Windows 10: Start menu apps not getting entered in the Start menu folder and not getting indexed

Discus and support Start menu apps not getting entered in the Start menu folder and not getting indexed in Cortana to solve the problem; For months I have had this issue where any new app/software I installed on my laptop would not appear in the search from the start menu. After looking... Discussion in 'Cortana' started by Vaylon Fernandes, Jan 27, 2021.

  1. Start menu apps not getting entered in the Start menu folder and not getting indexed


    For months I have had this issue where any new app/software I installed on my laptop would not appear in the search from the start menu. After looking at the indexing menu, I noticed that the start menu folder in that was not showing any of the recently installed apps. After months of searching, I found that windows creates the start menu folder in two different locations C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs [1] and C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs [2]. Now here is where the issue happens. All apps installed somewhere before September 2020, have an entry in both the folders. Whereas, after that, all apps have an entry only in [2]. [1] is the folder that is being indexed and [2] is not. As a result of this, any newly installed software does not appear in the start menu search and I have to manually scroll to that app create a shortcut tile or group. Another workaround I found was to create shortcuts for the apps and place them in the windows directory so that they can be executed using the 'Run' command. Both of these are not very convenient to do for every new app.

    I want to know how to fix this. Any help would be highly appreciated.

    :)
     
    Vaylon Fernandes, Jan 27, 2021
    #1
  2. dalchina Win User

    Start menu folders are not indexed

    Hello, using the Cortana search bar you should be able to
    - find anything that's been indexed (but no files/folders that have not)
    - find Settings
    - find start menu entries
    - be directed to an internet search
    - get Cortana 'thinking' by asking questions like 'What did you dream about'

    I've probably missed sthg.
    Now when you say you can search for programs... what distinction are you making between
    universal apps
    desktop programs
    system programs and features
    start menu entries?

    For clarification, could you post
    - a screenshot of your start menu showing some entries listed down the left side
    - a screenshot of Cortana open using Windows key + S, where you have typed one of those start menu entries

    Thanks!

    Note: coming from Win 7, you will most likely be really happy using Classic Shell (free) - especially if you upgraded. Win 10's start menu fails to express a start menu based on folders and subfolders, taking out ALL the shortcuts and listing them alphabetically.

    Thus I get
    Help
    Help
    Help
    Help
    .....

    where these are all for separate programs.
     
    dalchina, Jan 27, 2021
    #2
  3. Mornon Win User
    App in start menu

    Any idea? This is getting very annoying, I have something like 30 apps that don't show in start menu search, despite being in the start menu alphabetical list and being indexed (if I remove the shortcut, the number of indexed items drops by one). In addition,
    I have several that aren't installed anymore, nor they are in the start menu folder or in any indexed folder and don't show in the alphabetical list, yet they are still found by the search.

    I also tried Microsoft's online help, and their only reply was to try a clean installation (I didn't to no avail), since any other form of assistance would be paid; which again is annoying, since I already paid for Windows.

    Please let me know if you have any idea what could cause this bug.
     
    Mornon, Jan 27, 2021
    #3
  4. Start menu apps not getting entered in the Start menu folder and not getting indexed

    Files missing from "Start Menu" "All Programs"

    RE: WINDOWS 7 ULTIMATE 32bit, Files missing from "Start Menu" "All Programs" list.

    I have several "start menu" programs missing in my "all programs" list. One of the missing entries is the "accessories" folder and all related files.

    As far as I can tell all of the missing files are on the system and they can be found by using the "start menu search" facility. This problem is occurring with other users but I can not find a solution which works to get things back the way they were after installing the OS.

    I am seeing the missing apps and other items at this location in iexplore.exe %allusersprofile%\Start Menu\Programs .

    Everything I have tried to get these items back into my "start menu" "all programs" list has been met with failure except creating a shortcut. A shortcut is not the real fix as it leaves two entries in the folder.

    When I right click on the highlighted "all Programs" box, in the start menu, a small options list pops up, if "open all users" is selected a new window pops up. Inside that window I can click on the programs folder where I can see the missing entries that should appear on my "all programs" list plus those which I presently see on my "all programs" list together in a single directory listing.

    How can I get the above directory list of programs back into the "start menu" "all programs" area so I do not have to go through this extra window and select the programs folder to locate what I wish to run?

    I also noticed my accessories folder has a lock on it while I am in the primary user administrator account. If you know how to get rid of the lock it would be helpful however I can find that information when I get a chance to look up the answer?

    I noticed some hidden (first tier) folders on the C: drive which I made visible while leaving protection on the OS folders. I can now see these folders in an iexplore.exe directory listing. This did not fix the problem in the "all programs" file selection list and I do not remember if this folder was hidden when the OS was installed.

    When I opened up the system to allow a login directly into the Administrator account everything shows up the same as it did when the OS installed along with all other programs installed afterward.

    After some progress I am still here *Bang Head :banghead: and slowly getting closer to an answer. Can anyone help me get there a little faster?
     
    N9ZN-Extra, Jan 27, 2021
    #4
Thema:

Start menu apps not getting entered in the Start menu folder and not getting indexed

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