Moving the start menu folders

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languageservicesco - 28 Apr 2007 16:54 GMT

My laptop is telling me it is on the way out, so I have transferred to a PC.
Having made sure the start menu is exactly how I like it, I would like to
save myself some work. I would like to simply copy the folders across with
the start menu entries in. However, the laptop has a German OS, the PC an
English one. So the installation folder is "Programme" on the laptop and
"Program files" on the PC. The installation paths will otherwise be
identical, and if this were possible, the lack of icons with some entries in
the menu would help me to see what still needs installing. Still with me? So
the question is, is there any way to do a batch change of all the link paths
in the start menu from Programme... to Program files...? I assume Windows XP
is not clever enough to do that for me!

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Wesley Vogel - 28 Apr 2007 19:32 GMT

Generally, when you install a program it adds shortcuts to your Start menu.
Install the programs on the new machine and see if anything gets left off of
your Start menu. If anything does you have way less work then the way
you're wanting to go about it.

Also see...

File & Settings Transfer Wizard
http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/fast.htm

Signature

Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In news:40460B31-1371-4C4B-ADF6-7E5A66C6B360@microsoft.com,
languageservicesco <languageservicesco@discussions.microsoft.com> hunted and
pecked:

> My laptop is telling me it is on the way out, so I have transferred to a
> PC. Having made sure the start menu is exactly how I like it, I would
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> Program files...? I assume Windows XP is not clever enough to do that for
> me!

Reply to this Message

languageservicesco - 28 Apr 2007 23:50 GMT

Hi,
Maybe it's late, but I am not sure how this relates to the question. It is
not a case of whether shortcuts get left out, but the ability to move the
shortcuts from one computer to the other so that they still work, thus
retaining the structure of my lovingly maintained start menu listings and as
a by-product enabling me to see at a glance what hasn't been installed on my
new computer that was on the old one. The FAST wizard does not seem to do
that for me, and simply installing programs doesn't either.

> you have way less work then the way you're wanting to go about it

That was the question, what is the work the way I'm wanting to go about it?
You at least seem to indicate with this that it is possible. But how?

Kevin

> Generally, when you install a program it adds shortcuts to your Start menu.
> Install the programs on the new machine and see if anything gets left off of
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
> > Program files...? I assume Windows XP is not clever enough to do that for
> > me!

Reply to this Message

Wesley Vogel - 29 Apr 2007 19:22 GMT

The Start Menu that you see is a combination of both of these folders.
%allusersprofile%\Start Menu
and
%userprofile%\Start Menu

%allusersprofile% is an environment variable that is the path to the All
Users folder.

%userprofile% is an environment variable that is the path to the logged on
user's home folder.

So copy from the old machine...

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu
or %allusersprofile%\Start Menu
and
C:\Documents and Settings\YourNameHere\Start Menu
or %userprofile%\Start Menu

Signature

Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In news:10990A14-B58D-46FE-BB8B-8C4A5538C58D@microsoft.com,
languageservicesco <languageservicesco@discussions.microsoft.com> hunted and
pecked:

> Hi,
> Maybe it's late, but I am not sure how this relates to the question. It is
[quoted text clipped - 43 lines]
>>> to Program files...? I assume Windows XP is not clever enough to do
>>> that for me!

Reply to this Message

languageservicesco - 29 Apr 2007 19:40 GMT

I am aware of how the start menu is set up. If I follow this suggestion,
surely all of the links (after all, that's all they are) in the start menu
will point to C:\Programme\... , which is the program directory on the old
computer. The program directory on the new computer, as I mentioned in my
first posting, is C:\Program files\... Are you saying that Windows makes up
for that by recognising it as an environment variable and so there is no need
to change anything?

Regards,

Kevin

> The Start Menu that you see is a combination of both of these folders.
> %allusersprofile%\Start Menu
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> C:\Documents and Settings\YourNameHere\Start Menu
> or %userprofile%\Start Menu

Reply to this Message

Wesley Vogel - 29 Apr 2007 21:02 GMT

%programfiles% is the variable for C:\Program Files and probably
C:\Programme. I only have English so I cannot know for sure on
C:\Programme.

Type: %programfiles% into Start | Run on both machines to see.

Signature

Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In news:F4271ACB-32D6-4D12-AFC4-BF06647682C2@microsoft.com,
languageservicesco <languageservicesco@discussions.microsoft.com> hunted and
pecked:

> I am aware of how the start menu is set up. If I follow this suggestion,
> surely all of the links (after all, that's all they are) in the start menu
[quoted text clipped - 32 lines]
>> Wes
>> MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

Reply to this Message

languageservicesco - 29 Apr 2007 23:56 GMT

Interestingly, typing %programfiles% on both computers results in the correct
directory being opened, i.e. C:\Programme on the laptop and C:\Program files
on the PC. Typing %Programme% on both results in an error message saying it
could not be found. What I conclude from this is that "Programme" is not
recognised as an environment variable so the short cuts copied from the
laptop will not automatically work on the PC. So I am back to square one and
looking for a way to make batch changes to these links. Is that a fair
summary?

BTW, I have found plenty of software that finds links where the destination
is no longer available, but they only delete the link and I can find none
that look for where the target may have been moved to. I find this slightly
odd as it can't be the first time that somebody has wanted to move or rename
a directory like this, can it?

Regards,

Kevin

> %programfiles% is the variable for C:\Program Files and probably
> C:\Programme. I only have English so I cannot know for sure on
[quoted text clipped - 38 lines]
> >> Wes
> >> MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

Reply to this Message

Johan Olivier - 30 Apr 2007 13:54 GMT

Hi
All you need to do on the PC is Make sure your "Shortcuts" starts with
%progrmfiles%. Now this you can do by editing each link/shortcut by hand and
change it. You can also edit the REGISTRY and change it (Very risky). I
sugest you browse through the Script Center in the Technet WEB Site, maybe
there is a solution to your question there.
Regards
Johan

> Interestingly, typing %programfiles% on both computers results in the correct
> directory being opened, i.e. C:\Programme on the laptop and C:\Program files
[quoted text clipped - 57 lines]
> > >> Wes
> > >> MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

Reply to this Message

languageservicesco - 30 Apr 2007 14:40 GMT

Hi,

Had a look at the Script Center, but can't see anything relevant. Thanks for
your input, but it looks like I may as well just get on with revamping the
start menu manually, as editing shortcuts or the registry is likely to be
more work than it is worth. Never mind. Thanks for all the input.

Kevin

> Hi
> All you need to do on the PC is Make sure your "Shortcuts" starts with
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
> >
> > Kevin

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