Classic Shell: Forum

Hi Ivo,

I had a serious issue with my stupid win7 system & after having installed a non requested toolbar
i decided to run the very stupid combofix utility to cure my system, & it destroyed my system to a point that i couldn't start windows even through a repair attempt. it's the last time i ever use that stupid combofix, i believe this stupid utility deletes files on euristic guesses.

Combofix deleted all my erunt backup files & folder that i had created in windows
& messed up with my startup drivers in an irreversible way.

Anyways, i have a windows.old folder now that i reinstalled win7,
& my issue actually is that i've lost all my lnk's from my startup folder,
i must have deleted them stupidly while backing up nessacasy folders
& deleting a microsoft folder & its sub folders. well i guess it's what i did.

& it's strange because i found a folder in that old windows folder that
contained the latest lnk's i had added to my start menu, so i am missing
like 90% of them all. it looks to me that this stupid win7 saves lnk's in 2
different folders.

My questions Ivo, are .. .

1) if i've lost my lnk's, can you tell me where classic shell saves references of shortcuts
i have added in the start menu over time, in the registry, or its personal data file,
if classic shell ever does that ? & if it's encrypted, could you extract them for me
so i can rebuild my lnk's upon shortcut names .. .

2) if classic shell doesn't save lnk references or orders, does window registry files
do it, & where exactly could i find or extract them ?

Please get back to me as soon as possible, i'm on standby & lost.

TYVM

Roberto

LNK shortcuts are created by program installers when they are installed or if you manually created them. They are in two folders:
- %AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
- %ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu

_________________
Links to some general topics:

● Compare Start Menus

● Read the Search box usage guide.

I am a Windows enthusiast and helped a little with Classic Shell's testing and usability/UX feedback.

thx but i've lost them, if you can answer those questions, thanks for your help

1) if i've lost my lnk's, can you tell me where classic shell saves references of shortcuts
i have added in the start menu over time, in the registry, or its personal data file,
if classic shell ever does that ? & if it's encrypted, could you extract them for me
so i can rebuild my lnk's upon shortcut names .. .

2) if classic shell doesn't save lnk references or orders, does window registry files
do it, & where exactly could i find or extract them ?

GauravK is correct. Windows keeps the links in those two folders. Classic Shell does not make a copy of them. It simply displays what's already there.

& what makes the lnks ordered by user choice? this behavior is saved somewhere?

The order is stored in the registry:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\IvoSoft\ClassicStartMenu\Order
However it is stored as hashes of the names of the menu items. You cannot recover any useful information from them.

The Windows start menu stores its information here:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MenuOrder
It is a bit more verbose

can i use any utility or online converter to convert your hashes ?

i tried this

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MenuOrder

& strangely, i only have a firefox shortcut reference

otherwise, id have to play with uninstallers to try to find old registry files
& open them in alien registry viewer or mitec's viewer

No, there is no way to convert hashes back to strings. They only go one way.
I think your best bet is to install all software again.

Yes Ivo, i unfortunately had no other choice, i had to move many config folders & adapt them to my new win7,
it took me a while & i'm reconstructing the lnk's now.

but during all those customizations, and adding reg entries of my software, i must have messed up with something.

I believe it's not related to classic shell but if you know how to solve this, i'd apreciate your help.

The actual issue is that i can't move folders or files to displace them & order them manually between
other files & folders "inside explorer .. .


The desktop's not affected by this issue.

In fact, i don't have the black separator when i try to move files or folders opening explorer & c:\
none can be moved (between folders or files), & drag & drop doesn't show the "move" option
in the same folder when i try to order files or folders differently in the same window .. .

I only get move option if i simulate a move/hovering on another folder .. .
but the aim is to put them elsewhere in the same folder .. .

I don't even have "auto arrange" or "align" submenu option inside explorer
(it's present on the desktop)

I'm lost

I think Windows version after XP do not allow you to rearrange files inside the folder. They have decided it is too much bother to have to store the order somewhere in the registry.

Vista allowed rearranging files if Auto Arrange was unchecked for icon-based views but Windows 7 onwards, it's removed.

_________________
Links to some general topics:

● Compare Start Menus

● Read the Search box usage guide.

I am a Windows enthusiast and helped a little with Classic Shell's testing and usability/UX feedback.