Windows 10: Every app clumped together in Programs folder in Windows 10 Start menu

In my glory and wisdom, I accidentally (and programmatically) moved the whole %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs folder to another location on C: when I intended to move one of its subfolders. I said no problem and moved it back to where it was.


Then, lo and behold, I ended up with the following monstrosity:





Nothing wrong with anything in the %USERPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs subtree, but as in the above screen shot, every app shortcut in the %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs subtree is all lumped together in the Programs folder.


For example, the Access shortcut and AutoHotkey folder should all be on the top level of the Start menu, yet I now have to first open the Programs folder to reach them, as if the Programs folder were some new subfolder added in the %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs folder (like %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs\Programs).


There are obviously no options in the Windows Settings that control this, and for the last few days, I looked for registry entries suspected to be controlling this, checked the contents of desktop.ini files and kept googling and pulling my hair out, but no dice.


At this point, I suspect it is some esoteric registry entry that controls this, as I have apparently exhausted other possibilities. I really really hope to have this corrected without reinstalling Windows 10 and re-configuring tons of apps.

:)

 

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?

 

Add or Remove Items for All Apps in Start menu in Windows 10  


Hi, @Brink:

My caffeine titer is low, so I must be missing some blatant, basic step to add a shortcut to my account's All Apps list in the Start menu (Option1).
The new process both for creating shortcuts and for adding/removing items to the Win10 start menu has me flummoxed.
Your tutorials are always "topnotch", so this must be a cockpit error on my part.

>I would like to follow the suggestion on page 1 of the wushowhide.diagcab tutorial to add a shortcut in All Apps for my account.

I have d/l the wushowhide.diagcab and saved it to my downloads folder.
I have done Step 1 on Page 1 of THIS tutorial to navigate to the Start Menu Programs folder.
But HOW do I actually complete Step 3 to create a shortcut and then add it to the Start Menu "All Apps"??

I think I need to first somehow create a shortcut for the .cab file and then add it to All Apps in the start menu???

Please advise.

Thanks!
MM

P.S. I have been postponing the probably inevitable installation of Class Shell.
I would rather not have to install a 3rd-party program to be able to perform basic Windows tasks.
But this new workflow in Win10 for a basic functionality might force me to do it.
Sigh.

 

How do ya add to window start menu?

Make a Start menu shortcut to it in the All Programs section. Then drag it to the top left of the original Cascade menu. (Where windows update normally is).
lol @ folder name