERPROFILE% = C:\Documents and Settings\{username}

%HOMEPATH% = \Documents and Settings\{username}

For interest here is a link to a listing on Environment Variables.

Environment Variables in Windows XP