Missing "Accessories" Folder in Startup Menu!

[Little Brother]

The "Accessories" folder containing shortcuts to System Tools,
Notepad, etc., has disappeared from my Startup Menu. I do prune the
Startup Menu occasionally, since unnecessary items tend to sneak in
there when adding or re-installing programs. So I MIGHT have actually
deleted it carelessly, although I certainly don't remember doing so.

I know that "scandisk" and "defrag" are still intact individually; I
can "Find" them and "Run" them. Frankly, I can't remember all of the
other useful tools, except for System Information. But how can I
restore this folder? Help!

[glee]

See if this helps -
To re-create the default folders that ship with Windows 95/98/Me:
Click Start > Run, type the following command, and click OK:
grpconv /s

How to Restore, Convert, Troubleshoot Folders in Windows 95/98/Me:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=kb;en-us;119941
--
Glen Ventura, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


"Little Brother" > wrote in message
om...
> The "Accessories" folder containing shortcuts to System Tools,
> Notepad, etc., has disappeared from my Startup Menu. I do prune the
> Startup Menu occasionally, since unnecessary items tend to sneak in
> there when adding or re-installing programs. So I MIGHT have actually
> deleted it carelessly, although I certainly don't remember doing so.
>
> I know that "scandisk" and "defrag" are still intact individually; I
> can "Find" them and "Run" them. Frankly, I can't remember all of the
> other useful tools, except for System Information. But how can I
> restore this folder? Help!

[Don Phillipson]

"Little Brother" > wrote in message
om...

> The "Accessories" folder containing shortcuts to System Tools,
> Notepad, etc., has disappeared from my Startup Menu. I do prune the
> Startup Menu occasionally, since unnecessary items tend to sneak in
> there when adding or re-installing programs. So I MIGHT have actually
> deleted it carelessly, although I certainly don't remember doing so.
>
> I know that "scandisk" and "defrag" are still intact individually; I
> can "Find" them and "Run" them. Frankly, I can't remember all of the
> other useful tools, except for System Information. But how can I
> restore this folder? Help!

These menus are standard Win98 folders at
c:\windows\start menu
I.e. you can make a new subfolder
c:\windows\start menu\accessories
and put into it links (LNK files) to
any utility you like. These will then
appear in Windows start menus.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada)

[Little Brother]

The grpconv /s command doesn't seem to work; when I run it, the drive
hums hard for a second, the desktop icons "blink," i.e. disappear and
return as the screen appears to refresh, then everything remains
status quo.

I did check the bulletin you referenced, and restored the grpconv.exe
file from my Win98 disk just in case it was corrupted. Same result.

I also peeked carefully into the registry settings at
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\GrpConv.
GrpConv itself contains two items, [Default] "" and [Log} "Uninit
Application." It's probably not worth the trouble to try to render
the subfolders, but there are several other groups listed in the
"Group Maps" subfolder that I now realize are also absent from the
Startup Menu, e.g. Entertainment.

The bulletin is slightly over my head, at least the final
"troubleshooting" section, and I don't understand using the Program
Manager. That seems to refer to converting folders from Win 3.1,
though, not recovering "disappeared" folders from Win98. However, if
this means anything, my progman.ini file reads thusly:

[Settings]
display.drv=pnpdrvr.drv

I'm using a sturdy Dell Inspiron 7500 purchased 12/99, and someone
warned me that old machines sometimes fail, as humans do, by having
odd memory failures and lapses which are precursors to general
failure. So maybe I should leave this question well enough alone.
Still, if you can offer any other suggestions, I'd appreciate it.

"glee" > wrote in message >...
> See if this helps -
> To re-create the default folders that ship with Windows 95/98/Me:
> Click Start > Run, type the following command, and click OK:
> grpconv /s
>
> How to Restore, Convert, Troubleshoot Folders in Windows 95/98/Me:
> http://support.microsoft.com/?id=kb;en-us;119941
> --
> Glen Ventura, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
> http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
>
>
> "Little Brother" > wrote in message
> om...
> > The "Accessories" folder containing shortcuts to System Tools,
> > Notepad, etc., has disappeared from my Startup Menu. I do prune the
> > Startup Menu occasionally, since unnecessary items tend to sneak in
> > there when adding or re-installing programs. So I MIGHT have actually
> > deleted it carelessly, although I certainly don't remember doing so.
> >
> > I know that "scandisk" and "defrag" are still intact individually; I
> > can "Find" them and "Run" them. Frankly, I can't remember all of the
> > other useful tools, except for System Information. But how can I
> > restore this folder? Help!

[... et al.]

>>"Little Brother" > wrote in message
om...
>>
>>>The "Accessories" folder containing shortcuts to System Tools,
>>>Notepad, etc., has disappeared from my Startup Menu. I do prune the
>>>Startup Menu occasionally, since unnecessary items tend to sneak in
>>>there when adding or re-installing programs. So I MIGHT have actually
>>>deleted it carelessly, although I certainly don't remember doing so.
>>>
>>>I know that "scandisk" and "defrag" are still intact individually; I
>>>can "Find" them and "Run" them. Frankly, I can't remember all of the
>>>other useful tools, except for System Information. But how can I
>>>restore this folder? Help!

Since things are drag-and-dropable in the "Start-button"-Programs
hirearchy, there is a chance that instead of having deleted it you moved
the Accessories folder into another folder by misstake but that
everything is still there.

Search for "Access~1 Notepad.lnk Entert~1 Hearts.lnk ScanDisk.lnk", and
just maybe you are in luck. If you find it but it's out of place, drag
it back to it's default place "C:\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\" .. if
you want.

--
Please followup in newsgroup.
E-mail address is invalid due to spam-control.

[PCR]

Once, a couple of my own START menu branches appeared to disappear.
Point at them, & "(empty)" would pop out, instead of the contents. I'm
not sure what cured it, but...

(1) R-Clk the Taskbar, select Properties, Start Menu Programs tab,
Advanced button. Are the programs there? Then, R-Clk the "Programs"
folder, & select Properties. If it is attributed Hidden, then uncheck
that. Check the individual shortcuts too. Also, there should only be
folders & shortcuts there. If you find an actual app, move it out.

(2) Perhaps there is a font setting gone awry. Try a new Theme to set it
right, if item (1) didn't fix it & they were not missing.

To install Desktop Themes, if they are not already in the Control Panel
or in the START menu...
1. START, Settings, Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, Windows Setup
tab.
2. Check "Desktop Themes"; click "Details"; check the themes you want;
"OK" twice.
3. Perhaps, re-boot.

Some themes require "high color". To get "high color":
1. Right click the Desktop & select Properties
2. Click the "Settings" tab
3. Use the "Colors" dropdown menu to select "high color"
4. Be prepared. It may ask your permission to restart the computer.

I understand that's best; however, it can also be done at: "R-Clk
Desktop, Properties, Appearance tab, & select a different 'Scheme' in
the dropdown selector". This will also get the fonts, colors, et al,
right, across applications, without trying to micro-manage inside the
"Item" dropdown menu, which one may live to regret.


--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR

"Little Brother" > wrote in message
om...
| The grpconv /s command doesn't seem to work; when I run it, the drive
| hums hard for a second, the desktop icons "blink," i.e. disappear and
| return as the screen appears to refresh, then everything remains
| status quo.
|
| I did check the bulletin you referenced, and restored the grpconv.exe
| file from my Win98 disk just in case it was corrupted. Same result.
|
| I also peeked carefully into the registry settings at
| HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\GrpConv.
| GrpConv itself contains two items, [Default] "" and [Log} "Uninit
| Application." It's probably not worth the trouble to try to render
| the subfolders, but there are several other groups listed in the
| "Group Maps" subfolder that I now realize are also absent from the
| Startup Menu, e.g. Entertainment.
|
| The bulletin is slightly over my head, at least the final
| "troubleshooting" section, and I don't understand using the Program
| Manager. That seems to refer to converting folders from Win 3.1,
| though, not recovering "disappeared" folders from Win98. However, if
| this means anything, my progman.ini file reads thusly:
|
| [Settings]
| display.drv=pnpdrvr.drv
|
| I'm using a sturdy Dell Inspiron 7500 purchased 12/99, and someone
| warned me that old machines sometimes fail, as humans do, by having
| odd memory failures and lapses which are precursors to general
| failure. So maybe I should leave this question well enough alone.
| Still, if you can offer any other suggestions, I'd appreciate it.
|
| "glee" > wrote in message
>...
| > See if this helps -
| > To re-create the default folders that ship with Windows 95/98/Me:
| > Click Start > Run, type the following command, and click OK:
| > grpconv /s
| >
| > How to Restore, Convert, Troubleshoot Folders in Windows 95/98/Me:
| > http://support.microsoft.com/?id=kb;en-us;119941
| > --
| > Glen Ventura, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
| > http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
| >
| >
| > "Little Brother" > wrote in message
| > om...
| > > The "Accessories" folder containing shortcuts to System Tools,
| > > Notepad, etc., has disappeared from my Startup Menu. I do prune
the
| > > Startup Menu occasionally, since unnecessary items tend to sneak
in
| > > there when adding or re-installing programs. So I MIGHT have
actually
| > > deleted it carelessly, although I certainly don't remember doing
so.
| > >
| > > I know that "scandisk" and "defrag" are still intact individually;
I
| > > can "Find" them and "Run" them. Frankly, I can't remember all of
the
| > > other useful tools, except for System Information. But how can I
| > > restore this folder? Help!

[Lee]

(Little Brother) wrote in message >...
> The "Accessories" folder containing shortcuts to System Tools,
> Notepad, etc., has disappeared from my Startup Menu. I do prune the
> Startup Menu occasionally, since unnecessary items tend to sneak in
> there when adding or re-installing programs. So I MIGHT have actually
> deleted it carelessly, although I certainly don't remember doing so.
>
> I know that "scandisk" and "defrag" are still intact individually; I
> can "Find" them and "Run" them. Frankly, I can't remember all of the
> other useful tools, except for System Information. But how can I
> restore this folder? Help!

It is possible that an uninstall of some app may have been corrupted
or written wrong such that instead of deleting the shortcut held in
that folder hierarchy, it wiped out the accessory folder itself.

Restoring the folder would be a daunting task if someone would post
all the apps and their subfolder heirarchy itself. I would just do
an over the top reinstall of Windows at this point and forget about
it.