Hi All,

Windows XP(Home)SP3

This is a dual question pertaining to the same area. I inadvertently changed a setting somewhere that changed the behavior of my Programs Menu. My Program Menu previously contained program specific icons to represent the individual programs (such as the blue & white icon that represents Word). Now, two thirds of the programs have the same generic icon to represent the individual programs listed in the menu. Anyone know of a way to convert those generic icons to the program specific icons to represent the individual programs listed in the Programs Menu. Question 2 - Previously when I 'Highlighted Programs' on the Start Menu, I received an initial 'Flyout' that listed the most recently accessed 4 or 5 programs from the Menu with a cravat at its bottom to display the entire Menu. Now, Highlighting Programs displays the entire Menu. Anyway to get the most recently accessed small listing back?

TIA

   Have you tried going to Control Panel - Taskbar and Start Menu?  The Start Menu tab there allows you to choose between the Classic Start Menu and the new one.  There is also a Customize button which allows you to change many of the characteristics.

You could have a corrupted icon cache.  Microsoft's free download tweak UI has a simple repair feature.  You could also try booting into safe mode and then rebooting into normal mode, this sometimes works.  And lastly, you could delete the hidden file  "ShellIconCache" located in your Windows folder and then reboot.

To expand on Ray's suggestion, right click on the start menu and open the "Taskbar and Start Menu Properties" and click on the customize button.  In the program's box you can choose the number programs that should show up in the start menu.

I did finally work out a solution to my Icon problem, although it is a tedious solution that applies to the change of one icon at a time. First, locate an icon you wish to exchange with the "Generic" icon. This icon can be from anywhere, start menu sub-folder, desktop, etc. Right click the icon. Select Properties, Under the shortcut tab select "Change Icon". Control>C, copies the highlighted text. Click OK, and OK to close the dialog box. Then go to the Icon you wish to change, in my case on the start menu using the clasic view and right click that icon. Select Properties, Select Customize tab, then change icon, Hit delete to remove the highlighted text, Control V to replace the highlighted text, OK, OK, Apply, and last OK to close out every thing. The Icon is changed.

Im still fiddling around to get my short menu back.