Pinning to start menu

[vhawk]

hi, i'm a daft old english chap- v thick when it comes to computers

this may not be the right place to ask this but given there is no general- *****s' questions forumi'll give it a go:

why is it that some things can be pinned to the start menu, which , i take it means added to the list of things above start, and others can't?

 

[kimsland]

Most programs and folders can be pinned to the Start Menu
Some need to be dragged there
Network paths can be dragged there too, but you then need to edit the path correctly again.

Actually any shortcut can be dragged there, you just need the correct shortcut path.
ie. here's a shortcut to setup Wireless network:
%SystemRoot%\system32\rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL NetSetup.cpl,@0,WNSW

Basically you just need the correct path.

Oh welcome to TechSpot

 

[vhawk]

thankyou, i don't know what a path is- i did not make myself clear- i know i can run a program at startup by dragging it into the startup folder- what i mean is how can i add a program to the list of programs you get when you click on the green start button- i thought you could do that by selecting pin to start menu but that does not work

 

[jay1648]

You can simply drag a shortcut to the start menu which places it in the top list of the start menu where you can pin other shortcuts. But i think you want to place an item or a shortcut just above the start menu. Usually windows decides on it's own which all items to place in that list depending upon the number of times you use it. so if you don't like something in the start menu list simply right click it and click remove from this list. Then you get another item added which you use most often. So simply by removing everything you don't want, you finally are left up with you want in the start menu.

 

[kimsland]

It's difficult to answer that, when I have answered you perfectly above already
(Note: I was talking about the pinned Start menu shortcuts - just above Start button too.)

Either re-read the above, or let me know what program/file/folder or whatever, that you want to pin a Start menu shortcut path to.

Path: is the location of a file/folder relative to the current directory in which the user is currently working.

As an example:

The relative path to MS Paint is %SystemRoot%\System32\mspaint.exe
Therefore if you made a new shortcut to : %SystemRoot%\System32\mspaint.exe then MS Paint would open, when you double click on the shortcut.

Also, I'm going to ask for this thread to be moved from Introduce yourself to a better path! Namely "Windows OS" forum, here's the path to that forum: https://www.techspot.com/vb/menu15.html

@jay1648 , we are talking about Pinning to the Start Menu, not the list of recently run programs
.

 

[vhawk]

You can simply drag a shortcut to the start menu which places it in the top list of the start menu where you can pin other shortcuts. But i think you want to place an item or a shortcut just above the start menu. Usually windows decides on it's own which all items to place in that list depending upon the number of times you use it. so if you don't like something in the start menu list simply right click it and click remove from this list. Then you get another item added which you use most often. So simply by removing everything you don't want, you finally are left up with you want in the start menu.

gosh thank you very much- truly it was as easy as you say- things are much easier now

 

[kimsland]

So simply by removing everything you don't want, you finally are left up with you want in the start menu.

Yes but don't open any other program, because then these recently used programs will dissapear!

gosh thank you very much- truly it was as easy as you say- things are much easier now

Referring to jay1648 comments above.

So, you didn't actually want to pin them then?

Anyway if you're happy so be it.