WinXP expanded Start Menu

[Elmer BeFuddled]

Hi All,

I created my own personal ''Theme'' by hacking the msstyles file, I've just checked the last modified date as 21/4/09, so I've been having no problems using it since then until recently.

I've had to reinstall WinXP twice in the last month and a half (there are just some files that you shouldn't remove from your system !!). After a few days my start menu is changing from the 'compact'' view to the ''I'm a big boy now'' view (see attachments). This is a pain in the wrist as i have to move my mouse at least 2cm further to click on an item and it's wearing me out !!

If I switch visual styles the problem remains so I don't think it's a visual style specific problem.

In the Customise Start menu options, Number of programs on Start menu is set to zero (as it always is).

List my most recently opened documents is un-ticked (as it always is), although this has nothing to do with it, but cover all bases I say !!

If anyone has any ideas / can point me in the right direction ??????

As a slight aside

Having said I've never had any problems with my msstyle, there is one thing I've never figured out, I've just used (badly) guesswork ( I pasted an image to the Start Menu in the end, that solved it !! ).

Can anybody tell me how to put the [startPanel.UseriPicture] in the correct place (and size ?). In the content margins entry I have 248, -263, 19, -28, 1st numbers are for the left hand side(?) but as for the rest.....

Any and all help gratefully received

TIA

Elmer B. Fuddled

Edited November 9, 2009 by Elmer B. Fuddled