Registry Editing Tips

Restore Start Menu To Alphabetical Order

We always liked the alphabetical order of the Start Menu. It will help organize things. But we noticed that with IE4 (and Windows 98), Windows will arrange all items that is in the Start Menu in alphabetical order first during installation. Observe and you will see that all single items will be placed below all folders.

Now for the problem. You will also notice that after the installation of Windows, all new folders added will be placed below the single items that comes with Windows. This means that there will be 3 sections, one for folders, one for single items and another one for new folders after installation. Wondering why Windows can't just group all the folders together in alphabetical order but to put new folders apart from the old ones after install?

We found that the answer lies in the registry. Open your registry editor and go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MenuOrder\Start Menu Click once on Menu and on the right pane, you will see a string value named Order. Double-click this value. On the right side, you will see a list of folder and shortcut names This string was created during install to record all folders and shortcuts. All new entries added after install will be recorded in the end of the value rather than placing them in the middle of the key which is why, although all new folders created will be placed in alphabetical order too but not together with the folders after setup.

The workaround is simple - just delete the Order value and the registry will create a new one without any order. Since the registry has lost all records on how the start menu should be arranged, restart and you will see that the start menu has been rearranged in alphabetical order - together.

This tip works on all the Start Menu branch. Another branch that has also the "record" thing is the Accessories branch. Repeat the same step.

Start Menu Registry Edit 6

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