Windows XP keeps track of how many times an application has been started by a user of the system and displays the most frequently used programs in the start menu. That’s a pretty convenient feature for some users but there is no obvious way to control which applications are listed in the start menu.
It does not make sense in my opinion to have a software like Notepad in that list because you normally open it automatically when clicking on a text document. It is possible to disable that feature altogether but that’s probably not wanted all of the time. The XP Run Count Editor lists all tracked applications giving the user the option to change the Run Count value of the application.
You can increase or decrease the Run Count of an application so that it appears on a specific position in the start menu. The highest value will of course appear on the top of the frequently accessed programs list while lower values appear at the bottom.
If you want to get rid of this feature completely you right-click the Start Menu and select Properties. The Customize button opens a new window where you can set the number of programs that will appear in the list. If you set that value to 0 no programs will be listed.
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Nice tips! Thanks for sharing this info.
Interesting thanks for sharing.
This program seems to be useful, for curiosity and/or informational purposes. Photoshop 10000 times? Really?
And just an FYI – if you want to Tweak the Start Button, and what shows up under the “Frequently Accessed” program panel, I suggest “Tweak UI”, found over at Microsoft’s PowerToys. That does the trick.