Sign in
 
HomeWindows 8Windows 7Windows VistaWindows XPMDOPWindows IntuneLibraryForums
Windows Client >
> 
> 
Some items missing from Start Menu

Answered Some items missing from Start Menu

  • Tuesday, August 18, 2009 1:45 PM
     
     
    Sign In to Vote
    0
    I recently did a clean install to make my machine dual boot XP and Windows 7 RTM. My start menu is missing some of the programs that should be there. All of the software that I have installed is there, but most of the built in Windows stuff is missing (Accessories, Startup, Maintenance).

    I think this is related to the fact that our company uses roaming profiles but I am not a system admin so it's more difficult for me to troubleshoot. When I log in with my network ID the start menu is missing some items, but everything is there when I log into an account on the local computer.

    This is different from the common problem I've read about where people have over 70 items in the start menu, I don't have that many items and the start menu shows most of my shortcuts.
     

All Replies

  • Tuesday, August 18, 2009 8:29 PM
     
     
    Sign In to Vote
    0

    Did your domain admin enable the policy Remove common program groups from the Start Menu  for your user account in the domain?

    If that is the case you will not see the programs that are defined in the start menu for all users when you logon as a domain user.

    Ray
     
  • Wednesday, August 19, 2009 3:37 AM
     
     
    Sign In to Vote
    0
    If I look at the group policy on my local machine using gpedit.msc that setting is not configured. I tried enabling it and loggging off and back on and the start menu was completely blank.

    After some more investigation, it seems all of the start menu items from my user account are the ones that are missing. If I look on the disk at C:\Users\(my user)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu all of the shortcuts are there but they don't appear in the start menu. I even have a couple application shortcuts that were created there for XP Mode.

    I tried disabling the setting "Remove user's folders from the Start Menu" and it didn't seem to have any effect.

    Maybe this doesn't have anything to do with XP Mode but I'm baffled.
     
  • Wednesday, August 19, 2009 3:00 PM
     
     Answered
    Sign In to Vote
    1
    The local Group Policy will not tell you if an administrator in the domain enabled the policy for your account. If you have local administrator rights you can run rsop.msc to get an overview of  the settings that are enforced from the domain.
    Ray
     
  • Wednesday, August 19, 2009 5:53 PM
     
     
    Sign In to Vote
    2
    Ah ha! Using rsop.msc I can see the Remove common program groups from the Start Menu is not set, but Remove user's folders from the Start Menu is enabled. That is most likely my problem here because it seems to be my user folders that are not appearing.

    As for next steps, is there anything I can do locally on my machine or in my profile or am I going to have to enlist the admin on this one? I'm running Windows 7 on the "down low" for now so I'm not expecting much support from them.
     
  • Wednesday, August 19, 2009 6:50 PM
     
     
    Sign In to Vote
    0
    To fix an Active Directory based policy you will need a domain admin to help you change the policy at the domain level.
    Anything worth doing is worth doing right. Don't forget to vote!!!
     
  • Wednesday, August 19, 2009 8:49 PM
     
     
    Sign In to Vote
    0
    I did find a workaround without getting the admin involved. It seems this policy was causing Windows to hide anything that was in my local Start Menu folder, and anything with the same name. I took everything that was in my user's start menu and moved it into a folder (I just called it Everything) and now Accessories and the other missing items appear (after log out and log in). It seems Accessories and other folders are really a combination of things from the All Users account and the specific user's account. Having Remove user's folders from the Start Menu enabled hid both for folders with the same name.
     
  • Tuesday, December 01, 2009 8:11 PM
     
     
    Sign In to Vote
    0
    Hey adefender,
    This was my issue as well.  I have some XP gpo's that are already configured and work well but just this is one that will needed to be changed to make Windows 7 work. 
    I work for a School District and locking down Windows 7 is a pain compared to XP. 

    Thanks again,
    Jason