rid "recent programs" from start menu

hey, does anyone know how i can get rid of the recent programs list? i don't like how much room it takes up.

i don't want to use "classic menu" else it ruins my custom windows skin. also, i don't just want to clear it. i want it gone. killed. nixed.

thanks

 

Those should all be shortcuts at less than 1Kb each (and will not be taking more than 3-4Kb disk space at most) so they won't be taking up much total drive space.


But if you want to get rid of the thing completely, This article tells how to do that and lots of other Start Menu policy changes with a simple registry tweak.

 

Try this -

1. Rt. click the Task Bar
2. Properties.
3. Start Menu.
4. Customize.
5. Set "Number of programs in Start Menu" to 0
6. Click on Clear List.

Works for me.

mopar.

 

that worked for me too.

 

that didn't work for me but the other advice about using gpedit.msc did work, so thanks fellas.

 

baltman - thanks for posting back with your results. I'm especially glad since I wasn't aware of the gpedit tweaks until I started searching around for a fix for you. Nice to know that particular thing works as advertised.

 

Newt, The M$ link you posted clearly ststes that the information presented applies to XP Pro and XP Home.

I have wasted the past 20 minutes determining that there is no such animal as gpedit.msc in XP Home, at least not in my version. Do you suppose that's one of those little "Value Added" options that us peons didn't get. I would be a kindness if they would spell that out so as to reduce the frustration for use folks with weaker minds to begin with.

hmm...

 

I agree. And other places, M$ clearly states it isn't there.

Best recap of which features are in one or both is Here.

I more and more believe that M$ went way overboard with the limitations on XP-home. Be interesting to see if they add them in at some point in the near future. They are beginning to feel some serious heat from the open source operating systems and are gonna have to work to be competitive so in addition to dropping the price of the OS (and soon I betcha), I strongly suspect they will uncripple XP-home to some extent.

Were it me (and not long ago it were ) I'd consider paying the few bucks and getting an upgrade to XP-pro for yourself.

I considered getting a copy of XP-home to load on a section of my drive in addition to XP-pro so I could check things for the forum before making suggestions but decided I am just too darn cheap.

 

Yeah, the Features comparison link is fine as far as it goes. They need another one that compares the Windows "Homeless" oem version with the others as well. On this version you get even less since it's preloaded by the oem and they keep the disk. (HP in my case)

I don't think I could use an upgrade disk to XP Pro version since with the Homeless version, I have no physical proof of previous qualifying system.

Thanks.

 

mod: please close this thread.