Start menu items missing sometimes

I'm running Vista Home Premium. I have 12 items pinned to the start menu.

SOMETIMES when I click on the start menu button only 8 items display. If I
click again (close the start menu) and click once more (open the start menu),
then I'll see all 12.

SOMETIMES I see all 12 items on the start menu the first time I open it.

I tried unpinning all items from the start menu and restarting the machine.
Then I went back through and (re-)pinned the items. That didn't help. I still
have the sometimes 8/sometimes 12 situation.

This is a minor irritation, but it's a silly bug to have in Vista. Does
anyone have a clue as to what I'm experiencing, how to set it right?

Try disabling the "recently opened programs". right click start menu, click
properties, then deselect the box under Privacy that says "Store and display
a list of recently opened programs." Maybe this will make it only show the
ones you have pinned.
guitardude

"jimbur" <jimbur@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:45B78D78-A5B8-4AE6-B4D2-08DB632A5900@microsoft.com...
> I'm running Vista Home Premium. I have 12 items pinned to the start menu.
>
> SOMETIMES when I click on the start menu button only 8 items display. If I
> click again (close the start menu) and click once more (open the start
> menu),
> then I'll see all 12.
>
> SOMETIMES I see all 12 items on the start menu the first time I open it.
>
> I tried unpinning all items from the start menu and restarting the
> machine.
> Then I went back through and (re-)pinned the items. That didn't help. I
> still
> have the sometimes 8/sometimes 12 situation.
>
> This is a minor irritation, but it's a silly bug to have in Vista. Does
> anyone have a clue as to what I'm experiencing, how to set it right?
>

Both "Store and display..." boxes are - and have been - unchecked, so that's
not it. I may try checking one of them to see if that makes the pinned items
hang together - but I'd really prefer not to have those tagalongs cluttering
up the start menu. Thanks for your suggestion.

"guitardude" wrote:

> Try disabling the "recently opened programs". right click start menu, click
> properties, then deselect the box under Privacy that says "Store and display
> a list of recently opened programs." Maybe this will make it only show the
> ones you have pinned.
> guitardude
>

Try setting the number of programs to show in the start menu to 8, reset the
computer, and then try setting the number to 12, and restarting your pc
again... maybe that'll help.

Emil Lulic

"guitardude" <guitardude@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:67458698-F939-47FF-9699-CA5F55D8D469@microsoft.com...
> Try disabling the "recently opened programs". right click start menu,
> click properties, then deselect the box under Privacy that says "Store and
> display a list of recently opened programs." Maybe this will make it only
> show the ones you have pinned.
> guitardude
>
> "jimbur" <jimbur@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:45B78D78-A5B8-4AE6-B4D2-08DB632A5900@microsoft.com...
>> I'm running Vista Home Premium. I have 12 items pinned to the start menu.
>>
>> SOMETIMES when I click on the start menu button only 8 items display. If
>> I
>> click again (close the start menu) and click once more (open the start
>> menu),
>> then I'll see all 12.
>>
>> SOMETIMES I see all 12 items on the start menu the first time I open it.
>>
>> I tried unpinning all items from the start menu and restarting the
>> machine.
>> Then I went back through and (re-)pinned the items. That didn't help. I
>> still
>> have the sometimes 8/sometimes 12 situation.
>>
>> This is a minor irritation, but it's a silly bug to have in Vista. Does
>> anyone have a clue as to what I'm experiencing, how to set it right?
>>
>

The "Start menu size/Number of recent programs to display" area is greyed
out, i.e. it's not something I can get to or modify. I know I could do that
in XP, but Vista has it protected.

"Emil Lulic" wrote:

> Try setting the number of programs to show in the start menu to 8, reset the
> computer, and then try setting the number to 12, and restarting your pc
> again... maybe that'll help.
>
> Emil Lulic
>

My Vista hasn't! I can change it as I wish...

"jimbur" <jimbur@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:55A24BAE-F4EE-43EF-B0A8-80331581B649@microsoft.com...
> The "Start menu size/Number of recent programs to display" area is greyed
> out, i.e. it's not something I can get to or modify. I know I could do
> that
> in XP, but Vista has it protected.
>
> "Emil Lulic" wrote:
>
>> Try setting the number of programs to show in the start menu to 8, reset
>> the
>> computer, and then try setting the number to 12, and restarting your pc
>> again... maybe that'll help.
>>
>> Emil Lulic
>>
>

It's grayed out if you have unchecked "Store and display a list of recently
opened programs". I have 20 programs added to my Start menu.
I also have unchecked "Store and display recently opened files" and "Store and
display recent programs".


-Michael

"jimbur" <jimbur@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:55A24BAE-F4EE-43EF-B0A8-80331581B649@microsoft.com...
> The "Start menu size/Number of recent programs to display" area is greyed
> out, i.e. it's not something I can get to or modify. I know I could do that
> in XP, but Vista has it protected.
>
> "Emil Lulic" wrote:
>
>> Try setting the number of programs to show in the start menu to 8, reset the
>> computer, and then try setting the number to 12, and restarting your pc
>> again... maybe that'll help.
>>
>> Emil Lulic
>>
>

MAYBE I'm okay now. Here's what I just did:
Opened Start Menu Properties.
Checked BOTH "Store and display" boxes.
Clicked Apply and then OK, i.e. closed the Start Menu.
Opened Start Menu Properties again.
Clicked on Customize.
This time I COULD get to the Number of programs to display! (I set it to
zero.)

(This had to be done in two steps? Did I not click on Apply when I tried
this before? Can you get away with that?!)

This was my last little frustration with Vista. Nice to have it resolved.
Thanks for your time - and for motivating me to keep slugging away at the
problem.

"Emil Lulic" wrote:

> My Vista hasn't! I can change it as I wish...
>