Start Menu Question(s)

I read Steve's response.

Ok. Why do I need "Symbolic Links" if I know where the folder is?

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu

C:\Users{username}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu

I simply have shortcuts to both of these folders on my desktop.

I must be missing something.

Jamesw

Take my previous advice and read some of the threads that I searched for you.

I read Steve's response.

Ok. Why do I need "Symbolic Links" if I know where the folder is?

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu

C:\Users{username}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu

I simply have shortcuts to both of these folders on my desktop.

I must be missing something.

Jamesw

I've senwe that thread before.

I don't understand what you mean by junction points.

In the thread you pionted out, I only seen 2 items :

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu

C:\Users{username}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu

Are these 2 folders junction points?

James

I'm making an attempt to make sense of the Windows 7 Start Menu. I couldn't make sense of it with Vista either, particularly the All Programs area.

But I have found that there are 2 places that contain the items that get displayed in All Programs:

1. C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
2. C:\Users{username}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu

1 has the All Programs items for all users and the other has the items of the current logged on user.

In my case I am the only user and the only person who has an account on this computer so there is only one C:\Users{username}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu. Is this correct?

I thought then that I would try to work directly with C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu to try to organize All Programs.

But I found an inconsistency. In my All Programs I have 5 shortcuts. I'm not speaking of folders. These shortcuts I created myself in a couple different manners. In creating 2 of the shortcuts (not sure which ones) I right clicked All Programs and Open All Users and right clicked the right pane and selected new shortcut. I then browsed to the file.

The other 3 shortcuts I used the search box and the shorcut appeared and I then dragged and dropped it to All Programs.

All five items appear in the All Programs. But, when I navigate to the 2 different Start Menus they reflect different items. Can't recall which ones where, when, or how but one place only showed 2 items and the other showed the other 3.

My guess is that depending on how the current user creates shortcuts in the All Programs has an effect on where Windows decides to place the items???? If so why?

James

James I too was very confused when I started using Win7.  One thing that you need to understand is that there are various junction points that lead to the actual start menu location.  Read this thread and see if it helps you.

Ever since Vista I hve yet to make heads or tails of this friggin start menu.

So far the only time I have understopd it is by manuipulating the folders directly.

How else is one supposed to manipulate the start menu??? Please let me know. Maybe I can get Mr. Gates to stop by and show me.

When I right click the All Programs and select Open All Users isn't that manipulating the start menu with the folders and files directly??

How else does one accomplish anything??

I'm unable to drop some items when I drag and drop using the Start Menu. Some items drop and others don't. I've had a post here concerning that for a long time in this forum, and no one seems to have an answer to that. Even after a clean install of Windows 7 the problem persists. (I didn't do a clean install because of this issue). So if I can't drag and drop using the start menu I'm left with no choice but to make changes directly using the folder and files.

And since this is the only way I can make sense of all this garbage it is what I'll continue to do it until Microsoft pays a little attention to the people's rants about this Start Menu. Believe me I see many compalints on the internet. Just google Start Menu. One day I'll paste the links in a post here.