Program installations cannot create new start menu shortcuts

itsthewooo · 7th March 2005

I have a very weird problem, so weird that I've not been able to find even one single instance of anyone else experiencing it.

You know how when you install a new program on your system, typically at the end of installation the program will automatically create a program group and shortcuts in the start menu? Well for some reason programs cannot automatically create shortcuts.

Here's what typically happens... the install will be humming along fine then I'll get hit with errors:

"cannot create <shortcut>.lnk"

I'll get that error or something very similar (i.e. fail to create; etc) for as many shortcuts as it tried to create.

The program works fine, it's just it couldn't create shortcuts in the start menu for some perverse reason.

When I check the start menu, there will typically be a new folder created corresponding to the program, however the folder will contain *no shortcuts* and will be blank.

Now, if i manually try to create a shortcut and drop it in the start menu myself, I CAN do this.
It's just when programs try to do it that the problem occurs, it seems. It's limited only to shortcuts, too, as the install is able to create new folders.

Anyone have any idea why this might be occuring?

Also another possibly related problem... my quicklaunch bar settings are not saved on reboot. The icons rearrange to default and it refuses to stay open. This problem is more common, however none of the common issues behind it are causing it. I don't have the wsaupdater.exe issues, I don't have the nosavesettings key, etc.

If it helps these problems seemed to come about when I upgraded to xp2. I had lots of problems with it. For awhile explorer was crashing every time i right clicked but i figured out how to fix that (there was something in the shell that was screwing it up and i had to remove it from the menu with a program).

These two problems now just have me stumped. Any answers?

**PeteC** · 7th March 2005

itsthewooo - Welcome to the Board

Have you tried running System File Checker?

Start > Run > sfc /scannow - note the space and have your XP CD handy.

itsthewooo · 7th March 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeteC

itsthewooo - Welcome to the Board

Have you tried running System File Checker?

Start > Run > sfc /scannow - note the space and have your XP CD handy.

I just tried that now and it did a little scan but nothing came up.

**PeteC** · 7th March 2005

Should have added that SFC runs and exits without any closing dialogue. To see which files, if any, were replaced look in Event Viewer.

Guess that didn't solve the problem?

**charlesvar** · 7th March 2005

Hello itsthewooo,

and it did a little scan
Did it ask for the XP cd?

Regards - Charles

itsthewooo · 13th March 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeteC

Should have added that SFC runs and exits without any closing dialogue. To see which files, if any, were replaced look in Event Viewer.

Guess that didn't solve the problem?

For future reference how do i access event viewer?

And no, it did not unfortunately resolve the problem

itsthewooo · 13th March 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by charlesvar

Hello itsthewooo,

and it did a little scan
Did it ask for the XP cd?

Regards - Charles

yes it did, but it did not resolve the problem unfortunately.

**PeteC** · 13th March 2005

Quote:

For future reference how do i access event viewer?

Right click My Computer icon > Manage > Event Viewer.

**Arie** · 13th March 2005

If you navigate to your Start Menu in Windows Explorer (\Documents and Settings \ your username \ Start Menu), and you right-click Start Menu, select Properties, do you see a tab Security?

If so, is a user SYSTEM listed, and does it have all permissions checked (Special Permissions will be un-checked)?

itsthewooo · 13th March 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arie

If you navigate to your Start Menu in Windows Explorer (\Documents and Settings \ your username \ Start Menu), and you right-click Start Menu, select Properties, do you see a tab Security?

If so, is a user SYSTEM listed, and does it have all permissions checked (Special Permissions will be un-checked)?

Hi
No there is no security tab listed. Just general, sharing, and customize tabs.

By the way, other computers on my home network cannot browse the contents of my C drive even though I've shared it and made all files available. I can browse THEIR drives but they cannot browse my root drive (just certain folders like shared, or other folders within c that I manually tell it to share).

Perhaps all these problems are related?

**PeteC** · 13th March 2005

Quote:

No there is no security tab listed

Only in Pro with Tools > Folder Options > View - 'Use simple file sharing' unchecked

itsthewooo · 13th March 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arie

If you navigate to your Start Menu in Windows Explorer (\Documents and Settings \ your username \ Start Menu), and you right-click Start Menu, select Properties, do you see a tab Security?

If so, is a user SYSTEM listed, and does it have all permissions checked (Special Permissions will be un-checked)?

Hi again
Thanks Pete C for telling me how to see the security tab

YES there is a user system. There is also myself, and "Administrators".

All of us have all permissions checked except special permissions... HOWEVER they are greyed out with a little check box. Meaning, I can't check or uncheck them, they're just grayed out with a check in them by default.

Let me show you what I mean...
click here to see screen capture

Is that OK?

**PeteC** · 13th March 2005

This may look like a 'duck out', but I am the only user on my m/c and have not probed such matters in great depth. However, see if this is helpful ...

How to set, view, change, or remove special permissions for files and folders in Windows XP