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Which Registry change controls the 'All Programs' list?

GLO

By GLO
in Windows XP

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GLO

GLO

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For some reason, i have managed to point this registry to my D:/program folder and it it listing all the programs in that folder rather than only the links to the programs.

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T D

T D

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What do u mean

Edit they are the links to the programs. It's not as if windows copied and pasted the exe's into the startmenu\programs or something.

Edited by T D
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playsafe

playsafe

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they are the links to the programs. It's not as if windows copied and pasted the exe's into the startmenu\programs or something.

Yes they are links but we can simply put the actual exe's there as well. The only problem would be the helping files like .dll's.

So if there exist some programs in D:\ and somehow @GLO got to point the Program Files link to D:\Program folder it should work as well.

As far the actual questions stays, search for the string "d:\Program" in your registry. I will also give it a try.

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playsafe

playsafe

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The value in this key should do it for the user

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ShellFolders\Programs

For Computer Level u should change

HKEY_Local_Machine\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ShellFolders\Common Programs

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GLO

GLO

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The value in this key should do it for the user

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ShellFolders\Programs

For Computer Level u should change

HKEY_Local_Machine\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ShellFolders\Common Programs

Yes, that looks familiar.

If i rectify this setting, will i have to move any files?

Im hoping that the program file list will be inplace at the as per the registry you listed above.

Note: i had originally changed it because i have my programs installed to the D drive.

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playsafe

playsafe

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If i rectify this setting, will i have to move any files?

Im hoping that the program file list will be inplace at the as per the registry you listed above.

Note: i had originally changed it because i have my programs installed to the D drive.

IMO, no u would not have to move any files, as u just changed the Program Folders pointer to d:\Program, and now u are re-pointing it back. so no problem should occur. Just the key value should be right.

As @T D said, these are only pointers, they are already there pointing to ur installations no matter where they are installed.

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GLO

GLO

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For Computer Level u should change

HKEY_Local_Machine\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ShellFolders\Common Programs

This is currently set to C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs and did not fix teh problem

The value in this key should do it for the user

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ShellFolders\Programs

This is now set back to C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs

But which registry hack is it so that all new programs are installed into D:\Program Files

What else could there be?

Edited by GLO
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Takeshi

Takeshi

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But which registry hack is it so that all new programs are installed into D:\Program Files

What else could there be?

That's a different question from what you originally asked in the topic title. The Start menu > All Programs List contains only shortcuts from your userprofile. It doesn't control your default Program Files directory path.

The answer to your last question is:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion

ProgramFiles Dir

Edited by Takeshi
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playsafe

playsafe

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For Computer Level u should change

HKEY_Local_Machine\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ShellFolders\Common Programs

This is currently set to C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs and did not fix teh problem

The value in this key should do it for the user

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ShellFolders\Programs

This is now set back to C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs

But which registry hack is it so that all new programs are installed into D:\Program Files

What else could there be?

As HKEY_CURRENT_USER Key was changed because the tweak did changed only one user and default program files folder location was not changed for any other user niether for users which will be created afterwards. To change it for all users as default, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE will be used.

As to your second question about default installation directory, @Takeshi is right. And maybe u were trying to change default Installation Folder but changed the Start Menu --> Programs location. Anyway this should be solved now.

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GLO

GLO

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i have changed the registry back but all the extra files are still there!!??and im worried that if i uninstall it will screw up cause the registry is looking elsewhere

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GLO

GLO

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i have changed the registry back but all the extra files are still there!!??and im worried that if i uninstall it will screw up cause the registry is looking elsewhere

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Takeshi

Takeshi

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The value in this key should do it for the user

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ShellFolders\Programs

This is now set back to C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs

That is incorrect. HKCU is your own profile so you shouldn't point it to All Users's Start Menu. It should ONLY point to your own Start menu.

i have changed the registry back but all the extra files are still there!!??and im worried that if i uninstall it will screw up cause the registry is looking elsewhere

Changed which bit of registry back?

If you uninstall whatever prog and reinstall it it will be installed to whatever default prog file dir you've set so why would it screw anything up?

This whole thing is in such a muddle and the moral of the story is don't mess around with the registry unless you know a bit about the registry and you're sure what you're doing.

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GLO

GLO

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This whole thing is in such a muddle and the moral of the story is don't mess around with the registry unless you know a bit about the registry and you're sure what you're doing.

I do know about the registry, but i had gotten this part mixed up. Thats all.

Perhaps its time for another rebuild???

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playsafe

playsafe

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Posted (edited)

The value in this key should do it for the user

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ShellFolders\Programs

This is now set back to C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs

That is incorrect. HKCU is your own profile so you shouldn't point it to All Users's Start Menu. It should ONLY point to your own Start menu.

Yeah you are right, HKCU points to the current user profile. @GLO just made a mistake of setting ALL USERS part rather than his own folder in Documents and Settings.

@GLO- which extra files are still there?

Edited by playsafe
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