Windows XP Start Menu

[garethedmondson]

I wonder if anyone can help.. our LEA have had a look and have not come back to me for a while.

We run Windows XP with redirected startup menus as part of a mandatory profile. The start menu is set to classic for some reason (LEA config perhaps?).. anyway a member of staff has asked for the standard XP start menu with the top 5 programs put in there.

I cannot find where it is done. Where would this be set? Is it a GPO?

Also as we are using mandatory programs how would the top 5 applications be stored for each user? I don't really want to go to roaming profiles - but maybe would consider it for staff depending on how much hassle they really are (I've never set them up). Mandatory seems a lot easier.

But for now - I am concentrating on the Start Menu. I seem to remember getting the start menu to appear a while back but could do nothing to get the top 5 applications to list.

Cheers

Gareth

[sjl]

This is a GPO setting called "Force Clasic Start Menu" - Under "Administrative Templates" and then "start menu and taskbar"

[edwardjrobertson]

There isnt a group policy to pin to start menu. It can be done via logon script though

Hey, Scripting Guy! Can I Pin a File to the Start Menu by Using a Script?

[Michael]

We run Windows XP with redirected startup menus as part of a mandatory profile. The start menu is set to classic for some reason (LEA config perhaps?).. anyway a member of staff has asked for the standard XP start menu with the top 5 programs put in there.

In some circumstances running in classic mode is essential, especially on slower/older machines. As for adding applications to the Start Menu, if you have a look at your Folder Redirection configuration (within Active Directory), it'll read something like this:

\\SERVERNAME\SHARE\PUPILS\START MENU

Within the Start Menu folder, there should be a 'Programs' folder. If you place shortcuts within the Programs folder, they'll appear on the Start Menu. If you place shortcuts in the 'Start Menu' folder, they'll appear when you click 'Start' from a workstation. Hope this makes sense!

[garethedmondson]

Yes I understand everything people have posted, but doesn't Windows XP dynamically choose the top 5 used applications and put them in the start menu?

Where does this get stored? How does XP work out which top 5 has been used? It would be different for the Head of Maths than it is for me.

GJE

[Michael]

If you're talking about XP's new Start Menu, I believe this is stored in a user profile, however the classic Start Menu allows you to place permanent shortcuts.

[garethedmondson]

If you're talking about XP's new Start Menu, I believe this is stored in a user profile, however the classic Start Menu allows you to place permanent shortcuts.

Yes sorry - I assumed everyone would realise this is what I was talking about. So basically if the top 5 shortcuts are stored in the users profile then it isn't going to work with mandatory profiles as that information cannot be written back.

GJE

[Michael]

So basically if the top 5 shortcuts are stored in the users profile then it isn't going to work with mandatory profiles as that information cannot be written back.

Yes although you could 'make' a profile, set the shortcuts then make it mandatory so it would always be the same, but if you want users to have their own shortcuts as and when they use different applications, then they would need their own profiles which they can write back to.

[TimH]

Also as we are using mandatory programs how would the top 5 applications be stored for each user? I don't really want to go to roaming profiles -

The list of recently used programs is stored in the Current User section (hence profile) of the registry, so it would be hard to use with mandatory profiles.

(If you google something like "MRU MFU XP start menu" you should find plenty of info.)

We use a mandatory profile (with classic start menu configure/policied) but have the top of the start menu populated with shortcut folders for each subject area and a small number of shortcuts for the (assumed) most frequently used programs (Word, Outlook, IE, MIS).

(Subject folder used to be under Programs->Subjects->Science->Chemistry->A Level etc. but putting them at the top of the start menu cuts out 2 levels of unwieldiness.)

Even though using mandatory profiles our staff appdata folders are redirected so desktop shortcuts can be used (though positions aren't saved as they are in the reg.).

One or two staff wanted a customizable quick launch so they use RocketDock (there are others).

Would that be a solution ?


tim