Quick Access Menu

[Sheridan]

Am I missing something or have MS provided no way of modifying/removing the quick access menu (right click start icon) in 8.1?

 

Although students can't run the command prompt etc, I would like to prune this down to the items they can actually use such as Sign out etc.

 

So far all I've found is deleting files, which will effect all users. So far its looking like another windows 8 kludge to get it working on a network.

[Arthur]

To edit the Win+X menu you have to use a third-party program.

 

http://winaero.com/download.php?view.21

[Sheridan]

Another example of the half cocked management of windows 8. I've just deleted the relevant folders instead!

[Arthur]

You might find the following article useful @Sheridan.

 

Windows 8 Secrets: The WinX Menu and its hashing algorithm « Within Windows

 

^ The HashLnk program lets you "approve" your own shortcuts.

 

Another example of the half cocked management of Windows 8.

To be fair, the Win+X menu wasn't designed to be modified by anyone other than Microsoft.

 

The entries on the menu are driven by shortcut (.lnk) files present in each Group folder located at %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\WinX. But you can't manipulate the shortcuts within or add new ones. That’s because at first invocation (e.g. a fresh boot), the menu scans for and only adds approved shortcuts. Why? Again, Microsoft doesn't want this becoming another Start Menu or, worse, an icon landfill for installers a la Quick Launch back in Windows Vista.

[Sheridan]

Sorry but I think if MS provide this on 8.1 Enterprise then you should be able to remove items like the command prompt using group policy.

 

Its just another example of how 8.1 is really only designed for home users.

[Arthur]

It's just another example of how 8.1 is really only designed for home users.

Windows 7 must be designed for home users too, since you can't easily manage taskbar icons either.