Classic Shell: Forum

Kudos first: Classic Shell has made Win8 useable

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The menus displayed for "Programs" is the one under my user profile. I would prefer to display the "all users" menu (from Program Data>Microsoft>Windows). Alternatively, a way to select between the two on Classic Shell's display of items.

I tried changing the command via the item in "Customize Start Menu" by browsing to the location but found no way to use it. I've also browsed all the messages here and found nothing that directly addressed what I want.

All help appreciated,

dadiOH

"Programs" shows the combined contents of the per-user and All Users Start menu folders. Do you have a Group Policy setting or something set to hide the All users Start Menu?

Anyways, if it isn't working for you, double click to edit the "Programs" item on the Customize Start menu tab, erase the contents of the "Command" field and in the "Link" field, type: shell:::{7be9d83c-a729-4d97-b5a7-1b7313c39e0a} and click OK. shell:::{7be9d83c-a729-4d97-b5a7-1b7313c39e0a} shows the combined view as well.

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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.

Thanks for the prompt reply. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to cure my problem. Using WinExplorer, I made a new folder in the "all users" program menu. It didn't show up via Classic Shell. I deleted the new folder and made it anew in my user program menu. Classic Shell shows it.
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Even more confusion. Consider these two directory trees...

Under all users

Start Menu

My Stuff

Programs

Under my profile (Users)

Start Menu

Programs

Classic Shell does display "My Stuff" from all users but as stated above it is NOT showing the "Programs" folder from it... a new folder there and not under my profile does not show up under "Programs" via Classic Shell.

Thoughts?

dadiOH

Regarding your group policy question, no, I have never done anything via it. And AFAIK I have done nothing to prevent Classic Shell from displaying the all users program menu.

dadiOH

Right-click on the start button and select Open and Open All users. Do they open the folders you expect?
Then right-click on the Programs item in the start menu. Try Open and Open All users. See if they open the right folders.

Right click on the start button opens the correct folders.

The only right click options on Programs are Open, Pin to Start and Create shortcut. "Open" opens the user program tree.

This is exactly the behavior you will get when the common folders are disabled by a group policy.
Press Win+R, then type gpedit.msc.
Go to User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Start Menu and Taskbar
Look for a setting called "Remove common program groups from Start Menu"
If it is set to "enabled", double-click on it, then set it to "not configured" or "disabled".
Log off, then log in.

Unfortunately, gpedit only comes on "more advanced" (more expensive) versions of Win8 than that which Acer loaded on my new laptop. Supposedly, The Win 8 Home version comes with a light version called secpol.msc but it is no where to be found.

Very irritating...MS spits out an OS that sucks up 16 GB out of the box and they cheap out on useful stuff like that. Mail too.

I did d/l a couple of gpedit.msc installs from the inet but at the moment I am really dragging, won't get to it before tomorrow.

Two of the installers are quite small - 231 KB- so they must hook up to some site and d/l the goods. Trouble is, I don't know what site.

My third d/l is version 1 and was for Win 7, 901,344 bytes. That's the first one I will try.

Which version of Windows exactly do you have? I may try installing it and see if there is a bug on my part.

The registry setting for it is at HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer: NoCommonGroups. Check for that value 'NoCommonGroups' and delete it if it's present.

Also, make sure on the Customize Start Menu tab, that the Programs item has the target "Programs" in its 'Command' field.

_________________
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.

1. I did install and run gpedit, no policy was enabled to remove common items from start menu.

2. I also checked the registry, nothing there.

3. "programs" was in the CS command field.

4. My Win 8 is just that, "Windows 8" No modifier. Specifically, version 6.2 (Build 9200)

5. The problem no longer exists. Your query regarding what was in the command field got me to thinking so I...

1. Removed the shell:::{7be9d83c-a729-4d97-b5a7-1b7313c39e0a} from the link field

2. Put the path - C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs - into the command field.

All is now well, thanks for your interest and help;