Tech Tip

TECH TIP: The Start Menu – Part 3
If you use Windows XP, you can choose whether you want to use the “Classic Start Menu” or the new XP Start Menu. This Tech Tip will show you how to customize the XP Start Menu.

Right-Click in the Task Bar and click on Properties. Now click on the Start Menu tab. Click on the round button next to Start Menu. Now click on Customize.

There are 2 tabs – General and Advanced. Click on the Advanced tab. Here is a rundown of the check boxes you may or may not want to check and my recommendations. You don’t have to follow them – they are just my preferences.

Open submenus when I pause on them with my mouse – check it.
Highlight newly installed programs – I do not check this – I do not need new programs install to be highlighted.
In the Start Menu Items:
Control Panel – check only Display as menu
Enable dragging and dropping – Check it
Favorites menu - Check it if you want your internet favorites to show up in the Start Menu.
Help and Support - Check it if you want to have access to this. It’s pretty worthless – I keep mine unchecked.
My Computer – check Display as menu
My Documents – check Display as menu
My Music – check Display as menu
My Network Places – You probably don’t need this one checked.
My Pictures – check Display as menu
Network Connections – check Display as Connect to menu (unless you don’t want this to show up at all).
Printers and Faxes – check it
Run Command – check it ( You may use it someday)
Scroll Programs – don’t check it
Search – Check it
Set Program Access and Defaults – don’t check it
System Administrative Tools – check Don’t display this item
List my most recently opened documents – check it.

REMEMBER – you can always go back and check or uncheck any items you change your mind about.

Now click on the General tab.

Choose whether you want Large Icons or Small Icons – I choose small icons
Choose the number of programs on Start Menu – I choose 30 – that’s the maximum.
Internet – check it and select Internet Explorer (if you use that one)
E-mail – check it and choose Outlook Express (or whatever email program you use.

That’s it! REMEMBER – you can always go back and check or uncheck any items you change your mind about. (Hmm – there’s an echo in here!)