Start SELECTED programs only?

[chm1]

Hello. I'm a newbie to Windows XP, so please pardon me for asking this
question if it's really elementary.

I'd like to know if it's possible to start only SELECTED programs via Window
XP's Start function? The Start function allows the opening of (1) ALL
programs or (2) those programs above the "All Programs" command. (Examples
of the latter include Internet Explorer, Outlook Express, etc.)

I want to know because my list of ALL programs is so extensive that it's
starting to extend beyond the right edge of the monitor. Sure, I could
delete programs, but it would certainly be nicer if Windows XP has an option
to allow only SELECTED programs to appear. I'm thinking of Intenet
Explorer's "Favorites" command, which (if you so choose) will will show only
those web sites that you visited recently. The other web sites, i.e. old
ones you haven't visited recently, are accessible by clicking on the down
arrows below the list of recently-visited sites. Otherwise, the old sites
aren't visible in the Favorites pull-down list.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

The personalized Start Menu is what you're looking for.
Right-click the Task Bar > Properties > Start Menu > Select Classic
Start Menu > Customize > At the very bottom of Advanced Start Menu
Options, Select "Use Personalized Menus."

Bruce Chambers

--
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having both at once. -- RAH


"chm1" > wrote in message
...
> Hello. I'm a newbie to Windows XP, so please pardon me for asking
this
> question if it's really elementary.
>
> I'd like to know if it's possible to start only SELECTED programs
via Window
> XP's Start function? The Start function allows the opening of (1)
ALL
> programs or (2) those programs above the "All Programs" command.
(Examples
> of the latter include Internet Explorer, Outlook Express, etc.)
>
> I want to know because my list of ALL programs is so extensive that
it's
> starting to extend beyond the right edge of the monitor. Sure, I
could
> delete programs, but it would certainly be nicer if Windows XP has
an option
> to allow only SELECTED programs to appear. I'm thinking of Intenet
> Explorer's "Favorites" command, which (if you so choose) will will
show only
> those web sites that you visited recently. The other web sites,
i.e. old
> ones you haven't visited recently, are accessible by clicking on the
down
> arrows below the list of recently-visited sites. Otherwise, the old
sites
> aren't visible in the Favorites pull-down list.
>
> Thanks in advance for your help.
>
>

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

chm1 wrote:
> Hello. I'm a newbie to Windows XP, so please pardon me for asking
> this question if it's really elementary.
>
> I'd like to know if it's possible to start only SELECTED programs via
> Window XP's Start function? The Start function allows the opening of
> (1) ALL programs or (2) those programs above the "All Programs"
> command. (Examples of the latter include Internet Explorer, Outlook
> Express, etc.)
>
> I want to know because my list of ALL programs is so extensive that
> it's starting to extend beyond the right edge of the monitor. Sure,
> I could delete programs, but it would certainly be nicer if Windows
> XP has an option to allow only SELECTED programs to appear. I'm
> thinking of Intenet Explorer's "Favorites" command, which (if you so
> choose) will will show only those web sites that you visited
> recently. The other web sites, i.e. old ones you haven't visited
> recently, are accessible by clicking on the down arrows below the
> list of recently-visited sites. Otherwise, the old sites aren't
> visible in the Favorites pull-down list.
>
> Thanks in advance for your help.

In addition to Bruces advice, you can also right click the Start Button and
select Properties/Custimize/Advanced tab. Select the "Scroll Programs"
option. This will allow you to scroll through the All Programs menu instead
of expanding it across the screen.

You can also create categorized folders on the All Programs menu and move
all of those individual links into these. This will shrink the menu down to
a manageable size.

--
Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

Please reply to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.

[chm1]

Bruce and Ronnie: Thanks for your advice. Two more questions:

1. I selected the "personalized start menu" option, yet there was no
change. All programs still appear. Will it take several days before the
"personalized start menu" is evident -- with fewer programs showing when I
point to "All Programs"?

2. I like your idea of creating categorized folders into which programs may
be relocated. How do I go about creating categorized folders in the All
Programs menu and move all of those individual programs into those folders?

Thanks.


"Ronnie Vernon MVP" > wrote in message
...
> chm1 wrote:
> > Hello. I'm a newbie to Windows XP, so please pardon me for asking
> > this question if it's really elementary.
> >
> > I'd like to know if it's possible to start only SELECTED programs via
> > Window XP's Start function? The Start function allows the opening of
> > (1) ALL programs or (2) those programs above the "All Programs"
> > command. (Examples of the latter include Internet Explorer, Outlook
> > Express, etc.)
> >
> > I want to know because my list of ALL programs is so extensive that
> > it's starting to extend beyond the right edge of the monitor. Sure,
> > I could delete programs, but it would certainly be nicer if Windows
> > XP has an option to allow only SELECTED programs to appear. I'm
> > thinking of Intenet Explorer's "Favorites" command, which (if you so
> > choose) will will show only those web sites that you visited
> > recently. The other web sites, i.e. old ones you haven't visited
> > recently, are accessible by clicking on the down arrows below the
> > list of recently-visited sites. Otherwise, the old sites aren't
> > visible in the Favorites pull-down list.
> >
> > Thanks in advance for your help.
>
> In addition to Bruces advice, you can also right click the Start Button
and
> select Properties/Custimize/Advanced tab. Select the "Scroll Programs"
> option. This will allow you to scroll through the All Programs menu
instead
> of expanding it across the screen.
>
> You can also create categorized folders on the All Programs menu and move
> all of those individual links into these. This will shrink the menu down
to
> a manageable size.
>
> --
> Ronnie Vernon
> Microsoft MVP
> Windows Shell/User
>
> Please reply to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
> Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.
>
>

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

chm1 wrote:
> Bruce and Ronnie: Thanks for your advice. Two more questions:
>
> 1. I selected the "personalized start menu" option, yet there was no
> change. All programs still appear. Will it take several days before
> the "personalized start menu" is evident -- with fewer programs
> showing when I point to "All Programs"?
>
> 2. I like your idea of creating categorized folders into which
> programs may be relocated. How do I go about creating categorized
> folders in the All Programs menu and move all of those individual
> programs into those folders?
>
> Thanks.
>

Yes, it will take a some time before the personalized menu kicks in.

To categorize the menu items, Right click the All Programs button and select
Explore All Users. This will open a window with the Start Menu selected.
Click the Programs folder to expand it. In the left window, you will see all
of the sub-folders in the Programs menu. In the right window, you will see
all of the menu items in the Programs menu.

Right click an empty space in the right side window and select New/Folder
from the menu. Rename the folder to something that makes sense to you for a
category ( ie: Utilities, Office Programs, Imaging Programs, CD Programs,
etc ) This folder will appear on the left side. Look for all of the menu
items that you wish to move into this folder and use the right mouse button
to drag and drop them there, select "Move Here" from the pop up menu. Try to
move as many of the menu items into their own folders to reduce the All
Programs menu to a manageable size.
--
Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

Please reply to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.

[chm1]

Thanks very much, Ronnie. Your suggestion worked wonders!


"Ronnie Vernon MVP" > wrote in message
...
> chm1 wrote:
> > Bruce and Ronnie: Thanks for your advice. Two more questions:
> >
> > 1. I selected the "personalized start menu" option, yet there was no
> > change. All programs still appear. Will it take several days before
> > the "personalized start menu" is evident -- with fewer programs
> > showing when I point to "All Programs"?
> >
> > 2. I like your idea of creating categorized folders into which
> > programs may be relocated. How do I go about creating categorized
> > folders in the All Programs menu and move all of those individual
> > programs into those folders?
> >
> > Thanks.
> >
>
> Yes, it will take a some time before the personalized menu kicks in.
>
> To categorize the menu items, Right click the All Programs button and
select
> Explore All Users. This will open a window with the Start Menu selected.
> Click the Programs folder to expand it. In the left window, you will see
all
> of the sub-folders in the Programs menu. In the right window, you will see
> all of the menu items in the Programs menu.
>
> Right click an empty space in the right side window and select New/Folder
> from the menu. Rename the folder to something that makes sense to you for
a
> category ( ie: Utilities, Office Programs, Imaging Programs, CD Programs,
> etc ) This folder will appear on the left side. Look for all of the menu
> items that you wish to move into this folder and use the right mouse
button
> to drag and drop them there, select "Move Here" from the pop up menu. Try
to
> move as many of the menu items into their own folders to reduce the All
> Programs menu to a manageable size.
> --
> Ronnie Vernon
> Microsoft MVP
> Windows Shell/User
>
> Please reply to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
> Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

chm1 wrote:
> Thanks very much, Ronnie. Your suggestion worked wonders!
>

Glad this helped. Enjoy your smaller menus. :))
--
Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

Please reply to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.