Windows 7 Option for Folders in the Start Menu

WightWalker

New Member
In Windows XP, it was useful to add folders to the Start Menu to group like applications together thus reducing the number of entries and making it easier to find application.

Search as I may, I don’t seem to be able to find an edit facility for the Windows 7 Start Menu.

You can navigate to C:\Program Data\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu to locate installed applications but there is no access to the 'Pin to Start Menu' items or the shortcuts above 'All Programs'.

Does anyone know if this is possible under Windows 7.
 
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There's a routine here at WindowsSevenForums which covers this: Link Removed due to 404 Error

Unfortunately, it's not what I'm looking for - this routine allows you to 'jump' to that folder and not allow the folder to be opened under the Start Menu to select a list of items or application to open.
 
Thanks for your reply. I've already done that & yes it does allow access to the folder at C:\Users\your name\Start Menu BUT none of the applications pinned to the Start Menu are shown - I've searched in vain but with no success.

Any ideas.
 
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In Windows XP, it was useful to add folders to the Start Menu to group like applications together thus reducing the number of entries and making it easier to find application.

Search as I may, I don’t seem to be able to find an edit facility for the Windows 7 Start Menu.

You can navigate to C:\Program Data\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu to locate installed applications but there is no access to the 'Pin to Start Menu' items or the shortcuts above 'All Programs'.

Does anyone know if this is possible under Windows 7.

Add \programs to your path..

Folders won't pin.. but my applications will. You have to go into the folders and pin the applications... you can simply drag and drop them from Windows Explorer to your "Start" icon.

A feature you may find you like better than All programs is to right click on your taskbar... select toolbars ... new toolbar then find your way to the programs folder in the path you have listed above and add it. Then you 'll have a new taskbar option to click on the >> after programs and access almost everything you have in your All Programs menu

Keep in mind that your All Programs menu INCLUDES items that are in your user profile. It combines two startup folders.
 
Add \programs to your path..

Folders won't pin.. but my applications will. You have to go into the folders and pin the applications... you can simply drag and drop them from Windows Explorer to your "Start" icon.

A feature you may find you like better than All programs is to right click on your taskbar... select toolbars ... new toolbar then find your way to the programs folder in the path you have listed above and add it. Then you 'll have a new taskbar option to click on the >> after programs and access almost everything you have in your All Programs menu

Keep in mind that your All Programs menu INCLUDES items that are in your user profile. It combines two startup folders.

Thanks - gave it a try, but it's not as useful as being able to add a folder containing links to groups of like applications.

Still looking to find a way.

What I don't understand, is why when I view the User Start Menu with Surf Explorer, the short cuts that I've stiched to the Start Menu aren't there - Have I missed something.
 
What I don't understand, is why when I view the User Start Menu with Surf Explorer, the short cuts that I've stiched to the Start Menu aren't there - Have I missed something.

I've located the short cuts that are stitched to the Start Menu thus:

Users/AppData/Roaming/Microsoft/Internet Explorer/Quick Launch/User Pinned/StarMenu

Using Surf, I've created a folder, moved existing contents of the Pinned Start Menu into the folder, re-booted the PC and all previous short cuts are there including the moved items into the folder BUT NO FOLDER - does this mean that the folder contents get read from the folder?

If you manually edit a shortcut into the Pinned Start Menu with Surf, it isn't recognised by the Start Menu.

Watching the Pinned Start Menu location in Surf, if you pin an application to the Pinned Start Menu, you can see it being added or deleted, so this must be the location for pinned items to the User Start Menu.

What is strange, is that if you manually delete a shortcut in the Pinned Start Menu with Surf, it is STILL there in the Start Menu- weird or what - this must mean that it's held somewhere else - NO, when you re-boot it's missing; as you would expect.

It's beginning to look as though this option isn't going to be possible which would be real shame.

Any ideas anyone.
 
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I've found a way to get folders into the Start Menu - not the way I'd like to do it, but it works.

1. Right Click on the Start Button, click Properties, Start Menu, Customise, locate Personal Menu & click Display as a menu
2. Open Windows Explorer, Users,'username', then add folders by name to match applications i.e. DVD Burning, Graphics, Mapping, Utilities etc.
3. Open each folder in turn, then click on the Start Button, select the application you want to add to the selected folder & drag from the Start Menu to the folder.
4. Repeat for all folders.

Now when you click on the Start Button, your UserName appears at the top right of the opened Start Menu. Click on the UserName & up pops the folders - the only downside is that you also have the default folders - deleting or renaming these create problems so leave alone.

If anyone knows how to create a NEW item on this panel in the Start Menu, I'd be pleased to hear from you.
 
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Right-click on the desktop, choose new shortcut, paste this in the Target box:
"C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs"

Click Nest and there it is.

You can rearrange drag and drop, create new folders.
 
I've found a way to get folders into the Start Menu - not the way I'd like to do it, but it works.

If anyone knows how to create a NEW item on this panel in the Start Menu, I'd be pleased to hear from you.


I haven't found a way.... but YOU CAN pin folders to the start menu ... all you have to do is click on one and drag and drop it to the Start menu icon and it will be pinned.
 
This is a great hint, but it is not nearly what we had in XP. I have now spent hours trying to find ways to do things that used to be so simple in XP. This is but one of them. I am on the verge of going back to XP, never to visit Windows 7 ever again! I just haven't yet come across one benefit of Win 7 except that it works as 64-bit on a 64-bit machine.
 
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