I was testing the software Tidy Start Menu which offers users a way to move start menu entries into several categories like Office, Games and Internet when it occurred to me that I did not need that program at all to do the same. The only advantage that I could see in using it was that I did not have to create the main folders in the startmenu by myself.
I quickly uninstalled the software and decided to create a few main folders and move the majority of my applications into them. Only shortcuts to those applications that I would use in my daily routine would remain visible. I decided to stick with the main categories Office, Games, Internet, Utilities and Graphics.
Many startmenu entries have not only the shortcut to the program in their folder but also shortcuts to readme files, uninstallations and the like. I always thought that this was superfluous and made me occasionally miss the mark, so to speak. It happened more than once that I opened a readme or uninstallation instead of the program that I wanted to start.
So, while I was at it I decided to remove everything except for the program shortcuts. This took a while and I have to make sure that I move every new program that is created into the right folder but it does look nicely now. I have ten categories and two application shortcuts beneath them.
How do you sort – if you do that – your startmenu ?
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14 Responses to “Get rid of a huge programs list in the start menu”
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I *sort-of* follow debian’s structure, as I have tango category icons. For programs with only one launch point, I will move them out of their installed folder, and put them directly in the category, and I like to remove all the uninstall items.
I am pretty much the same, I organise the hell out of my start menu.
I’m running Vista, so the start menu isn’t as easy to organize as it was on XP. When I was on XP, I usually did the same thing – created a bunch of folders, categorizing many apps in them.
But Vista has a great little thing, the search bar. Just hit the start button, type some letter of the name of the app, and there you go, a way to show the apps. Since then, organizing the start menu has become kind of pointless. And such lazyness has made me install Launchy on the other PC, the one with XP, so it can search menu entries for programs, so I don’t have to arrange anything.
And so, I rarely find myself looking for a program on the start menu.
The wise thing to do. Pitty to hear that Vista stuffs it up. I think my “upgrade” will have to wait a little longer.
The inclined tweaker may also wish to consider installing programs in a similar way, as the “Program files” directory gets quickly crowded up and confusing.
Ie.:
C:\Communications\Firefox
C:\Communications\Thunderbird
C:\Communications\Miranda
C:\Office\MS Office
C:\Office\Personal Information Manager
etc.
As I always have have a file manager window open – with me it’s Directory Opus – I frequently find myself opening programs this way. It helps to whack a shortcut to the programs into the category root directories.
Many different ways to skin the bear ;) …
One of the first things I do on a clean build is organize the start menu.
If any applications I install have the option to not add shortcuts, I’m sure to choose that option and create the shortcuts manually.
This avoids left over garbage in my registry.
Nothing worse then a Pre-Built machine loaded with bloat ware.. and 100 sub menus to navigate only to find a folder with the read-me.
I also like using the option in XP to create a custom tool bar for frequently accessed applications, leaving my desktop clean as possible.
I’ve been using Launchy for 2 years, and the thing I can tell is that I almost never use my start menu, so it’s completely messy and I like it that way :D
Absolutely agreed, sorting the start-menu is a must.
Although I’m currently in the process of 100% start using Launchy, I guess I better get used to it, seing how the new Vista start-menu is utter garbage! Cheers Martin
Ahhh Dopus use to use that on the amiga was pure genius then wonder what it’s like for windows.
@ Enigma re. Dopus:
Would not want to use anything else. Really powerful, thoroughly configurable and rock solid.
Takes a power user though to configure for greatest benefit. For lesser demands I tend to recommend PowerDesk.
Ad al. re. Vista Start Menu:
PowerPro by Bruce Switzer, also a real swiss knife application, with small footprint to boot, might provide some useful solutions here. I, eg., use it to emulate a start menu on right-click on desktop and left right simultaneous click anywhere. It can do much more. But again, it is more power-userish. At some stage I might send a write up about this free (!) app. to ghacks.
I can’t get my start menu to behave.
How do you do it?
The folders keep changing places. I get two “startup” folders for some reason, when i open the start menu folder I get to see only a fraction of the folders and shortcuts that are actually there – it’s crazy.
So – how do you do it?
@ Jerusalem Joe
This is because there are effectively two start menus:
1. Start menu User Name
(C:\Documents & Settings/User Name/Start Menu)
2. Start menu All Users
(C:\Documents & Settings/All Users/Start Menu)
The first applies only for the User in question, the second one for all.
KL
Hmmm – much better now.
Thanks oliver!
I still don’t understand why there are two folders when I am the only one using this computer. I don’t remember being asked to approve this arrangement.
Oh well – I guess it’s just the M$ way!