Actually I'm not running Vista, but I had this in a text file (obviously copied from somewhere), so it may/may not work
There are three options
Option # 1
This happens if the desktop.ini file in the Recent folder is deleted.
Click Start, type "
%AppData%\Microsoft\Windows" and press <ENTER>
Right-click the folder named Recent, and choose
Delete. Click
Yes when prompted.
Now, type the command "
shell:recent" in Start - Search box, and press <ENTER>.
Logoff and log back on. You should now see the context menu entry
Clear Recent Items List when you right-click on the Recent Items folder in the Start menu.
---------------------
Option # 2
http://www.vistax64.com/vista-file-management/73839-recent-items-not-updating-3.html
if the desktop.ini is missing, Delete will be in the
context menu when right-clicking on the folder.
Check this key in the Registry Editor:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders
In the left-hand pane, the default Data for the Name "Recent" (no quotes) should be:
%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent
(Note that in the registry, the folder is called Recent, not Recent Items: the path is exactly as written. The "Recent Items" name
is a function of the desktop.ini.). And check this key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders
In the left-hand pane, the default Data for the Name "Recent" (no quotes) should be:
C:\Users\(Your Name)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent
Should you need to modify the Data values, log off and back on. Then type shell:recent to see if the folder pops up...
Actually, the folder popping up and disappearing occurs when "Store and display a list of recently opened files" is not checked in
Taskbar and Start Menu Properties. Right-click on the Start Menu button on your Taskbar, and choose Properties. On the Start Menu
tab of that dialog, make sure, under the Privacy section, that that entry has a checkmark (Apply, OK). Then try the shell:recent
command again.
1. Right-click Command Prompt, and choose Run as Administrator. Type the
following command, and then press ENTER:
takeown /f C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent
2. Type the following command, and then press ENTER to grant
administrators full access to the file:
icacls C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent /grant administrators:F
3. Then type:
icacls C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent /grant USERNAME_PC/USERNAME:F
Well, I finally solved my problem with the help of some of dean-dean's advice. Just to recap my problem, I could log in as the Admin. and the "Recent Items" would update whenever a file is opened. However, when I'm logged in under a standard user ID the Recent Items area would not update.
By looking at the registry as defined earlier in this thread, my "Recent Items" for standard users was pointing to a shortcut located in the C:\User\(your name) directory. I could not determine where the shortcut was pointing because if I attempted to open it's properties I was denied access because I "didn't have permission" (even if I was logged in as the Admin.). So taking the advice of dean-dean earlier in this thread I deleted the shortcut file and entered the SHELL:RECENT command in the "Start Search" area of the START menu to create the special file required for the Recent Items area. This apparently worked because the Recent Items window opened.
I then went to the START menu but did not see the "Recent Items" menu item, so taking another of dean-dean's suggestions I opened the "properties" area of the START button and cleared the checks on the following:
"Store and display a list of recently opened files..."
"Store and display a list of recently opened program..."
I performed a restart, logged back into my standard user ID (not my Admin. ID), and opened the properties area of the START button again. I reselected the two items above (replaced the checks for each item) and clicked APPLY. My Recent Items area now works properly, recording any files that are opened.
-------------------------------------------------
Option # 3
1. click windows start menu icon.
2. In search box type index.
3. click on indexing options.
this opens the indexing options window
4. Click on modify.
this opens the indexed locations window
5. un-collapse menu for you hard drive.
6. un-collapse menu for users.
7. check your user name.
8. click ok.
the indexing locations window will close
and bring you back to the indexing options window
9. click advanced.
this opens the advanced options window
10. click rebuild.
11. click ok.
12. click close.
