Customize the XP start menu as needed

For many users, XP's default configuration of the start menu has a "chicken rib" feeling: it is not easy to use but can't ignore it. In fact, you only need to do a little bit of work, you can customize a XP start menu for yourself - this is the topic we will discuss today.

The so-called sharpening of the knife does not mistakenly cut the woodwork. Before starting construction, it is necessary to "make the tool". Although the basic functions that come with XP can also make us do something, if you want to get better results, try TweakUI for XP. Microsoft's official website provides download resources: www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/downloads/powertoys.asp. Note that there are two versions of the executable file to choose from, the Itanium system version and other system versions, just download the version you need.

The downloaded file name should be TweakUiPowertoy-Setup.exe (Itanium system version is TweakUIPowertoySetup_ia64.exe). Users must uninstall the old TweakUI that was previously installed before installing. Unlike previous versions, this version of TweakUI adds program icons to the Start menu instead of the traditional version of the Control Panel.

The next step is to start working. Right click on the "Start" button and select "Properties", you will see a two-column dialog box, including the "Start Menu" and "Taskbar" two parts. After selecting the former, there will be two options: “XP Start Menu” or “Classic Start Menu”, users can use the traditional Luna theme start menu, or choose the Windows classic theme, all by personal preference; and each style menu There are separate sub-options.

Select the classic style, click the "Customize" button, you can add and remove icons to the start menu, or click "Advanced" (can be accessed from the same path by the browser) to enter the start menu Folder. Users can choose to clear the list of recently accessed files, such as the command line typed in the "Run" command bar and the list of accessed documents; there are also options to control the display or hide certain icons, such as enabling in the Start menu. Drag and drop to expand the Control Panel and My Documents icons to a menu, and more. If you choose to expand an icon, it will automatically expand to a submenu when the mouse is hovered over the icon - this is a small feature that has been in use since Windows 95, but it needs to be registered to use it; if you don't The icon expands, and when clicked, the corresponding folder is opened in a new window (see Figure 1).

Here are three more special option:

Scroll Programs: If the "Start Menu" "Programs" menu in the program too much, or just want to display a separate sub-menu, You can then select the "Roller Program" option. This "program" submenu only displays one column, there is a small arrow at the top and bottom to scroll the hidden program icon; the reverse selection will display all the programs in the multi-column menu; if neither of these solutions can satisfy you You can also set the start menu to open the folder mode, and the displayed icons will be reduced accordingly.

Show small icons: This is also a traditional Windows option. If you don't select this option, the big icon will be displayed in the start menu, along with the version of Windows.

Using Personalized Menu: When this option is selected, only the most recently used program shortcuts will be displayed in the "Programs" menu. Infrequently used program shortcuts are hidden, which is somewhat inconvenient. Although some users prefer this feature, we don't recommend it. After all, the manual finishing of the start menu will be a lot easier to use.

In contrast, the XP style start menu is "smart" a lot. Unlike the classic start menu, the XP start menu is displayed in two columns, with some standard icons listed on the right, such as “Search”, “Run”, “Document”, “Help”, “Settings”, etc. As with the classic start menu, users can also choose to hide these icons in the "Custom" "Advanced Properties" menu of the XP start menu, or open them in the form of submenus or separate folders; "Logout" and "Close" The "Computer" button is placed separately and placed below the start menu.

The dialog box on the left is divided into two parts. The upper part is a list of commonly used programs. You can use it to create shortcuts in the browser, or you can add the lower shortcuts by drag and drop. In the list, this feature is very easy to use. In the XP system, this operation becomes much simpler. Right click on any shortcut and select “attach to the start menu” to add the program to the start menu. Similarly, right click on the shortcut and select “From The start menu is detached and the above operation can be undone.

The lower part of the dialog box is a list of shortcuts for frequently used programs. Users can set the maximum number of shortcuts. The new icon that exceeds the upper limit will automatically replace the old icon, but the upper limit is usually 30. In the dialog box for setting the upper limit ("Start Menu Properties" "Custom" "General"), you can choose whether to put the browser and email icons in the list of fixed frequently used programs, and whether to clear the list of recently used programs ( See Figure 2).

add a shortcut to the Start menu when, XP has demonstrated its intelligent side. For example, users can't add existing shortcuts repeatedly, or add items that are launched from the Quick Launch bar; users can use the right-click menu to clear shortcuts from the Start menu, but that doesn't stop them from coming back. It is this unsatisfactory place that allows TweakUI to show its talents. Open the "Start Menu" dialog under "Taskbar and Start menu" and a list of all programs will appear. You only need to reverse the selection process to permanently disable the shortcut. It is included in the start menu (see Figure 3).

If you're bored in the system properties while mad point to enter the Device Manager, you can try this: Open the Start menu's "Run" in the Name field can enter devmgmt.msc Go directly to the device manager. In addition, the reader mentioned that the Dos command can only be input in the Insert mode. If you switch to the Overtype mode with "Insert switch", you cannot enter it. This rule is said to have been in use since MS-Dos 5, but I only verified Windows 3.1/MS-Dos 6.2.
Maybe you didn't notice, but the design of anything is progressing and developing in the process of constantly correcting mistakes and making up for defects. The same problem exists in the development design of Windows. Going out of the door, I didn't open my computer for a while, but I found that all the icons on the desktop disappeared. Look through the browser and find that these files are intact. Obviously, the icon for the desktop is hidden - this involves the "active desktop" issue. In Windows 98, you can choose to hide the icon when viewing the desktop project as a web page in the settings of the display properties, but "viewing as a web page" is really a mysterious design. In Windows ME, there is no "Hide Icon" option in the display properties, but you can find "Lock Desktop Project" and "Show Desktop Icon" in the submenu that appears after right-clicking on the desktop. The situation of XP is similar to that of Windows ME. Right click on the desktop and you can find the "Show desktop icon" option in the submenu of "Arrange icons" (see the figure below). In addition, XP's Desktop Cleanup Wizard will also clean up fewer icons for a period of time, centered on a folder called "Unused Desktop Shortcuts". Although this design change without changing the dress is more or less confusing, it is not difficult to see Microsoft's unremitting efforts in innovation awareness.