THE START MENU

[ZippyDan]

ive had this question since like Win98, but i never thought to ask it:

the normal Windows Start menu from Win95 to WinXP shows all your programs, folders first in alphabetical order, followed by programs with no folders in alphabetical order

if i install a new program with a start menu folder, its inserted in its appropriate place as it should be...

...for like the first six months of use

somewhere along the line, start menu program folders start ending up at the end of the start menu program list AFTER all the programs with no folders. after this point, every new folder seems to end up at the end of the start menu. in Win98 i seem to remember it just added it to the very end of the start menu, regardless of alphabet. now in WinXP its doing the same thing to me except it seems to be creating an all new list, alphabetically

so now i have

Alphabetic Folders A - Z -> Alphabetic Programs without Folders A - Z -> Alphabetic Programs New A - Z -> Alphabetic Porgrams without Folders New A - Z

WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Click Start.
Click Programs.
Highlight some random folder in the main program folder list.
Right-click.
Click "Sort By Name".

...

Profit!

<edit>
You can also click-and-drag programs around in the start menu.
You can also right-click the start button and click Explore All Users, but sometimes some folders in the start menu don't show up in that window.

 

[ZippyDan]

i know how to FIX it, im asking:

WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN

edit: in reply to ur edit, i assume some programs dont show up under explore all users because sometimes programs only install to specific users and are not in the common All Users folder but rather in a specific User\Start Menu folder

 

[ZippyDan]

i just realized this should be in operating systems forum. im reposting there, plz lock? thx