Windows XP Start Menu, adding folders to the right had side

[LDoR]

Hey all.

I've been scouering the registry for the keys that control which 'special' folders are displayed on the right hand side of the start menu such as the My Computer, My Music, MyPictues as i want to add a folder to this section, i want to add My Videos.

However i've not found it and the windows tips sites i've come across have not been too useful.

Anybody got someplace they can point me?

 

[yoyo]

As far as I know you can't add items to the section where the My Pictures and My Music folders are displayed. It is possible to add an item below Run and you can replace items displayed in the other sections. That "Set program access and defaults" added by one of the Windows updates is a good canditate for that. In fact I downloaded it just to replace it.

A regfile to add an item below Run would look like

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{2559a1f6-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}]
@="My Videos"
"InfoTip"="whatever you like"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{2559a1f6-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}\DefaultIcon]
@="Path\\to your\\icon\\using backslashes"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{2559a1f6-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}\Instance\InitPropertyBag]
"method"="ShellExecute"
"Command"="My Videos"
"Param1"="C:\\Documents and Settings\\user\\My Documents\\My Videos"

Adjust the parts in red. Always remember to use double backslashes for path values in reg files.
Instead of the path to a folder you can also put a web address there or the path to an application.

If you want to replace items. The registry path to the above mentioned "Set program access..." (it will be still accessible in the all programs menu and in Control Panel) is
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{2559a1f7-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}

Export the keys first before you change them, just in case something goes wrong or you change your mind.

 

[jeff37]

I have tried this and all I can get is a "My Videos" with a blank icon that won't open. Any ideas?

 

[LeeJend]

I jsut ran it and it installed fine.

Make sure you replace user with your windows user id in the text strings.

"Param1"="C:\\Documents and Settings\\user\\My Documents\\My Videos"
should be modified
"Param1"="C:\\Documents and Settings\\jeff37\\My Documents\\My Videos"

and you have to find a real icon file to point to for the folder, that is why it is blank.

Now to get all that junk back out of my registry...

 

[Heeter]

I use it the yoyo regedit with no problems either. Been using it for a long time.

It does work.

Heeter

 

[iceman7311]

that was reallly cool dude

 

[Alutian]

MS 'invented' special folders & then made a real mess of them... I can't cure the ridiculus situation where 'My Music' displays as a RH Menu item but 'My Videos' cannot, but...

Do you just want a quick method to access 'special My...' folders?

If so...

Create a folder called 'My'
Create shortcuts in the 'My' folder to all folders that you deem 'special'. Not necessarily the MS ones, any folder that you want quick access to. You can even add program shortcuts...
Re-name the shortcuts as you see fit.

Unlock the Taskbar and select Toolbars>New Toolbar
Select the 'My' folder

Now the difficult bit...
Re-arrange the Toolbars so that 'My' is on the far left, and only shows as 'My>>'. You may find increasing the height of the Taskbar makes the job a lot easier. Reduce the height afterwards if you do.

Lock the Taskbar.

Done!

You should now have a tiny Toolbar to the right of the 'start' button that reads 'My>>'. Left-click on '>>' for a pop-up list of the 'My folders'.

OK - not as fancy as the 'start' menu, but to my mind it works rather better for fixed folders.

Now, how can I dump the 'start' button... ;-)

 

[mikefletcher85]

I know this is an old post, but im trying to get My Videos next to My Computer.. but i see its a lil tougher then i first had thought. But here is a question.. i care more about "My Videos" then "My Pictures" is there a way to edit the path for "My Pictures" in the start menu so that i could change it to "My Videos" with the icon for "My Videos"?