New PC = Old PC?

[jefboyardee]

As I've admitted here, I have a 2005 'cutting-edge' HP Pavilion with Win7 HP on 2GB. It does a lot, but slowly. I just bought a Dell Latitude laptop, also with Win7 HP on 2GB. I'm trying to make the laptop a roadworthy clone of the desktop, so they both act pretty much the same. I'm getting close, but...

On the PC, rather than throw a bunch of shortcuts into the Startup folder and let them trip on each other during boot, I put them in a folder called Startme, and put that folder as the only file in Startup. When I boot, it only loads the registry runs and then pops up the Startme folder on the desktop, whose contents I launch manually (c:\Users\me\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\Startme\*.*).

I went to do that with the laptop, and Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\ had no Start Menu folder at all. So I made one and put it where it belongs. Then I added my stuff, Programs\Startup\Startme\*.*). But when I boot, not only does the Startme folder fail to appear on the desktop, what does appear is a new, empty Start Menu folder – it appears on boot and when I launch various programs.

Assuming I'm missing some obvious point, I'm giving you a laugh and begging for a solution.

 

[Dngrsone]

Which flavor of each iteration of Win 7: Home, Pro?

 

[jefboyardee]

Both W7HP, as in Home Premium.

 

[Crashdamage]

Instead of trying to add your Startme folder by copying across from the PC, create it on the laptop from scratch much like you did on the PC. That way registry entries, etc are correctly generated.

 

[jefboyardee]

At first, I created the folders and filled Startme with local shortcuts from within the laptop, didn't work. Then tried copying everything over from the PC, but also populating it with local shortcuts, same non-result. Now I just have Startme on the desktop to remind me to open it and launch its guts.

 

[jefboyardee]

create it on the laptop from scratch much like you did on the PC.

If I remember right, even though it was ten years ago, the Start Menu folder was already there. Anyway, it somehow surprised me to see it wasn't there on the laptop.

 

[zuben el genub]

Taskbar and Start menu are now in the control panel, so they use the control panel extension and not a folder.

You do have to make the folder and do things manually. Or find funky workarounds.

 

[Crashdamage]

There's an option to show/hide the Start menu. You probably have it set to hide on the laptop.

 

[lunatic59]

That folder under your user account is just a placeholder. What you want is C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\Startme\*.*

 

[jefboyardee]

You're both discussing a weirdness I've already been wondering about. I have to think that 'Start Menu' and 'Startup' are two different things. One is implemented by clicking Start on the desktop, the other launches stuff automatically on boot or login. Further, the 'Taskbar and Start Menu' control panel tabs make no mention of 'Startup.'

But why the Startup folder lives in the Start Menu folder is beyond me.

 

[lunatic59]

Weirdness=Microsoft Yup, that covers it.

 

[jefboyardee]

[ S O L V E D ]

Oh. My. God. You fixed two problems at once! I dragged my Startme folder as you directed and not only does it appear on boot, but the empty, mysteriously reappearing Start Menu folder stopped reappearing.

So the problem was my conception of the way I have my PC set up. And even stranger, the folder you directed me to is empty there, even though Startme works just fine in 'AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\', as I described earlier.

 

[lunatic59]

Don't try to understand the MS way, it'll only give you a headache.

 

[jefboyardee]

Compared to trying to understand Linuxese, Windows makes perfect sense (to me).

And I moved that Startme folder to the correct location you taught me and it still works. even though it worked fine the wrong way. This forum needs a SOLVED award button, it'd look good with your hat.

 

[lunatic59]

Oh, thanks for reminding me ... I can take off my hat now.

 

[jefboyardee]

That hat did wonders for you.

I've got the lapper out-mimicking the desker and now I'm wondering if I should just format the desker as a giant Linux Mint PC and give it away... except I still hate track pads and would have to get a baby mouse.

 

[lunatic59]

I'm going to put my geek hat back on.

That's a RedHat Linux hat, back when they used to give out free hats.

 

[Dngrsone]

Personally, I can't stand baby mice... Give me a full-size cordless any day.

 

[lunatic59]

I have big hands so tiny mice are out with a capital YUK.

 

[jefboyardee]

Anyway, thank y'all for getting me on the road with my new toy. I've bought and returned several PCs over the years and this one is a keeper, even though I technically don't need it. My next issue will ask about how the •••• do I get HomeGroup to work, and do I even want to.

 

[jefboyardee]

[ S O L V E D ]the empty, mysteriously reappearing Start Menu folder stopped reappearing.

It started again, but as long as I leave it on the desktop it doesn't replicate ad infinitum.

how the •••• do I get HomeGroup to work

I got it to work by comparing the lapper's and the desker's services.mcs entries and making the desk mimic the lap. Years ago, when I had only one gig of ram, I obeyed some strange internet advice and turned durn near everything off... but I still don't know if I'll ever use it.

 

[lunatic59]

I don't use home group at all. I set the folders I want to have access as shares. It's less secure but for a private home network its all that's necessary.

 

[jefboyardee]

And I, now that I've got it to work, might turn it off as well, already using Dropbox to share my files.

 

[jefboyardee]

New confusion: laptops, or at least this one, don't have scroll wheels. To scroll a webpage, for instance, I have to use Page Up/Down keys, left-click button & drag down, or press the down arrow a zillion times. I've read that you can do it on the far right edge of an HP touchpad, but this is a Dell. What's even worse, it appears to only have the PS2 generic mouse driver with no mention of touchpad or scrolling. If there's a beast that addresses this, I can't google it... help?

 

[Dngrsone]

It is dependant on the touchpad you have installed... some have a scroll edge (some even have a horizontal scroll, but that always seems to be defaulted off, even when the hardware is there), but not all of them are so equipped.

I carry a mid-range Logitech cordless mouse with me, so half the time I don't even use the touchpad.