If there is one thing about Windows 8 that gets complaints, it’s the missing Start Menu. A flock of programs are available to restore the Start Menu in one form or the other (see this tip for two of them that are free) but you can also create your own. So if you are missing the way things used to be, here’s one way to create a substitute for the old menu. It’s not exactly the same thing but I think you’ll find it quite useful and a big time-saver.

The new menu is actually going to be a folder on the Desktop so first you create the folder.

1. Go the Desktop and right-click on an empty spot.
2. In the context menu, choose “New”.
3. Select “Folder”.
4. Name the folder “Start menu” or whatever you like.

Next you create shortcuts for the things that you want to include in your new start menu. You can reproduce a surprisingly large fraction of the contents of the XP/Vista/7 Start Menu this way.

1. Open the empty folder you have created and right-click inside it.
2. In the context menu that opens select “New-Shortcut”.
3. In the box under “Type the location of the item”, enter the path for the desired shortcut. Paths for some  useful shortcuts are given in the table below. Note that all the paths are a single line. Because of page limitations the table shows some paths wrapped  and on two lines.
4. Click “Next”.
5. Enter a name for the shortcut.
6. Click “Finish”.
7. Repeat the process for each shortcut you want to include.

Once you have created the shortcuts, you can change their generic icons to something more distinctive as described at this link and in this previous tip.

The table below gives my selection of what to include and the corresponding location to put in the shortcut but you can place shortcuts to whatever you wish. A list of shortcuts for many other possible system folders is at this link. The shortcuts that I have chosen for the table reproduce many of the features of the old Start Menu.

Another shortcut from a previous tip that you might consider is Hibernate.

And there you have it - your own Start Menu. 

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This tips section is maintained by Vic Laurie. Vic runs several websites with Windows how-to's, guides, and tutorials, including a site for learning about Windows and the Internet and another with Windows 7 tips.

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