BleepingComputer.com: Make Your Start Menu More Useful

To make your Start Menu much more useful than the defaults -

Right Click on the Start button and select Properties

1. Click Customise on the Start Menu and on the General tab/Programs, change the number to 14

2. On the Advanced tab/Start Menu items, if not already selected, choose
Control Panel - Display as a link
My Computer - Display as a link
My Documents - Display as a link
My Music - Display as a link
My Pictures - Display as a link
Network Connections - Display in Connect To Menu
System Administrative Tools - Display in All Programs and the Start menu.

3. Click Apply and OK

4. Go to Start/All Programs and on each of your favorites, Right Click/Pin to Start Menu.

Now when you click on the Start button, all your favorites will be in the left pane, while in the right pane Administrative Tools will give you quick access to Computer Management, Event Viewer, and Services.

Another handy shortcut is to hold down the Winlogo key (between Ctrl and Alt) and press the Pause/Break key. This will bring up System Properties where you will have access to many features related to your PC.

Cheers

This is not for Win XP.
What operating system is it for?
Thanks.

batya7, on Jun 5 2008, 01:31 PM, said:

It does work on XP home and pro
I didn't know about hold down the Winlogo key (between Ctrl and Alt) and press the Pause/Break key. This will bring up System Properties

Yes, it sure is for XP. If you want even more of your favourites in the left pane, choose small icons and change the number to 28 instead of 14. To get rid of any entry, simply right click on it and choose 'Remove from this List'.

A handy habit to get into, is to RightClick on everything, which will give you all the options you can do at that particular place.

Cheers

Hi im useing Windows XP Pro, and yes the instructions worked correctly
w/ my configuration w/o any problems.

Sincerely
David C.

...also works for Vista

I love the winlogo + Pause/break

it's like the answer to my prayers! Damn all those awesome shortcuts!

batya7, on Jun 5 2008, 05:31 AM, said:

Actually the default XP has the same thing to, it works the same way in vista and XP, and an easier way to the items on your desktop is just right click and click send to desktop as shortcut. :D

Thanks for the Winlogo+Break/pause. It has allowed me to do a lot of stuff I normally cant!

Winlogo + Pause/Break tip is simply awesome. I used to right click on Mycomputer, then click on properties to get the System Properties page. This tip of yours makes it as simple as it can be. Thanks for such a nice tip.

Cheers,
Jithendra.

Wow nice tip since it makes my start menu look cooler than before and it also provide quick access to everything.

I have vista Ultimate and all the items like my computer, documents... are set to as a link already.

Thanks for the shortcut for the win properties. It makes your work more faster and easier.

Thanks rowal5555 and nigglesnush85 for this news. :D

Hold Down 'Alt' - Key and Double Click on My Computer - LOLz, you get ur System Properties. Try this on any Folder, you get the Folder Properties.

Nice trick, Dark Core. It works on pretty much anything that has properties.