The Windows XP Start Menu and Taskbar

    The Start Menu and Taskbar made their debut in Windows 95, remaining with us in each of the Windows versions that have found their way onto our computers. Some users prefer the Start Menu for the majority of their work while others find the Taskbar more convenient. Which method you prefer will influence the options, style, layout, and items selected and placed for quick access. Both the Start Menu and Taskbar offer extensive customization features to accommodate various work habits and preferences.

The XP Start Menu

    Let’s take a look at the default Start Menu (Fig. UI-64) as it appears after the XP installation. A few words and phrases I’ve heard describing it are: huge, ugly, bloated, what the hell was Microsoft thinking, neat, that’s different, and colorful. The colors of the Start Menu are there for more than just blending into the new look XP sports. The white areas of the Start Menu are user based and the light blue areas are operating system based. The amount of control available over the customization process varies between the two sections. Changes can be implemented for either the user who is currently logged on or for all users on the computer. Take a peek at Fig. UI-65 where I’ve added a few descriptions to help you get your bearings. These areas will be referenced as we move through the Start Menu and Taskbar screens. While we could begin making changes to the Start Menu right away without accessing any other screens, I think it would be useful to explore the available options first to see what level of customization is possible in Windows XP.

Start Menu Properties

The easiest method of accessing the properties of the Start Menu is to right click on the Start button and select [Properties] from the context menu. The Taskbar and Start Menu Properties Property Sheet (Fig. UI-66) will open. The focus is on the Start Menu tab. The large display of the desktop at the top of the window will change as selections are made to alter components. There are only two options available from this Property Sheet. Which one you choose will effect the subsequent settings. Switch back and forth between the radio buttons for [Start Menu] and [Classic Start Menu] while watching the desktop display area. The image will change to display a graphical representation of your selection.

Customize Start Menu - The [General] Tab

Select the radio button next to Start Menu and click [Customize] to open the Customize Start Menu Property Sheet focused on the [General] (Fig. UI-68) tab. A discussion of each section follows.

    [Select an Icon Size for Programs] - Select your choice of large or small icons to be displayed in the Start Menu. This setting only effects the icons displayed in the Pinned Programs and Recently Used Programs lists. (See Fig. UI-65)
    [Programs] - Use this setting to increase or decrease the number of entries in the Recently Used Programs list. If you don’t want any entries in the list, use the [Clear List] button and set the [Number of Programs on the Start Menu] to zero.
    [Show on Start Menu] - The check marks in this entry refer to the Pinned Programs section. Use the drop down boxes to change the default entries or remove the checkmarks to eliminate the entries from the Start menu. Additional programs can be added to the Pinned Programs section so they are always available. If the program appears in the Recently Used Programs section, right click the program name and select [Pin to Start Menu] from the context menu. The same procedure can be used for any program .exe file to add it to the Pinned programs section.

Customize Start Menu - The [Advanced] Tab

    Select the radio button next to Start Menu and click [Customize] to open the Customize Start Menu Property Sheet focused on the [General] tab. Click the [Advanced] (Fig. UI-69) tab to shift the focus. A discussion of each section follows.

    [Start Menu Settings] - contains two settings for the Start menu
        [Open Submenus When I Pause On Them With My Mouse] - Automatically expands any folder on Start Menu which is designated as containing a submenu by the small black right pointing arrowhead. If the box is unchecked the submenu is opened by clicking the item.
        [Highlight Newly Installed Programs] - places a highlight over any newly installed program in the [All Programs] section to make them easily found for first time launching.
        [Recent Documents] - Checking this option places the [My Recent Documents] folder in the [Standard Folders] section as shown in Fig. UI-65. Use the [Clear List] button to delete the list of recent documents. The actual documents are not deleted.
        [Start Menu Items] - The image shown below is a screen capture of the entire scrolling list in this section. A few general notes about the items are listed below.

Fig. UI-70

- Place or remove checkmarks to display or hide items on the Start Menu.
- On radio button controlled items;
        [Display as Link] option will open the item in a separate window.
        [Display as a Menu] uses the submenu and right facing arrowhead method of access.
        [Don’t Display This Item] removes the item from the Start Menu.
- [Scroll Programs] controls the display of All Programs on the Start Menu. If the list exceeds the screen height, the items will be displayed in a single scrollable list when [Scroll Programs] is enabled. If unchecked, the items will be displayed in adjoining windows.

Accessing Desktop and Taskbar Settings | Themes Settings
Desktop Settings | Screensaver Settings
Appearance Settings | Settings
Start Menu | Taskbar | Windows Classic