# Start menu on Vista



## Gabriel

Just to make it clear, I have a notebook computer, from Gateway,  which has come with Windows Vista installed.

Well, my problem is: I want the Start Menu to show my "recent programs", as it states in the "Customize Start Menu" window (left-click on start menu, properties - Start Menu tab - Customize).
However, it keeps showing some programs I never (or rarely) use, like Internet Explorer, Windows Media Center, Windows Media Player, "Try AOL Today", "Gateway Game Console", etc.

There are 9 programs in that list, and 8 of them never change.  The last one of them changes to whatever was the last program I opened, which isn't exactly a great function...

I have tried left-clicking on each of the programs and selecting "Remove from this list", but they return after reboot.


Anyone has any suggestion?

Thanks in advance


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## PC eye

Isn't the lack of the Control Panel's "add/rempve programs>add/remove Windows components" wonderful as now seen in Vista?!  "like a hole in the head obviously"

With a preinstalled OS your options are further limited except by using the msconfig utility to disable certain items from automatically loading up along with Windows. Dragging some folders into the recycle bin along with deletion of certain reg keys is the task and risky method to see some thing gone! 

Vista now sees everything built into it rather then being option except for things like AOL. Usually Media Center has to be setup by first clicking on the Start>Programs link there. If you see the Try AOL on the programs menu simply drag that into the recycle bin along with the folder on the drive since that is an addon item put there by Gateway if not seeing any MS promotion or offer direct.

Personally I would love to dump WMP 11 and see WMP 10 run on Vista. But now MS expects you to buy a retail product like PowerDVD or Roxio's media player in order to play dvds or video files in the newer version there.


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## Gabriel

I entered the "Spybot Search and Destroy"  System Startup section, and didn't find anything that could be related to it.  CCleaner's startup tool was also useless.

I tried throwing the AOL and the NetZero folder in the bin (but didn't actually delete them), but they still appear, and even after I "removed them from this list", they returned after startup.
Obviously, they aren't working anymore, but they're still there.

I can't drag start menu items to the bin.  If I drag them onto the desktop, they're simply copied, not cut.

I didn't find anything at the sysconfig either.  I tried searching for AOL in the regedit, but didn't find anything...

Any other suggestions?


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## PC eye

Spybot S&D is an older tool for finding and removing adwares and spywares not removing anything preinstalled onto a system. CCleaner is mainly for cleaning up a drive of loose temp folders and clearing out the offline content for IE. 

To see these removed totally a manual trackdown of the correct items in the registry itself would proceed an effective removal from the startup list. The main problem there is that is part of the prepackaged installation from Gateway. By right clicking on each item found in the Start>Programs menu you can see where each base folder is located. Once those are manually removed and the corrects values in the registry can be found and deleted the items will easily be removed from that list following a system restart to insure any and all processes are unloaded. 

Manually editing the registry to remove items is still performed "at your own risk" especially where the OS and prepackaged softwares were preinstalled for you. The only tool for overriding default permissions is one called TakeOwnership where you can right click on any file or folder and choose that option for seeing it removed. http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/wind...ership-to-explorer-right-click-menu-in-vista/

If you go in the registry and make a mess the restoration of the preinstallation will only see the factory condition restored with the same items seen again. The tool there can be used once the folders are found under your user name in the users directory. Once removed there the items generally disappear on their own from the customize list. But that still will leave any registry entries intact there.


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## cohen

You should be able to right-click and do remove from list.


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## PC eye

Dragging them onto the desktop only keeps them around there rather then seeing them removed totally. Besides the right click and delete method you still need to see any registry values removed as well as manual deletion of the folders on the drive. 

The TakeOwership mod there allows you to overide any blocks when right clicking to delete a file or folder by clicking on that option first and then right clicking a second time for the delete option. The tool also works in XP as well as seen in Vista.


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## Gabriel

I have located the original folders, and have taken them to the recycle bin (and left them there) but the start menu icons are still there.
I have searched AOL in regedit, but didn't find it.

I'm not sure if this is what you said, but here's what I did: I downloaded this TakeOwnership editor, and took ownership of the entire start menu (the option won't appear for the individual files on that list), and removed "Try AOL".  However, after I restarted the computer, it came back.


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## PC eye

The TakeOwnership is not for use on the startup list but when browsing with Windows Explorer and wanting remove a file or folder there. Besides manual removal of the folders through an explorer window any registry values also have to be removed. 

Have you looked in the Control Panel>Programs+Features prior to trying a manual removal to see if there's an item listed for the remove/uninstall option there? If found that would see everything removed in one shot rather then trying to simply remove it from the customize list.


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## Gabriel

Ok, I did manage to uninstall the gateway games console, and it disappeared from the list (though I haven't yet restarted the computer).
However, none of the other programs are in the "uninstall or change a program" screen.
There are some gateway programs I can't recognize, though:

Gateway Recovery Center Installer (this name sounds fishy)
Linkit_eBay (does this hae anything to do with ebay?  it's published by gateway)
Gateway Connect (published by acceler)


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## PC eye

The Linkit_eBay points at some exrta crap Gateway throws on for EBay and AOL. Gateway gets paid for including items like those on prepackaged systems even if it only serves as a method of advertising there. 

The recovery center item should be left intact until you know whether or not that's part of the system restoration process there. It's used for seeing drivers installed as you review the information seen at  http://support.gateway.com/s/Checklists/BPC/ck2007032963.shtml

The Gateway connect is the method used for setting up your home network.  http://support.gateway.com/support/manlib/Desktops/8507934/07934.htm You'll note that this uses AOL for setting up your home network.


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## Gabriel

Well, I managed to remove AOL and gateway games after removing them from the program files (I uninstaled gateway games) and running CCleaner.
However, now only Windows programs that I never use appear.  IE, WMedia Player, Media Center, Photo Gallery, Calendar...


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## PC eye

Well you wanted those removed from the list. The programs you install separately should still be seen in the remove list and advanced view of folders. The defaults will be seen since those are part of the proprietary preinstalled package there. With your own custom installation of Windows the defaults plus what you install would then be seen unless removed since there is no automatic restoration.


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## Gabriel

But can't I remove these default programs from the list?


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## PC eye

Those are built into Vista unlike previous versions where you could simply use the add/remove Windows components to see them gone. For IE 7, WMP 11, and the new since XP Pro MCE edtition Media Center you can simply delete the desktop shortcuts if present. 

Other then that where are you most of the time? I assume at the desktop doing other things now that the AOL and the Gateway games are gone. You can disable WMP and Media Center in the msconfig>services tab and simply ignore that they are in the remove list.


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## Gabriel

They aren't in the desktop.
They are in the Start Menu.

In the services tab I have:
WMP Network Sharing Device
WMC Receiver Service
WMC Schedule Service
WMC Network Sharing Device.

Which ones should I disable?


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## PC eye

Any or all since those are non vital services there. Otherwise you would generally check off the "hide all microsoft services" box to avoid disabling any essential services Windows needs in order to run.

When right clicking on any item in the Start>Programs here and choosing delete it goes right into the recycle bin without problem. For some reason I don't think you have full administrative access there. Otherwise those would be deleted easily.


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## cjbauman

I'm also experiencing this same problem with a new Gateway desktop running Vista Home Premium.  The issue is that the Start Menu recently used apps list resets everytime I log out and back in, no matter what I do.  I've right-clicked and selected "Remove from this list" on each of the apps that Gateway seems to want to preload.  When I do that *they do go away* until I log back in and then they are back.  I should mention that other apps that I'm actually using get added to the list for that session but are gone again once I log out and back in. 

I'm a long time WinXP and Vista user and I've never run across this issue before.  Is there someone on this forum who can help with this issue who also understands that this has nothing to do with uninstalling or removing applications?  It's simply a matter of these icons being forced on us every time we log on.

TIA,
Carl J. Bauman


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## PC eye

What you are missing there is that Gateway has it's own automatic system restoration feature being seen there. If you remove a Windows component that is automatically restored or repaired on a fresh startup.

Unlike most older prebuild systems and laptops with preinstalled OS where there were recovery disks needed newer models now see a key or key combination for seeing Wiindows completely restored to factory condition. With a custom install on a new build or upgrade of one version to the next there is no hidden recovery partition or automatic restoration if something is removed. 

The System Restore feature in Windows is used to roll back everything back to a previous point unless too much is gone. Then you would need to repair install or completely reinstall Windows to see something put back.


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## Gabriel

PC eye said:


> ...
> When right clicking on any item in the Start>Programs here and choosing delete it goes right into the recycle bin without problem. For some reason I don't think you have full administrative access there. Otherwise those would be deleted easily.



It's not Start>Programs.  They are on the left hand of the start menu, you don't have to click on any other button.
Also, I believe I do have administrative access.  This was the only account on this computer until some time ago, and also I can use the "Run as Administrator" option in some programs.


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## PC eye

If you are talking about items above the Start button those can be dragged onto the desktop and deleted by simply right clicking on them for the delete option or dragging into the recycle bin. You can also drag shortcuts off of the desktop there. The rest are Programs, Documents, Settings, Search, Run which are permanent.


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## Gabriel

http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/1807/cantdeletesy4.jpg

There's no option to delete.
If you know of a website that I can post movies (not like youtube, I don't want everyone seeing my desktop there) I may post a movie of me trying to drag the shortcut to the recycle bin or desktop.  When I try to take them to the bin, the mouse pointer becomes that "forbidden" symbol.  When I take them to the desktop, they just make a new shortcut...


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## PC eye

That's because Gateway limits your administrative access in some way. When simply dragging anything above the Programs link into the recycle bin here it stays in there until highlighted and I click the restore button on the menu bar. Those seen there are also shortcuts as well as what is on the desktop itself.

One tool may just be your answer there called TakeOwnership.  http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/wind...ership-to-explorer-right-click-menu-in-vista/

 That's a small registry mod that adds the take administrative control option in the right click menu for overriding any previous permissions settings giving you full access. After putting in it on you simply right click on the item you first drag to the desktop and choose that option as well as making sure the read only box or other things are not set in the properties.

From there simply drag it right into the recycle bin or right click to choose delete followed by emptying the recycble bin to see those gone. It also works in XP as well as Vista from what I've seen on both versions.


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## Gabriel

I have installed the TakeOwnership.

However, there's no TakeOwnership option in when I right-click these programs.
Do I have to takeownership on the whole Start Menu (there's that option when i right-click the start menu)?


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## PC eye

That would be one way to override whatever is preventing removal that will provide full administrative access over whatever Gateway used. Give that a try! 

Having a custom build with no preinstalled OS here I wouldn't be able to say that it will or won't. That was a recently found tool first seen for Vista until tried out here on XP.


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## Gabriel

Nope, not working...


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## PC eye

Besides choosing the run as adminstrator option to get nowhere you simply have only 2 or 3 choices left. The first is the one you don't seem to want of simply ignoring the fact they are shown by default or you can totally wipe the preinstallation off of the drive for a pointless effort. The third option is far easily then anything!

Aero style or Classic?


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## Gabriel

I use aero.

I have uninstalled the promotional content from Gateway (aol, netzero...).
What I see now I believe is from Microsoft.


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## PC eye

Well the way to see all those removed is to simply switch to the Classic view since those are included in Vista and not separate items you can easily remove. The "eye candy" they put into the new version also tends to an extra grab on resources as well.


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## stixdz

i had icons on the recent programs list that i wanted to remove and i right clicked removed from list and they stayed there untill you restart the comp try that from what i have read you havent rebooted yet? if you have ignore what i am saying free bump to get this fixed for you 

this also happend when i tryed to delete a shortcut off my desktop to a program that i uninstalled already didnt disappear till i rebooted


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## Gabriel

stixdz, it is actually the opposite that happens to me.  The icons are immediately removed, but return after reboot.


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