Start Menu Not displaying in Windows XP?

[shassouneh 0]

Dear All,

 

For some reason my start menu now doesn't load the "programs" section. If I switch to classic start menu, then go to programs it says "empty", but if i right-click and explore I can find everything under the start menu! I need to use the start menu for several reasons.

 

Also note, This issue exists for all users, not just the administrator. I have just logged in under a diffeent user name and the problem still exists!

 

Can anyone help me?

[Sampson 0]

Use your Windows Explorer. Starting with C:\ progressively click on the (+) beginning with Documents and Settings, All Users, Start Menu, Programs

 

Under Programs should be listed all of the Folders that comprise your Programs Menu, and within those folders are the *.lnk or shortcuts that point to the programs in their respective folders or subdirectories.

 

If there are no *.lnk's or shortcuts, do a find to see where they were moved. If you can't find them, they may have been deleted.

 

Do this first before trying something else like hacking into the registry.

[shassouneh 0]

Ok, This is weird

the directory C:\Documents And Settings\All Users IS EMPTY

All the links and things that SHOULD be in the start menu are locate d here: (note: Samer Hassouneh is my user name)

 

C:\Documents and Settings\Samer Hassouneh\Start Menu\Programs

 

The weird part is this, even though the files are there, it still shows the start menu as being empty. Below are a few screen captures to help you see what I mean

 

See, it shows the Start menu as empty

 

I can explore the contents of that directory... (see below)

 

The files are right there!

 

 

Any ideas anyone?

[Sampson 0]

Shassouneh,

To have your name with the start menu under it is typical. Now, using Windows Explorer within each of those folders should be a .lnk or shortcut. Double clicking on it will bring up the application associated with it. If there are no .lnk files, do a find see if they have been moved elsewhere on the hard disk inadvertantly.

[Alien 1]

Hmmm... just a thought...but try using TweakUI.

 

You want the My Computer -> Special Folders section. See what folder "Start Menu" is set to - I have a hunch it won't be where your shortcuts actually are - if so, click the Change Location button & after telling the pop-up warning dialogue what to go & do with itself browse to where your shortcuts actually are. If you're lucky that might fix it - though you may need to log off & then on again or reboot for it to take effect [even if it doesn't actually tell you that].

[shassouneh 0]

Hmm, i lookd on Microsoft.com and I couldn't find TweakUI or PowerToys for WIndows XP. I tried their download search thingy too. Do you know where I can get Powertoys or tweakUI for Windows Xp?

 

Sampson -> The .lnk files are there alright in C:\Documents and Settings\Samer Hassouneh\Start Menu\Programs. For some reason though, its STILL not showing them in the start menu.

[DrMSH 0]

Powertoys 1.1

[shassouneh 0]

thanx DrMSH. Still trying to figure out this thing...

[Sampson 0]

This is a "trick" used to get Win98 to rebuild the start menu. Never used it myself and certainly don't know if it would work with XP. By the way, what were you doing that would make the item report empty?

 

1.If there are still subfolders and links in c:\windows\"Start Menu" that you can access from the Explorer, copy these to another folder as backup.

2.Restart the computer, and when you see "Starting Windows 98..." press F8 to get to the startup menu. Choose "Command Prompt Only."

3.At the c:\ prompt, change to the windows directory and "deltree startm~1". Reboot the computer.

4.When Windows 98 reloads, it will find that rather than being invalid, the Start Menu simply isn't there. It will then create a valid Start Menu.

5.At this point you can go to Start / Settings / Taskbar / Start Menu / Advanced and start copying back in the shortcuts you backed up in step one, or you can run

GRPCONV.EXE to get your basic icons back, and reinstall or create the other links by hand to get your icons back.

6. Now you have a Start Menu again.

[shassouneh 0]

Thanx for the tip Sampson,

I don't think it'll work simpley because you really cannot boot into a command prompt in XP. I would have to use a Windows 98 CD, and that will not work either since my C: is an NTFS partition, and the Win98 CD only recognized FAT32.

 

I honestly don't know what caused the start menu to behave this way. My best guess would be some sort of improper shutdown. I have tried PowerToys (link above) and I have made sure the start menu points at the right directory and so does the "programs". I even tried a restart, still no success. I can always launch my applications by browsing to the directoryies in which they are installed, but that's a pain in the neck.

 

Any ideas anyone?

 

Again, thanx for the tip Sampson

[Sampson 0]

Actually, you can; you boot from the CD using your XP systems disk.

[shassouneh 0]

"XP System Disk"? You mean floppies? I don't have a floppy disk drive

So I'm stuck with booting with win98 CD.

[Sampson 0]

No, you boot from the CD. Go into your Bios. It allows you to choose to boot from your Hard Drive, Floppy or CD. Choose boot from CD. Put you XP CD in the CD and it will boot. You will be given a choice to reinstall or fix something from the console. Eventually, you will be given a C:\ prompt and you can dir and cd\ or md\ just like DOS.

[shassouneh 0]

oh wow. I didn't know it would give me such a choice. This tip should prove useful for the future

Thanx Sampson. I'm still having start menu problems (I tried the previous tip but it didn't help me much).

[Sampson 0]

Ok, we do it the drawn out way. Start Windows Explorer. Go to a different partition on your hard drive. Create a new folder called Holder. Then, go to your partition that holds the startmenu - it should be something like c:\Documents and Settings\Your Name\Start Menu\Programs. Underneath programs are all the folders that are supposed to be in your Programs folder. Hold down CTRL and left click on each folder underneath the Program folder (but not Program itself). Once they are all selected, Move (not copy) them to the new Holder folder. While still in Windows Explorer switch to the Holder folder and make sure all of the folders moved there. Don't close Windows explorer yet.

Now right click on the Start Button. Click on Open. You should see the Programs folder. Double click on it. It should be empty. Now, drag the folders in the Windows Explorer window (under Holder folder but not Holder folder itself) into the Programs folder that is empty. You can drag them one at a time or all at once.

Close the Programs folder and the start menu. When you click on the start button again and go to Programs - your programs titles should be back. I am presuming that the .lnk files were in the folders. If so, you can then run the programs.

[shassouneh 0]

I tried just that, by moving all links and directories under "programs" to a temp directory called Holder on a different partition then moving them back to the stat menu directory. Its Still not working. Note: Not even the Windows Update icon is showing up any more, or any of the icon that usually come above "programs". Any other ideas?

Thanx again for all those wonderful ideas Sampson

[Sampson 0]

Let me make sure what you did. I did not ask yout to Move them back to the Start Menu\Program directory. What I asked you to do was

 

Right click on the Start Button. Click on Open. You should see the Programs folder. Double click on it. It should be empty. Now, drag the folders in the Windows Explorer window (under Holder folder but not Holder folder itself) into the Programs folder that is empty. You can drag them one at a time or all at once.

 

There is a difference in the two procedures. If you simply moved them back through Windows Explorer, this does not update the Registry. You would have to reboot to have it do that. If you did the procedure the way it was outlined it should update the registry immediately.

 

These would be two keys you can look at: Computer\HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MenuOrder\Start Menu\Programs\

 

Computer\HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders

 

There are other keys under HKLM and those that are appropriate to %UserProfile%

 

Have you been using some Registry cleaner that is deleting keys?

[Dirty Harry 0]

Heh, he is propably doing this on the same machine (the one where nothing works) that we've been discussing in another 40+ thread. Sampson, you have the patience of an angel...

 

H.

[Sampson 0]

I am pretty sure that you're right Harry. We are probably seeing the Registry and userprofiles beginning to corrupt as the Hard Disk begins to fail in relation to strange voltage settings and CPU miscues and the many reboots. Thanks for the compliment, but I must tell you that your advice has been right on the money and would save this guy a lot of money if he'd use it.

[Dirty Harry 0]

WOO-AA the guy isn't even using a heatsink on his Athlon 1400. Can you believe it. You gave great advice too, this is actually so weird it is funny, even to funny to get really pi55ed about. Checkout my last message in the orig thread STOP errors maybe related to faulty cache memory

 

H.

[shassouneh 0]

Quote:

WOO-AA the guy isn't even using a heatsink on his Athlon 1400. Can you believe it. You gave great advice too, this is actually so weird it is funny, even to funny to get really pi55ed about. Checkout my last message in the orig thread STOP errors maybe related to faulty cache memory

Quote:

Heh, he is propably doing this on the same machine (the one where nothing works) that we've been discussing in another 40+ thread. Sampson, you have the patience of an angel...

Oh you are sooo nice DH. Someone is being too nice today. Perhaps before jumping to conclusions you should read the REPLY I made to that post?

[Sampson 0]

Harry, it has been a distinct privilege to see a true master at work, so I won't count the time in these threads wasted. But, I think these two threads need to come to a close. Love your humor.

[shassouneh 0]

Quote:

Let me make sure what you did. I did not ask yout to Move them back to the Start Menu\Program directory. What I asked you to do was

Right click on the Start Button. Click on Open. You should see the Programs folder. Double click on it. It should be empty. Now, drag the folders in the Windows Explorer window (under Holder folder but not Holder folder itself) into the Programs folder that is empty. You can drag them one at a time or all at once.

There is a difference in the two procedures. If you simply moved them back through Windows Explorer, this does not update the Registry. You would have to reboot to have it do that. If you did the procedure the way it was outlined it should update the registry immediately.

These would be two keys you can look at: Computer\HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVe
rsion\Explorer\MenuOrder\Start Menu\Programs\

Computer\HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVe
rsion\Explorer\Shell Folders

There are other keys under HKLM and those that are appropriate to %UserProfile%

Have you been using some Registry cleaner that is deleting keys?

My bad, simple misuderstanding.
As for what I did, I tried to look under the program directory (by right click->open) and it was NOT empty. It had all the files in there to begin with. I had to MOVE them to Holder to make it empty thrn move/copy them back. That did not help. Also I tried using different user names by switching or logging off/logginf on to no avail.

I'm also not using any registry cleaning software of any kind, unless Windows XP messes with its own registry.

[Alien 1]

shassouneh - from what you said, you're still not doing it the way they told you to do it. You managed to copy the links, etc to the "holder" folder, which is ok, but then you're copying them back to the same place - this is WRONG!!!

 

1. Open Explorer & browse to the "holder" folder you copied the links to.

2. Highlight all the links/program group folders/etc that need to go on the Start Menu

3. Move mouse cursor over the highlighted area

4. Press right mouse button & keep it pressed

5. Move mouse cursor to Start button & wait for Start Menu to pop up

6. Move cursor to All Programs & wait - it should [from what you've been saying] now display a little tab that says "empty"

7. Move mouse cursor on to this "empty" tab & you should see a black line @ the top of the tab [if you don't, go back to step 2 & try again until you do]

8. Let go of right mouse button

9. a little pop-up menu will appear with Copy Here, Move Here, Create Shortcut Here, & Cancel - click Copy Here

 

If you follow those instructions exactly then it should hopefully solve your Start Menu problem. If it doesn't it may need a reboot so try that, if that doesn't fix it, reinstall Windows. [The experience will do you good ]

[shassouneh 0]

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