start menu, all programs

**Cindy** · October 20th, 2005, 08:20 PM

When I install a new program it's never listed in my start menu/all programs anymore. It used to be, but then it just suddenly stopped and it's really bugging me now. They download to the right folders and everything is in the right places, but it doesn't show up on there. It's been doing this now for about a year...I've tried to figure out why but have finally given up. Do any of you have any ideas?

**TripleRLtd** · October 20th, 2005, 08:58 PM

Go to "Settings" and then "Taskbar and Start Menu" Cindy. Then click on "Start Menu" and "Customize". Under "General", tell us what the number is under "Programs". I suspect your at your current limit. Increase the limit and you should be OK. You can also click to "clear" the list and then your most recent program choices will be displayed no matter what your limit is.
Tell us if this helps.

**NooNoo** · October 21st, 2005, 02:02 AM

I think Trip, Cindy is talking about the Programs menu which expands and is located bottom left of the start menu.... you are talking about the recently used programs on the left of the start menu above the programs menu.

Cindy, this could be a registry problem and/or permissions problem that new installations are not being allowed to write to the folder which holds the program information which is displayed when you click on the programs menu from start.

Open my computer, double click c: and then find documents and settings - click on your profile name folder, then into the start menu folder. Right click on the programs folder - select properties, select the security tab. What is ticked (and probably greyed out) for System and for your profile name? Are they the same?

**Cindy** · October 21st, 2005, 06:28 AM

hmmm I don't see a security tab.. I have "general" cutom" and "customize". I don't have any other users but myself on this computer and I'm the admin...could that be why?

**NooNoo** · October 21st, 2005, 06:59 AM

XP home or Pro?

**Cindy** · October 21st, 2005, 07:00 AM

XP home
I really appreciate you guys trying to help me with this!

**NooNoo** · October 21st, 2005, 12:37 PM

Crud.... different ballgame

I don't have home installed and the permissions are hidden in XP home in normal mode... but I don't know if they show up in safe mode. Could you boot to safe mode (press f8 a bunch of times before the windows splash screen shows). If you are not quick enough, then start, run, type in
msconfig
click ok
on the boot.ini tab, check the box safemode. Apply, OK, and it will ask to restart. It will boot to safe mode. Login using the user name "Administrator" - If you set a password, type it in, if not, try leaving the password blank and login.

Now try looking at the permissions again.

If you use the msconfig way into safe mode, you have to remember to go back to msconfig and uncheck the box in boot.ini tab, otherwise it will just boot to safe mode again.

**Cindy** · October 21st, 2005, 01:03 PM

figures it would be hidden, LOL Ok, I'll give that a shot and get back to you!

**TripleRLtd** · October 21st, 2005, 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by NooNoo

I think Trip, Cindy is talking about the Programs menu which expands and is located bottom left of the start menu....

Cindy, this could be a registry problem and/or permissions problem

Ah, I must have been confus-ed.

Let's stick with the reg problem, as that is usually it and the proggies are all running properly.
Do you have "Tweak UI" in the contol panel Cindy? Maybe you changed the special folders location?
If not, give this a go:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/AllPrograms.htm
Do backup the reg though to be safe.

**Cindy** · October 21st, 2005, 02:44 PM

thanks that looks like it. I'll give both those a try later tonight!

**slgrieb** · October 21st, 2005, 06:07 PM

I don't really believe this is a settings issue, unless Cindy is seeing some message like "unable to display all programs" on the Start menu. Looks more like an OS problem. I would boot from the Windows CD, enter the recovery console, and then run chkdsk /r. If that didn't fix things, I would run the Windows setup program taking the option to repair the existing Windows installation.

And of course, Cindy, I assume you have already run all the world's malware and virus scans, even though I can't think of any nasties associated with this specific behavior.

**Cindy** · October 21st, 2005, 06:15 PM

yep I have, thanks!

**slgrieb** · October 21st, 2005, 06:33 PM

If you are comfortable with your scan results, I would go on to the Windows repair tools I mentioned in my last post. XP is very reliable, but it still gets corrupted sometimes.

**TripleRLtd** · October 21st, 2005, 06:44 PM

Indeed, which is why a more "focused" attempt at a fix right now may be more prudent. This is really a minor sort of issue (she does state she has lived with it for a year), unless Cindy has other problems she doesn't talk about, so a complete "Repair/Reinstall" should be a last resort. But, that's just my op. After all, unless she has a slipstreamed XP w/sp2, there will be much updating, security risks, etc, to do after a repair.
Also Cindy, there are other options here if what I posted doesn't help. Good luck.

**slgrieb** · October 21st, 2005, 07:44 PM

Running CHKDSK /R won't damage any settings, and doing a repair installation over the previous installation won't lose any data. Worst case is that if she forgets her login ID and password, She may have to copy data files from her old profile to her new one