Jump to content

Issue with Recent Programs List on Start Menu


Recommended Posts

Guest Mark M Morse
Posted

WindowsXP Home SP2 laptop.

 

Start menu no longer displays any recently-used applications. I

checked the properties; the settings are correct to display up to 16

applications.

 

I tried turning this feature off; rebooting, and turning this

feature on again. The issue remains.

 

Is there a registry setting to check?

 

Cheers,

 

~ Mark

  • Replies 2
  • Created
  • Last Reply
Guest Newbie Coder
Posted

Re: Issue with Recent Programs List on Start Menu

 

Mark,

 

START | RUN | Type 'regedit' (withought quotes) & click OK

 

Navigate to:

 

Currunt User:

 

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

 

All Users:

 

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

 

Key Name: NoRecentDocsHistory

Key Type: DWORD

Value: 0 = display recent docs, 1 = disable recent docs

 

Also, under the same key:

 

Key Name: ClearRecentDocsOnExit

Key Type: DWORD

Value: 0 = doesn't clean recent docs on shutdown, 1 = clean recent docs on shutdown

 

Key Name: MaxRecentDocs

Key Type: DWORD

Value: 16 (for the same as what you have the START MENU set to)

 

Remove from Start Menu:

 

Key Name: NoRecentDocsMenu

Key Type: DWORD

Value: 0 = display recent docs on Start Menu, 1 = disable recent docs on Start Menu

 

Close the registry editor

 

Note: When removing Recent Docs from the menu & re-enabling it you need a restart to add

it back to the menu, yet removal is instant

 

--

Newbie Coder

(It's just a name)

 

 

 

"Mark M Morse" <mmm4444bot@hotmail.com> wrote in message

news:%23$ERHjyAIHA.4232@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

> WindowsXP Home SP2 laptop.

>

> Start menu no longer displays any recently-used applications. I

> checked the properties; the settings are correct to display up to 16

> applications.

>

> I tried turning this feature off; rebooting, and turning this

> feature on again. The issue remains.

>

> Is there a registry setting to check?

>

> Cheers,

>

> ~ Mark

>

Guest Mark M Morse
Posted

Re: Issue with Recent Programs List on Start Menu

 

Hi Newbie Coder:

 

Are we discussing the same issue?

 

On this computer, the Start menu contains the item titled, 'My

Recent Documents'. When I hover the mouse pointer over that item, a

sub-menu opens with shortcuts to 15 recently-opened documents. So,

that feature appears to be working.

 

The issue that I want to resolve involves links for recently-used

applications. They no longer show up on the start menu. They used

to.

 

Now, the only application shortcuts on the Start menu are the ones

that I specifically put there. Windows XP no longer puts a shortcut

on the Start menu for other applications that I use. For example,

if I open MS Paint to paste and save a screen shot, and then close

MS Paint, then the next time that I go to the Start menu there

should be a shortcut for MS Paint. Windows XP puts shortcuts for

recently-used applications on the Start menu listed in order of

use-frequency. It's possible to limit the number of these shortcuts

that appear.

 

This feature is customized on the Customize Start Menu dialog box

(accessed through the [Customize...] button on the Start Menu tab of

the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box). There is a field

to enter the maximum number of recently-used application shortcuts

that Windows XP adds to the Start menu.

 

When I read your post, I get a sense that you might have

misinterpreted my issue as a problem displaying recently-used

document shortcuts as opposed to recently-used application

shortcuts. If you misinterpreted, then that's okay; I sometimes

make the same mistake when reading. I'm encouraged by your

knowledge of the registry, so perhaps you'll be able to post a

solution.

 

If you did not misinterpret, then I apologize to you! But, in this

event, I need more information about your post. I searched for the

string "recentdoc" in the registry. The registry contains several

sub-folders whose name includes that string, but there is only one

key name in the entire registry that does so. It is

Start_ShowRecentDocs (two instances). Additionally, none of the key

names in your post appear in the registry.

 

Also, I see that I was not very clear when I posted that I tried

turning the feature "off" and "on again". I should have written

that I tried setting the number field (referenced above) to zero,

and, after rebooting, setting it back to 16. It's set to 12, now.

 

~ Mark

 

 

Newbie Coder wrote, in part:

>

> START | RUN | Type 'regedit'

>

>

> HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

>

>

> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

>

> Key Name: NoRecentDocsHistory

> Key Type: DWORD

> Value: 0 = display recent docs, 1 = disable recent docs

 

> Mark M Morse wrote:

>>

>> WindowsXP Home SP2 laptop.

>>

>> Start menu no longer displays any recently-used applications. I

>> checked the properties; the settings are correct to display up to

>> 16

>> applications.

>>

>> I tried turning this feature off; rebooting, and turning this

>> feature on again. The issue remains.

>>

>> Is there a registry setting to check?


×
×
  • Create New...