Start Menu XP

CNET Editors' review

by: CNET staff on January 02, 2012

If you ever get the feeling that the Start menu in Windows XP could be better organized, you're not alone. Start Menu XP is a simple utility that improves the menu's structure, making it easier to find what you're looking for. Although the functions of the free version are limited, the program is still an improvement over the default Start menu look.

Start Menu XP appears as an icon in the Windows system tray, but it's also readily accessible from the Start menu itself, replacing what is typically found in the All Programs menu. Start Menu XP arranges programs in six categories: System, Graphics, Office, Games, Internet, and Other. Although the free version of the program doesn't allow users to define their own categories, they can specify the programs that are included in each of the categories that are provided. We liked that the program doesn't actually change the location of program shortcuts, which can cause problems, but uses what it calls virtual groups to categorize program names without tampering with their locations or other properties. Users can also increase or decrease the scale of the menu, a feature we appreciated, as the default text size was a little small for our tastes. There are four skins to choose from, or users can use their own skins to make the program's appearance match the rest of their desktop. An online Help file explains each of the program's features. Overall, we found Start Menu XP to be a useful enhancement to our desktop, and we recommend it to users who are looking for a way to clean up their Start menu.

Start Menu XP installs and uninstalls without issues.

 

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Publisher's Description

From OrdinarySoft:

Start Menu XP program makes the list of programs "drop out" just like it did in Windows XP. This feature allows you to save screen space and find the necessary programs faster. You can also organize programs in "virtual groups" (Office, Games, etc.) Since these groups are virtual, you won't see empty folders after uninstalling the programs. Groups can be "folded" (minimized) to make finding and launching your programs easier.

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