Start Menu - Restore Missing Default Shortcuts

How to Restore Missing Default Start Menu Shortcuts in Vista​

   Information

This will provide you with separate downloads that include all of the All Programs default shortcuts in the Start menu for each edition of Vista so you can either restore all of the shortcuts or just the ones you need.

   Note

A Start Menu shortcuts download for the Vista Enterprise edition is not included in this tutorial. You can use the download for Ultimate in it's place.

EXAMPLE: Start menu All Programs for Vista Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, and Ultimate
NOTE: To compare and see the features in each edition of Vista, see: Windows Vista Editions Overview and The Vista Editions Comparison Table

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STEP ONE

To Restore Default Start Menu Shortcuts used by Current User Only

NOTE: All 32 bit and 64 bit editions of Vista have these same single current user default Start menu shortcuts. You will also need to download the All Users Default Shortcuts for your edition of Vista in STEP TWO below.

1. Click on the Download button below to download the file below.​

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Single_User_Shortcuts.zip​

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2. Save the Single_User_Shortcuts.zip file to the desktop.​

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3. Right click on the Single_User_Shortcuts.zip file (on desktop) and click on Open.​

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4. Click on Allow in the UAC prompt.​

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5. Extract the Single_User_Shortcuts folder to the desktop.​

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6. Right click on the Start button and click on Open or Explore, not Open/Explore All Users. (See screenshot below)​

NOTE: This will open this hidden Start Menu folder in Windows Explorer:​

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C:\Users\(user name)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu​

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7. To Restore All Default Single User Start Menu Shortcuts ​

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A) Open the Single_User_Shortcuts folder (on desktop) and right click on the Programs folder and click on Copy.​

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B) Right click on a empty space in the Windows Explore window and click on Paste. (See screenshot above)​

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C) Click on Yes and Copy and Replace to confirm the copying of the default shortcuts and desktop.ini files.​

8. To Restore Just the Single User Shortcuts You Want​

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A) Open the Single_User_Shortcuts folder (on desktop) and manually copy the shortcuts you want over to the Start menu location in the Programs folder in the Windows Explorer window location above. (See screenshot below step 6)​

STEP TWO

To Restore Default Start Menu Shortcuts Shared by All Users

NOTE: You will just need to select the download for your edition of Vista. You will also need to do STEP ONE above to restore the Single User default Start Menu shortcuts.

1. For Vista 32 bit or 64 bit Home Basic​

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A) Click on the download button below to download the file below.​

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All_Users_Home_Basic.zip​

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B) Go to step 5.​

2. For Vista 32 bit or 64 bit Home Premium ​

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A) Click on the download button below to download the file below.​

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All_Users_Home_Premium.zip​

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B) Go to step 5.​

3. For Vista 32 bit or 64 bit Business ​

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A) Click on the download button below to download the file below.​

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All_Users_Business.zip​

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B) Go to step 5.​

4. For Vista 32 bit or 64 bit Ultimate​

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A) Click on the download button below to download the file below.​

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All_Users_Ultimate.zip​

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5. Save the ZIP file to the desktop.​

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6. Right click on the ZIP file (on desktop) and click on Open.​

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7. Click on Allow in the UAC prompt.​

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8. Extract the All_Users_(Vista Edition) folder to the desktop.​

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9. Right click on the Start button and click on Open All Users or Explore All Users, not Open/Explore. (See screenshot below)​

NOTE: This will open this hidden Start Menu folder in Windows Explorer:​

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C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu​

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10. To Restore All Default All Users Start Menu Shortcuts​

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A) Open the All_Users_(Vista Edition) folder (on desktop) and highlight the Programs folder, Default Programs shortcut, and Windows Update shortcut, then right click on them and click on Copy.​

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B) Right click on a empty space in the Windows Explore window and click on Paste. (See screenshot above)​

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C) Click on Yes and Copy and Replace to confirm the copying of the default shortcuts and desktop.ini files.​

11. To Restore Just the All Users Shortcuts You Want ​

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A) Open the All_Users_(Vista Edition) folder (on desktop) and manually copy the shortcuts you want over to the Start menu location in the Programs folder in the Windows Explorer window location above. (See screenshot below step 9)​

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That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

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• How to Customize the Start Menu in Vista
• How to Display Small or Large Icons in the Vista Start Menu
• How to Enable or Disable the All Programs List in the Vista Start Menu
• How to Restore the Start Menu Search Button after Installing the Vista SP1
• How to Enable or Disable the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties Window in Vista
• How to Add or Delete a Shortcut or Folder From the Start Menu in Vista
• How to Hide or Show Hidden Files and Folders in Vista
• How to Restore the Administrative Tools Shortcuts in Vista
• How to Fix the Games Explorer Link in the Vista Start Menu
• Game Shortcut Links in Games Explorer Do Not Work

 

[Brink]

Hello Avrion, and welcome to Vista Forums.

As a test, create a new administrator account and see if it the Start Menu works properly in it. If so, then you can copy the files you want from your old account's user folders into the corresponding new account's user folders. After everything checks out ok, you can delete the old user account from within the new one.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Avrion41]

Hello Avrion, and welcome to Vista Forums.

As a test, create a new administrator account and see if it the Start Menu works properly in it. If so, then you can copy the files you want from your old account's user folders into the corresponding new account's user folders. After everything checks out ok, you can delete the old user account from within the new one.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

The new account does have the Accessories folder. But is there any way to solve the problem for this old account of mine? I 'configured' it to my liking and to start from scratch for the new account will be very troublesome. Unless you know of a better way to move my other folders from the old to the new via external hard disk or CDs.

Thanks.

 

[Brink]

You can see if running a sfc /scannow command, or doing a system restore using a restore point dated before this happened may be able to fix it for you.

 

[evolve60]

is there a way to restore all the folders that were there? like for example if I installed a game and it creates a shortcut in the "All programs" menu?

 

[Brink]

Hello Evolve, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Sorry, but this only restores the default shortcuts. You can create new shortcuts directly from the games .exe files though, and place them back into the Start Menu.

 

[meowmix2]

I made an account and logged in just to say thank you !!!!!!!!!!!! I deleted a programs folder which was inside my all programs folder so i thought i made a copy by mistake i deleted it and my administrative tools were gone. I tired system restore and that didn't work then i found this and thus saving my ass so ill like to say thank you !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome meowmix, and welcome to Vista Forums.

 

[bfly557]

I downloaded both the Basic and all users downloads, I accidentally install the all users and not the basic. All of my programs are not showing. Is it possible for me to start all over. I deleted all of the desktop.ini they were referring me to notepad and blank, they are in my recycle bucket so I could restore them if I have to.

Thanks for your help.
Butterfly

 

[Brink]

Hello Butterfly, and welcome to Vista Forums.

There's only a "current user" (Step One section) or "all users" (Step Two section) type of downloads.

In the "all users" section in STEP TWO, you would want to download step 2 for your Vista Home Premium edition so as to get the default shortcuts for that edition instead of the other editions.

There's not need to start over unless you just wanted to. Instead you could just add any missing shortcuts using step 2 that were not already added by step 1.

Hope this helps,
Shawn