Start Menu: "Show 'My Computer' as menu"

[Mixsynth]

Hi all.

See attached screenshot no.1 - the 'My Computer' menu on the XP Start Menu.

It only allows you to view the first level of contents for My Computer - you can't go into menus for the drives. WHY? If you choose to view 'My Documents' as a menu, you can go as far down as you like!

See attached screenshot no.2 - a shortcut to 'My Computer' placed on the Classic Start Menu.

This allows you to go right down to the files, as you should be able to. No problems with, say, empty disk drives - it just displays "(empty)".

Why on earth Microsoft decided to restrict the functionality of the 'My Computer' menu on their flagship new start menu is beyond me, especially when the classic menu always had that functionality.

Does anyone here know of any way, such as a reg hack, that would allow me to force the My Computer menu to go more than the standard one level down?

Thanks much!

Hugh B

[erp]

suggestion - you can put My Computer in the All Programs menu and get full expanded menus that way, would that be close enough for you?

[Andrew Lyle Global Moderator]

umm, how did you do that origionally?

[erp]

Drag and drop My Computer from the desktop folder to the start menu folder.

[Mixsynth]

  erp said:

suggestion - you can put My Computer in the All Programs menu and get full expanded menus that way, would that be close enough for you?

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Yeah... I'd rather not though. The 'all programs' menu isn't really convenient to get to, and the menu items are small. It'd be better to fix the existing 'my computer' menu that XP provides. Surely there must be a way?? :cry:

I hope MS staff ever visit this page. Listening to users - there's a novel idea...

[ZZOOzzoo]

edit/ I didn't carefully read the first post. :blush:

I'll keep researching.

[Andrew Lyle Global Moderator]

  erp said:

Drag and drop My Computer from the desktop folder to the start menu folder.

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My Computer comes standard in the start menu on a fresh install of Windows XP. i ment, how did he make My Computer expand like it does?

[iwod]

i would like to know as well

[Mixsynth]

Do you mean, how do you get an expanded 'My Computer' on Classic Menu, or new XP menu?

- MY COMPUTER ON CLASSIC MENU (simple to enable, full functionality)

Just drag 'my computer' from the desktop to the start button. You get a cascading menu.

- MY COMPUTER ON XP MENU (takes ages to enable, limited functionality)

Right click Start button -> Properties -> Start menu, Customize -> Advanced tab -> Start menu items -> My Computer: Display as a menu

I much prefer the 'Classic' method of adding things to Start Menu - drag and drop is much better than a bunch of option buttons several clicks away. IMO they've trashed the whole idea of the Start Menu in XP by removing any ability to change what you can put on there (all you can do is hide/show a few pre-defined things they give you).

Looks like the Classic menu stays. Anyone know of an XP-compatible MUPL (Most Used Programs List) app?