techpro5238

What is the Start Menu? The answer to this is, one of the most user friendly components of Windows dating back to Windows 95. If you are reading this, you are probably a new user who has just started using a computer, or you are a older user of Mac/Linux and have just switched to Windows.

Windows Start Menu is one of the most comprehensive, easy to use, component Windows has to offer. It holds all of the programs we use daily, and around the creation of Windows XP, it gained a Recently Used Programs List right on the opening of it so you can get to your programs as quickly as possible.

Depending on which version of Windows your computer is running, this will change the overall look of the Start Menu as the Start Menu is almost always changed from version to version of the operating system. In Windows XP Media Center Edition, you choose though all of the different Start Menu setups that XP has to offer. The different styles of Windows XP's Start Menus are as follows:


Just because those are the only Start Menus shown above, there can be others such as the Zune theme, that is commonly called Black XP. This changes the start menu to be orange for the button and black as shown in the illustration below:


The next version of the Start Menu came out in the newly designed Windows Vista Operating System. The Windows Vista Operating System is known for its high end graphics and friendly menu interface. One thing that has changed the most in Vista would definitely have to do with its Start Menu. For many years, the Menu had just had the button that stated "start" but, for the first time, it has changed to what is now called the Vista Start Globe. It has the Vista Logo, inside of a blue sphere, which is much more attractive and pleasing to the eye than the last versions. There are two main versions that the new Vista Start Menu comes in:


Please Note: You must have a Windows Vista Version/Graphics Card that supports the Windows Aero feature

DonaldG

May I suggest an addition to the Vista portion of the start menu?

(EDIT: I have added a bug warning, see the asterisk in section 4 and at the bottom of the page)

A useful feature in the Vista start menu is the ability to customize many of its features. One feature in particular is the ability to show more than the default 9 ‘Number of recent programmes’.


Fig 1: The default quantity of 9 with large Programme Icons.


Fig 2: Number if recent programmes increased to 15 with small icons

To achieve this, follow the simple steps:-

1) Right click on the Start Icon: Fig 3.

2) In the pop-up menu, select ‘Properties’

Fig 4.

3) In the new pop-up menu, click the ‘Customize...’ button

Fig 5.

4) Changing the defaults 1:

Fig 6.
The default figure to display the ‘Number of recent programmes’ is set to 9. This can be set to any quantity up to 30. However, you must take into account two major factors before you decide to opt for a large number. (a) The size of the programme Icons and (b) the HEIGHT resolution of your monitor! *

(a) The default size of the programme icons is ‘Large’. If you compare Fig1 and Fig2, you will note that fig1 has large icons. Having large icons forces windows to increase the space between the listing lines. This takes up monitor real estate. This has a direct bearing on the screen resolution. Unless you have a screen resolution of 1900 pixels high or greater, it will be best to change the icon size to small. In most cases, the small icons will suffice.

(b) The screen resolution has a bearing in as much as the amount of lines the menu can hold until it bumps against the top of the screen! The menu grows in physical height, the more items you add. You will have to experiment slightly to set the optimum number. For example, on a 1900 pixel height, 20 is about optimum. On the example set below and in Fig 2 above, the quantity is set at 15.

5) Changing the defaults 2:

Fig 7.
Set the ‘Number of recent programmes’ to an appropriate quantity, here shown as 15.
Then scroll down the box and deselect ‘Use large icons’
TIP: Whilst in this box, you can speed up you machine slightly if you deselect ‘Search favourites and history’ Only leave it ticked if you regularly search those items. When you are through customising the menu, click OK.

6) The final thing is to set or apply the changes:

Fig 8.
If you a finished customizing, clicking OK. To close the box an apply the changes.


*
Watch out for a strange bug in Vista! Once you have decided on the optimum quantity, it may look good but the hidden bug may catch you out long after you have customised the menu. It is easy to test if you have entered a quantity that will trigger the bug.

Once you have settled on the optimum quanity and applied it, click the Start button and in the search field, type in CMD do not click anything else or hit 'Enter', just the 3 keystrokes CMD and wait a few seconds. If the bug is triggered, you will get a Windows POPUP saying "Explorer has encountered a problem and will restart"

Do not be alarmed, the world is not comming to an end just yet! Press OK and allow it to restart. Then go back into the customising procedure and deduct 1 or 2 from the quantity you selected.

(It is the author's belief that the bug is triggered by the Menu being just large enough to not 'bump' against the top of the screen and when the CMD instruction is typed in, an additional line needs to be added to the top of the menu forcing it to try and grow larger than the screen resolution will allow.)



© 2008 techsupportforum.com

techpro5238

Thank you Donald. I will post up my revision some time this week; I have been uber busy lately.

DonaldG

I have just edited my posting to add the 'asterisk' addendum with respect to a Vista bug

carsey

Have we got a latest revision for this article Roman?

chauffeur2

I think this is it Chris.

techpro5238

I am very sorry that I have not been able to finish this article. As obvious as most of you know I am very busy and I hardly come back to check on things here anymore.

I believe I might just have some time to fit in Donald's comments tomorrow. Don't move this article over just yet; I have a bit more work to do on it .

DonaldG

As techpro5238 is no longer with us, is there anyone out there capable, willing and able to review and complete his work - If so Please PM any member of the articles team

I suggest merging my post into thechpro's article...

carsey

Donald, I highly reccomend that too.

If I get time, ill merge them both together and add some formatting to make it a little more clearer.

DonaldG

OK Chris, Over to you for action.

carsey

What is the Start Menu?

The answer to this is that it is one of the most user friendly components of Windows, dating back to Windows 95. If you are reading this, you are probably a new user who has just started using a computer, or you are a older user of Mac/Linux and have just switched to Windows.

Windows Start Menu is one of the most comprehensive, easy to use, components Windows has to offer. It holds all of the programs we use daily, and with the creation of Windows XP, it gained a Recently Used Programs List right on the opening of it so you can get to your programs as quickly as possible.

Depending on which version of Windows your computer is running, this will change the overall look of the Start Menu as the Start Menu is almost always changed from version to version of the operating system. In Windows XP Media Center Edition, you choose through all of the different Start Menu setups that XP has to offer. The different styles of Windows XP's Start Menus are as follows:


Just because those are the only Start Menus shown above, there can be others such as the Zune theme, that is commonly called Black XP. This changes the start menu to be orange for the button and black as shown in the illustration below:


The next version of the Start Menu came out in the newly designed Windows Vista Operating System. The Windows Vista Operating System is known for its high end graphics and friendly menu interface. One thing that has changed the most in Vista would definitely have to do with its Start Menu. For many years, the Menu had just had the button that stated "start" but, for the first time, it has changed to what is now called the Vista Start Globe. It has the Vista Logo, inside a blue sphere, which is much more attractive and pleasing to the eye than the last versions. There are two main versions that the new Vista Start Menu comes in:



A useful feature in the Vista start menu is the ability to customize many of its features. One feature in particular is the ability to show more than the default 9 ‘Number of recent programs’.


To achieve this, follow the simple steps:-

1) Right click on the Start Icon:


2) In the pop-up menu, select ‘Properties’


3) In the new pop-up menu, click the ‘Customize...’ button


4) Changing the defaults 1:


The default figure to display the ‘Number of recent programs’ is set to 9. This can be set to any quantity up to 30. However, you must take into account two major factors before you decide to opt for a large number. (a) The size of the programme Icons and (b) the HEIGHT resolution of your monitor!


(a) The default size of the programme icons is ‘Large’. If you compare Fig1 and Fig2, you will note that Fig1 has large icons. Having large icons forces windows to increase the space between the listing lines. This takes up monitor real estate. This has a direct bearing on the screen resolution. Unless you have a screen resolution of 1900 pixels high or greater, it will be best to change the icon size to small. In most cases, the small icons will suffice.

(b) The screen resolution has a bearing in as much as the amount of lines the menu can hold until it bumps against the top of the screen! The menu grows in physical height, the more items you add. You will have to experiment slightly to set the optimum number. For example, on a 1900 pixel height, 20 is about optimum. On the example set below and in Fig 2 above, the quantity is set at 15.


Watch out for a strange bug in Vista! Once you have decided on the optimum quantity, it may look good but the hidden bug may catch you out long after you have customised the menu. It is easy to test if you have entered a quantity that will trigger the bug.

Once you have settled on the optimum quanity and applied it, click the Start button and in the search field, type in CMD do not click anything else or hit 'Enter', just the 3 keystrokes CMD and wait a few seconds. If the bug is triggered, you will get a Windows POPUP saying "Explorer has encountered a problem and will restart"

Do not be alarmed, the world is not coming to an end just yet! Press OK and allow it to restart. Then go back into the customising procedure and deduct 1 or 2 from the quantity you selected.

(It is the author's belief that the bug is triggered by the Menu being just large enough to not 'bump' against the top of the screen and when the CMD instruction is typed in, an additional line needs to be added to the top of the menu forcing it to try and grow larger than the screen resolution will allow.)


5) Changing the defaults 2:



Set the ‘Number of recent programs’ to an appropriate quantity, here shown as 15.
Then scroll down the box and deselect ‘Use large icons’
TIP: Whilst in this box, you can speed up you machine slightly if you deselect ‘Search favourites and history’ Only leave it ticked if you regularly search those items. When you are through customising the menu, click OK.

6) The final thing is to set or apply the changes:


If you have finished customizing, click OK to close the box and apply the changes.


Please Note: You must have a Windows Vista Version/Graphics Card that supports the Windows Aero feature