Add 'Downloads' to Start Menu

  • Thread starter Thread starter munchie
  • Start date Start date
M

munchie

I've noticed the default Start Menu has direct links to folders like
Documents, Music, and Pictures. More than any of those, I really love
my Downloads folder. Is there anyway to add this to the Start Menu?

Thanks,

- Munchie
 
I don't know if you can add it to the right side, but you can add it to the
left side..
In Windows Explorer, drag the Downloads folder to the Start button, it will
create a shortcut.


"munchie" wrote in message
news:1191369058.570332.214340@g4g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
> I've noticed the default Start Menu has direct links to folders like
> Documents, Music, and Pictures. More than any of those, I really love
> my Downloads folder. Is there anyway to add this to the Start Menu?
>
> Thanks,
>
> - Munchie
>
 
On Oct 2, 9:17 pm, "Dave" wrote:
> I don't know if you can add it to the right side, but you can add it to the
> left side..
> In Windows Explorer, drag the Downloads folder to the Start button, it will
> create a shortcut.
>
> "munchie" wrote in message
>
> news:1191369058.570332.214340@g4g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
>
> > I've noticed the default Start Menu has direct links to folders like
> > Documents, Music, and Pictures. More than any of those, I really love
> > my Downloads folder. Is there anyway to add this to the Start Menu?
>
> > Thanks,
>
> > - Munchie

Good enough! Thanks for the quick reply.
 
This is really close:
1 Right-click the gray area on the start menu and select properties
2. Click the Customize... button
3. Scroll down and select "Display as a menu" under "Personal folder"
4. Click OK twice.
5. Click the Start menu
6. Click your user name

There is your Downloads folder. If you want to open it just double-click on
it.
---
Your question may already be answered in Windows Vista Security:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/047010155...rotectyourwi-20


"munchie" wrote:

> On Oct 2, 9:17 pm, "Dave" wrote:
> > I don't know if you can add it to the right side, but you can add it to the
> > left side..
> > In Windows Explorer, drag the Downloads folder to the Start button, it will
> > create a shortcut.
> >
> > "munchie" wrote in message
> >
> > news:1191369058.570332.214340@g4g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
> >
> > > I've noticed the default Start Menu has direct links to folders like
> > > Documents, Music, and Pictures. More than any of those, I really love
> > > my Downloads folder. Is there anyway to add this to the Start Menu?
> >
> > > Thanks,
> >
> > > - Munchie
>
> Good enough! Thanks for the quick reply.
>
>
 
I know this is an old thread but it came up when I searched wanting the
same thing as the OP.
The last poster said something about the "Personal folder" this is the
Documents folder, not the Downloads folder.

To replace one of the Documents, Pictures, Music etc items go to the
following two registry keys:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell
Folders
and
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders

and change the value of the one you want to replace.
EG: To replace the Documents item with Downloads change the data value
for 'Personal' to 'C:\Users\_user_name_\Downloads' and
'%USERPROFILE%\Downloads' respectively.


--
bmn
 
bmn688432 Wrote:
> I know this is an old thread but it came up when I searched wanting the
> same thing as the OP.
> The last poster said something about the "Personal folder" this is the
> Documents folder, not the Downloads folder.
>
> To replace one of the Documents, Pictures, Music etc items go to the
> following two registry keys:
> HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerShell
> Folders
> and
> HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerUser
> Shell Folders
>
> and change the value of the one you want to replace.
> EG: To replace the Documents item with Downloads change the data value
> for 'Personal' to 'C:Users_user_name_Downloads' and
> '%USERPROFILE%Downloads' respectively.

doing that changes the 'Documents' in the user folder to 'downloads' so
that there are two. that's annoying :mad:

you need to change one more key in
'HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell
Folders'. in my registry it is '{374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B}'
but i could be different for you. if it is just look for
'%USERPROFILE%\Downloads' in the data colum (note: not the one you have
changed), and it should give you your 'Documents' folder back.

'[image:
http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i109/lit...sinstartme.jpg]'
(http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i109/lit...dsinstartme.jpg)'[image:
http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i109/lit...dsinstar-1.jpg]'
(http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i109/lit...adsinstar-1.jpg)


--
green_link
 
munchie470016 Wrote:
> I've noticed the default Start Menu has direct links to folders like
> Documents, Music, and Pictures. More than any of those, I really love
> my Downloads folder. Is there anyway to add this to the Start Menu?
>
> Thanks,
>
> - Munchie
Hello munchie,
Why not just put a downloads shortcut on the desktop ?


--
t-4-2
 
There has to be a way to add a registry entry to create a new button
that opens the folder rather than renaming a current button.


--
Daisame
 
t-4-2 wrote:
> munchie470016 Wrote:
>> I've noticed the default Start Menu has direct links to folders like
>> Documents, Music, and Pictures. More than any of those, I really love
>> my Downloads folder. Is there anyway to add this to the Start Menu?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> - Munchie
> Hello munchie,
> Why not just put a downloads shortcut on the desktop ?
>
>

No registry change! In windows explorer, right click "downloads", click
"send to", click "desktop (create shortcut)", then drag the shortcut to
the start orb. Viola.

--
Dave T.

Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day teach a
person to use the internet and they won't bother you for
weeks.
 
Dave T.755187 Wrote:
> t-4-2 wrote:> > >
> >
> > No registry change! In windows explorer, right click "downloads", click
> > "send to", click "desktop (create shortcut)", then drag the shortcut to
> > the start orb. Viola.
> >
> > --
> > Dave T.
> >
> > Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day teach a
> > person to use the internet and they won't bother you for
> > weeks.> >
>
> Actually that will only let you create a shortcut within one of the
> existing folder links (Documents, Pictures, etc). It will not let you
> create a new folder listing called "Download" (or whatever you are
> trying to add)


--
Daisame
 
Daisame wrote:

>> Actually that will only let you create a shortcut within one of the
>> existing folder links (Documents, Pictures, etc). It will not let you
>> create a new folder listing called "Download" (or whatever you are
>> trying to add)
>
>
That's odd, it works on my machine. The new shortcut is in the list on
the left side of the start menu, and is a folder unto itself not a sub
of one of the other folders.

--
Dave T.
 
Dave T.755296 Wrote:
> Daisame wrote:
> > > > > > > > >
> > > >> Actually that will only let you create a shortcut within one of the
> > > >> existing folder links (Documents, Pictures, etc). It will not let
> > > you
> > > >> create a new folder listing called "Download" (or whatever you are
> > > >> trying to add)> > > >
> > >
> > > > >
> That's odd, it works on my machine. The new shortcut is in the list
> on
> the left side of the start menu, and is a folder unto itself not a
> sub
> of one of the other folders.
>
> --
> Dave T.

I have a feeling you are talking about the Top of the Left area. Where
the other quick launch icons are. There are numerous posts on how to put
a folder there. We are talking about the right side of the start menu
that currently holds things like the link to the control panel and the
Documents and Music folders, etc.


--
Daisame
 
And what, if I may ask, is the difference WHERE the shortcut is? Left part,
right part, as long as it's there doesn't it serve its purpose?

Just my $0.02.

--
Sincerely,

Daniel Petri
MVP, Senior IT consultant, trainer
www.petri.co.il

"Daisame" wrote in message
news:c7852c97fd25a251bc9f8147cce7def7@nntp-gateway.com...
>
> Dave T.755296 Wrote:
>> Daisame wrote:
>> > > > > > > > >
>> > > >> Actually that will only let you create a shortcut within one of
>> > > >> the
>> > > >> existing folder links (Documents, Pictures, etc). It will not let
>> > > you
>> > > >> create a new folder listing called "Download" (or whatever you are
>> > > >> trying to add)> > > >
>> > >
>> > > > >
>> That's odd, it works on my machine. The new shortcut is in the list
>> on
>> the left side of the start menu, and is a folder unto itself not a
>> sub
>> of one of the other folders.
>>
>> --
>> Dave T.
>
> I have a feeling you are talking about the Top of the Left area. Where
> the other quick launch icons are. There are numerous posts on how to put
> a folder there. We are talking about the right side of the start menu
> that currently holds things like the link to the control panel and the
> Documents and Music folders, etc.
>
>
> --
> Daisame
 
Daniel Petri755439 Wrote:
> And what, if I may ask, is the difference WHERE the shortcut is? Left
> part,
> right part, as long as it's there doesn't it serve its purpose?
>
> Just my $0.02.
>
> --
> Sincerely,
>
> Daniel Petri
> MVP, Senior IT consultant, trainer
> 'www.petri.co.il' (http://www.petri.co.il)
>
> "Daisame" wrote in message
> news:c7852c97fd25a251bc9f8147cce7def7@xxxxxx-gateway.com...> > >
> > >
> > > Dave T.755296 Wrote:> > > > >
> > > >> Daisame wrote:
> > > >> That's odd, it works on my machine. The new shortcut is in the list
> > > >> on
> > > >> the left side of the start menu, and is a folder unto itself not a
> > > >> sub
> > > >> of one of the other folders.
> > > >>
> > > >> --
> > > >> Dave T.> > > >
> > >
> > > I have a feeling you are talking about the Top of the Left area.
> > Where
> > > the other quick launch icons are. There are numerous posts on how
> > to put
> > > a folder there. We are talking about the right side of the start
> > menu
> > > that currently holds things like the link to the control panel
> > and the
> > > Documents and Music folders, etc.
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Daisame > >

Asside from it not being the way some (incuding myself) would like it,
it also requires that the original shortcut stay where it is. If you
move or delete it, the link in the top of the start menu does not work.

It would be more elegant for the user to add the folder along side the
others of the same type.


--
Daisame
 
Daniel Petri wrote:
> And what, if I may ask, is the difference WHERE the shortcut is? Left
> part, right part, as long as it's there doesn't it serve its purpose?
>
> Just my $0.02.
>

Your opinion is the reason I posted what I thought was a common sense
approach. I guess some people just like to futz with the registry.
--
Dave T.
 
Daisame755474 Wrote:
> > Daniel Petri755439 Wrote:
> > And what, if I may ask, is the difference WHERE the shortcut is? Left
> > part,
> > right part, as long as it's there doesn't it serve its purpose?
> >
> > Just my $0.02.
> >
> > --
> > Sincerely,
> >
> > Daniel Petri
> > MVP, Senior IT consultant, trainer
> > 'www.petri.co.il' (http://www.petri.co.il)
> >
> > "Daisame" wrote in message
> > news:c7852c97fd25a251bc9f8147cce7def7@xxxxxx-gateway.com...> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > Dave T.755296 Wrote:
> > > >
> > > > I have a feeling you are talking about the Top of the Left area.
> > > Where
> > > > the other quick launch icons are. There are numerous posts on how to
> > > put
> > > > a folder there. We are talking about the right side of the start menu
> > > > that currently holds things like the link to the control panel and
> > > the
> > > > Documents and Music folders, etc.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Daisame > > > > > >
>
> Asside from it not being the way some (incuding myself) would like
> it, it also requires that the original shortcut stay where it is. If
> you move or delete it, the link in the top of the start menu does not
> work.
>
> It would be more elegant for the user to add the folder along side
> the others of the same type.
It's beyond my comprehension. I said it befoe and I am saying it again
" What's wrong with putting a shortcut on the DESKTOP ? " Wouldn't it be
faster? You won't even have to click Start button.


--
t-4-2
 
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