In XP the registry location for the "right click start menu" was in HKEY CLASSES ROOT, but am unable to locate it in Vista. McAfee has placed a "Scan" shortcut into this menu that I wish to remove. Also I wish the "Explore" and "Explore All" items of this "right click start menu" to link to a different folder than "Windows\Programs\Start Menu," as I was able to change it in XP. I am aware that it is linking what it was designed to do, but I use this right click start menu to negotiate in Exlorer. I am also aware that I could (and have temporarily) created shortcuts to the folders I want to visit in Explorer and (in the meantime) have even placed these shortcuts into "Favorites" and pinned these to the left side of the start menu, but there is a registry entry that allows me to change the default. I just can't find it in Vista. Thanks for any assistance.
How-To Geek Forums / Windows Vista
Vista Registry Location for Right Click Start Menu
(9 posts)
I think it's in this key:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers
The problem is that in there, there are some keys with names, and then other keys with just the GUID. If you search for each one of the guids that you find in there, then you'll see what app it belongs to.
I don't have mcafee on my computer... isn't there a way in the software itself to remove that?
thedudestar: Thanks for the thought. I checked that key and am checking the GUID's as we speak. As to McAfee having something in the software itself to remove something, you apparently have never worked with McAfee. They make nothing simple and never ask your permission to install something. Try being on a plane before takeoff and you turn on your puter to quickly check your e-mail and McAfee starts a download with no way to stop it and the stewardess says: "time to shut down" and you reply, "as soon as McAfee finishes downloading," and she says "NOW!" John
thedudester: Are you sure you really want to do that <grin> At least McAfee isn't as hard to remove as Norton though. Here is what my Belcarc Advisor is reporting. I'm pretty sure it all comes under the Heading of McAfee Security Center version 8.0 though.
McAfee Anti-Spam Version 9.0 *
McAfee Integrated Security Platform Version 2,0,0,0 *
McAfee Personal Firewall Version 9.0.136.0 *
McAfee Proxy Version 2,0,0,0 *
McAfee SecurityCenter Version 8,0,0,0 *
McAfee VirusScan API Version 12,0,0,0 *
McAfee VirusScan Version 12,0,0,0 *
.................AND THE ANSWER TO THE "SCAN" ENTRY IS (thanks to whomever "xy" is at the McAfee forum):
Delete these two keys:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\McCtxMenu {01576F39-90DE-4D6E-A068-5B20C22BAAEE}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\folder\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\McCtxMenu {01576F39-90DE-4D6E-A068-5B20C22BAAEE}
I thought "McCtxMenu" had something to do with McAfee, but I wasn't certain. Now we know and these two keys are deleted. I sure hate when programs (and McAfee is a bad one for this) install things without your intervention. This is still MY computer.
I would still like to know how to change the default "Start Menu" folder in this "Right Click Start Menu." In prior versions of Windows, these items were in plain text and simple to decipher and not in GUID's. Any suggestions are still desired.
Much thanks to thedudestar for the assist and the geek for letting me use this forum. John
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