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TomBrooklyn
Premium Member
join:2002-03-04
Brooklyn, NY

TomBrooklyn

Premium Member

What Is the Start Menu?

What is the Start Menu?

I'm referring to the place that most software applications ask if one wants to install a link to the application there.

Is it the list of software that opens when clicking the Start button (the main Windows button on the left end of the task bar?)

Does the request to install a link have anything to do with the Startup Tab list in the System Configuration window?

aurgathor
join:2002-12-01
Lynnwood, WA

aurgathor

Member

said by TomBrooklyn:

What is the Start Menu?

Is it the list of software that opens when clicking the Start button (the main Windows button on the left end of the task bar?)

Yes, assuming anything from Win 95 to Win 7.
dave
Premium Member
join:2000-05-04
not in ohio

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to TomBrooklyn
said by TomBrooklyn:

Does the request to install a link have anything to do with the Startup Tab list in the System Configuration window?

No.
TomBrooklyn
Premium Member
join:2002-03-04
Brooklyn, NY

TomBrooklyn

Premium Member

I thought one could see all programs from the Start Menu; and that it didn't require specifically designating that to happen when installing a program.

If I remember correctly, with Win XP, it was Start/Programs.

With Win 7 I have now, the Start button provides access to All Programs.
dave
Premium Member
join:2000-05-04
not in ohio

dave

Premium Member

said by TomBrooklyn:

I thought one could see all programs from the Start Menu; and that it didn't require specifically designating that to happen when installing a program.

Yes, but that's not what people mean by "on the Start Menu".

The Start Menu is essentially a bunch of shortcuts which have to be explicitly placed there (permanently by installers or by you -- 'pinned' in the current vernacular) or else which are dynamically placed there by Windows because you've used them lately.

The "all programs" entry on the Start Menu basically opens a mini-Explorer that shows you the content of \Program Files(which may or may not really be 'all programs').
TomBrooklyn
Premium Member
join:2002-03-04
Brooklyn, NY

TomBrooklyn

Premium Member

I've noticed that the programs I've used most recently tend to have an icon showing on the list that pops up when I click on the Start button.

So when installing a program, does selecting "Add to Start Menu" pin an icon for that program on that list?
dave
Premium Member
join:2000-05-04
not in ohio

dave

Premium Member

Yes.
IamGimli (banned)
join:2004-02-28
Canada

3 recommendations

IamGimli (banned) to dave

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to dave
said by dave:

The "all programs" entry on the Start Menu basically opens a mini-Explorer that shows you the content of \Program Files(which may or may not really be 'all programs').

Absolutely not. Nothing in the default start menu has anything whatsoever to do with the "Program Files" folders.

On Windows 7 all it does is open a combined view of the C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu, C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu and C:\Users\Common\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu.

On previous versions it show a combined view of the C:\Documents and Settings\%username%\Start Menu and C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu.

When an app asks whether to create a start menu entry or not, it asks whether you want shortcuts created in one of those locations. When the app asks whether it should be installed only for the user logged on or for "All Users" it asks which one of those specific folders the shortcuts will be created in. If you install the app only for the specific logged on user it'll install the shortcuts in the folder that has %username% in it. If you install for all users it'll create the shortcuts in the "Common" or "All Users" folder, depending on the version of Windows.
dave
Premium Member
join:2000-05-04
not in ohio

dave

Premium Member

I stand corrected, you're absolutely right. My analysis this morning was far too cursory (confirmation bias!)

chachazz
Premium Member
join:2003-12-14

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The Start menu (overview)
»windows.microsoft.com/en ··· indows-7

Customize the Start menu
»windows.microsoft.com/en ··· art-menu