Start Menu Problems

[tysdaddy]

O' Wise Ones,

Recently, I've noticed a couple of annoying anomalies with my Start menu in Windows XP. When I pause the mouse over "All Programs" the list no longer expands. Also, when I click on "Help and Support," "Search," or "Run . . ." I get a notice that "Windows cannot create a shortcut here." Everything else in the Start menu appears to work. If I switch to the classic view, everything works like a charm. What gives? I have checked for viruses and suspicious spyware and found nothing out of the ordinary. I do this on a regular basis. Also, I have run HijackThis and see nothing unusual. After I uninstalled a program the other day and did a restart, I got a message about a registry entry being recovered. Unfortunately, I didn't pay much attention to the message. Is this a unique anomaly? I haven't had much luck scouring the net for a cause or a cure.

Help!

[Play_The_0dds]

drop your xp cd in the cd drive while loaded into windows, close the welcome screen if it pops up. go to start>run>type
sfc /scannow
let it repair any system files needed and see if it brings it back. might could try system restore if you have it enabled and dont have a xp cd.

[ESALADUANE]

For the All Programs mouse hover thing:

(right-click) Taskbar > Properties > (tab) Start Menu > (button) Customize > (tab) Advanced
Put a check in the box that says, "Open submenus when I pause on them with my mouse".
OK > Apply > OK


Also, in that same window I would suggest taking the check marks out of the boxes next to Help and Support, Run and Search and then "OK, Apply, Ok" your way out. Then, go back in and put the check marks back and see if the features work normally.

"Windows cannot create a shortcut here" is the message that you would get if you tried to create shortcuts (right-click, etc) in these forlders because "these are virtual folders. Unlike folders in Windows Explorer, virtual folders are not storage locations for files or file system objects. Virtual folders are also known as Windows shell space objects. Virtual folders are part of the graphical user interface (GUI) that allow easy access to customizable features in Windows". (quote - Microsoft)


[edit] known_criminal's idea is probably better.