Windows 7 make start menu more like xp

[mickeypatel mur]

Keyboard shortcuts are very important to my computer use, which brings up a small but annoying problem I've been having in Windows 7.

In XP I was able to place a shortcut to a program or even to a particular file on my Start Menu. If I then renamed the shortcut on the start menu with a unique initial character, I could start a program or access a particular file simply by hitting the Start key and then an initial. For example, for my most common Microsoft Word file, I need only hit Start and then the letter x, and up pops my most commonly used file.

In Windows 7 when I try this I am delayed while Windows performs some sort of search for items starting with an x. In a moment or two, it discovers there is only one such item, and it offers me this item in a list and I must hit enter to get the item to come up.

The negative effect of this is still more pronounced when I start a new session and I know how want to open say three separate files/applications. In XP I can do this very quickly if the names I gave the shortcuts are unique. (And even if I have multiple items, say starting with the letter m, the Start men lets me essentially choose which m item I want by repeatedly hitting m. Very quickly, I learn that such and such file is: Start>mm>enter.)

So my question is: is there a way to tell the Window 7 Start Menu to behave like the XP Start Menu, at least in this regard?

 

[Saltgrass]

Since I can't really duplicate your need, I could suggest the following:

If you are trying to open files in something like Excel, you know about the flyout menu that will contain recently opened files..

If you right click a utility in the Taskbar, it will open a window with recently used items.

And a Winkey +1 (or 2-?) will open a utility on the Taskbar directly.

And you can set key combinations to start shortcuts.

 

[mickeypatel mur]

Sounds potentially interesting, though I generally disable "recently opened files" as a privacy issue. But I'm afraid I am not able to follow these instructions. Can someone clarify, perhaps with more specific steps?

Or, what I'm really looking for is a way to tell Win7 that when I put a shortcut link on the start menu with a unique first character say x, or 3, when I hit Windows Key and then x or 3 that item opens. Can Win7 be told to do this?

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

I'm not sure whether this will affect what you are trying to do but I've used.....

Classic Shell

Classic Shell | Download Classic Shell software for free at SourceForge.net

..ever since I started using Windows 7.
I think it makes the start menu and Windows Explorer work a lot better.

You could give it a try, it changes the way the menus work, maybe it will help.


Another way to quickly access common files is to use...

RocketDock

RocketDock - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com
I have files (like the one I,m getting these links from) on mine, one click and the file is open.
I also have all my everyday programs on it.

Mike