TECH TIP:  The Start Menu in Windows XP

There are many ways to customize Windows XP.  The Start Menu can be customized to look like the “Classic Start” menu in earlier versions of Windows (Windows 98, MD, or 2000).  Or it can have a new look – the Windows XP Start Menu. 

 

Well, some people don’t take to change very well (me included), and the like the way the Start menu in earlier Windows operating systems looked so they have the option of returning to that look.  Here’s how to customize the Start Menu to the Classic view.

 

1. Right-click on the Start menu in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen.  Click on Properties.
2. The first thing you see is the two options to choose from:  Start Menu or Classic Start Menu.
3. To try out the Classic Start Menu, click on the round button next to Classic Start menu.
4. (Remember, you can always go back to the new Start menu if you don’t like this view).
5. OK – go ahead and click the Start menu in the lower left hand corner of the screen to see this new (old) Classic view.  You will notice that there are 2 sections to the list – the top section contains shortcuts to programs, folders or internet sites.  The bottom section contains :links” to the various
6. Now click on the Customize button.

In this window, you
▪  Add items to the Start menu
▪  Remove items from the start menu
▪  Click on the Advanced button to use Windows Explorer to add or remove items to the start menu
▪  You can sort (Alphabetize) the Start Menu.
▪  You can clear the list of recently used documents that have been added to the Documents menu.  (Note:  If you click on Documents in the Start Menu, you will see a list of all documents that you have used (or accessed) recently.
▪  And last – you can select other options from a long list to include in to customized Start menu

 

Next week - more on the Start Menu - we will go through the various options you can select from to further customize the Start menu.