Start Menu: Pinned Shortcuts for Internet and Outlook

[burgemaster]

Does anybody please know a way to edit (via GP) the shortcuts at the top of the start menu?

 

http://i39.tinypic.com/2qlhi6c.jpg

 

We have Outlook for the staff and OWA for the students, i would like to change the Outlook shortcut.

 

I have found where to remove the shortcuts, but nowhere to edit them?

 

Policy: Remove pinned programs list from the Start Menu

 

This policy setting is contained within the "STARTMENU.ADMX" policy template file.

 

If you enable this setting, the "Pinned Programs" list is removed from the Start menu, and the Internet and Email checkboxes are removed from the simple Start menu customization CPL. If you disable this setting or do not configure it, the "Pinned Programs" list remains on the simple Start menu

 

 

Anybody seen anything that may help?

 

TIA

[powdarrmonkey]

There isn't an official way to do it in group policy, no. They are stored in the registry in a very weird way (part of a binary glob of assorted settings) and I tried hard to find a way to change them, but didn't succeed. One avenue I didn't get time to explore was setting the default mail handler to be OWA, but I don't know how they are set up - it will be in the registry, perhaps this would be a good place to start your adventure

 

If you go mad, you have my deepest sympathies

[burgemaster]

Thanks for the fast reply!

OK forget changing the links, how about just unchecking the "E-Mail Link" box in "Cusomizer Start Menu"

Any easier?

Cheers

Tim

[powdarrmonkey]

I did that the easy way by switching it off in the default profile before letting any users loose, so also not much help sorry

[burgemaster]

Sorry i should google this but, does the vista defualt user profile use the same default as the XP one?

Currently located in the netlogon folder? or is there a .V2 profile or something special

 

Cheers for the help

[PiqueABoo]

I've used 2K8 preferences to make a new mail handler and then set that as the default to replace Outlook, worked in the end but it was a pain to do. [Don't have the info to hand sorry, but it's definitely doable]

[burgemaster]

thanks for this, I think for now i will just block "outlook.exe" for students