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>> Bill: If you're a die-hard fan of the classic Windows XP Start Menu and you'd like to get it back in Windows 7 then stay tuned. I'm Bill Detwaller assumed spelling and during this episode of TRDoJo assumed spelling I'll show you how to use Windows 7's Toolbar feature to create a Windows XP style classic Start Menu right along side the new one.
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>> Bill: In an earlier TRDoJo episode I showed you how to recreate a classic Windows XP style Start menu in Windows 7 using a 3rd party application called Classic Shell. However, using Classic Shell isn't the only way that you can create a classic Start menu in Windows 7. You could do the same thing using the Windows 7 Toolbar feature. You can then position it right next to the new Start menu in Windows 7 and have the best of both worlds. Now to begin right click an empty spot on the Task Bar, hover over Toolbars and then select the New Toolbar command. Now when you see the New Toolbar Choose a Folder dialogue box type the following path in the Folder Text Box then click the Select Folder button; this will cause your new Start menu Toolbar to appear next to the Notification area. Now that you've created the Start Menu Toolbar you'll want to move it next to Window 7's Start button, so right click on the Task Bar and select Lock the Task Bar to remove the checkmark if there's one there. Now, once the taskbar is unlocked hover your mouse pointer over the Toolbar Handle; this is just to the left of the S in Start Menu. Now, when the pointer turns into a double-head arrow just click and drag the toolbar handle toward the Start button. As you do drag the handle slightly under or over the icons on the taskbar in order to get the new Start Menu Toolbar into its new position. Now, once it's in its new position you'll see all the folders inside the Start Menu Folder. Now, to hide them click and drag the taskbar handle just to the right of the U in Menu to the left to cover up those folders. Now, right click on the Task Bar and select the Lock the Task Bar command to lock everything down. Now, when you do you'll see a slight side affect just an edge appears of the Folder icons. Don't worry it won't affect your new Start Menu's function. At this point your classic start menu only contains the Programs Menu and links to default programs and Windows Update but you can easily add entries for common folders and features such as documents, settings, search, help and support, run, and shutdown. To begin launch Windows Explorer and navigate to the See Program Data Microsoft Windows Start Menu Folder. Now, this folder is a special system folder and as such you will not be able to create your shortcuts inside it. We'll need to create the shortcuts on the Desktop and then move them into the folder, so just minimize the folder for now. Let's start with the Documents Folder. First, click the Windows 7 Start button, type Documents in the Search Box and then when Documents appears in the Results List right click it. Select Send To and then Desktop Create Shortcut. Now repeat these steps to create the Help and Support, Run and Control Panel shortcuts. You can even rename the Control Panel Shortcut to Settings if you want to get really old-school. Now, creating the Search and the Shut Down shortcuts are a bit different. To create a shortcut to Search right click on the Desktop and select New and then Shortcut. When you see the Create Shortcut Dialogue Box type C colon back slash Windows back slash Explorer dot EXE and then search dash MS colon in the Location Text Box. Be sure to include the Colon at the very end of the command. Now click Next and save the shortcut with the name Search. To create a shortcut to the Shutdown command right click on the Desktop and, again, select New and then Shortcut. When you see the Create Shortcut Dialogue Box type Shut Down dot EXE dash S in the Location Text Box, then click Next and save the shortcut with the name Shutdown. Now, restore the Start Menu Folder that you minimized earlier and move all the shortcuts from your desktop into it. Now, because this folder is a special system folder Windows will display a destination folder access denied dialogue box just click the Continue button to proceed. Now, when you complete the operation you will have your own classic Start Menu in Windows 7 without having to use a 3rd party tool. You can even drag and drop the shortcuts around the Tool Bar to match the Windows XP classic Start Menu. Well that does it for this episode. Thanks to Tech Republic Windows Blogger Greg Shultz assumed spelling who put this tip together. For more Windows tips and tricks check out our Windows blog or subscribe to our Windows Newsletter. And as always, for more TG's on your path to becoming an IT Ninja visit TRDoJo.TechRepublic.com. Sign up for our weekly newsletter or you can always follow me on Twitter. Thanks for visiting the TRDoJo.
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