DIGIT-ARC read-only archive · snapshot: July 23, 2026

TUTORIAL: How to use the free space under RUN in New Windows XP Start Menu!

24 posts · originally from https://geek.digit.in/community/threads/tutorial-how-to-use-the-free-space-under-run-in-new-windows-xp-start-menu.27907/

Vishal Gupta
Vishal Gupta Original post #1
May 8, 2006 at 11:19 PM
Guys!
Did u ever noticed that free space under the Run menuitem in New Windows XP Start Menu?
The following tutorial give u the way to use that free space for ur own shortcut, e.g., u can create a shortcut for Windows Media Player in that free space, as I hv done in my tutorial :)

How to use the free space under RUN in New Windows XP Start Menu

In the above tutorial the things, which I hv posted in BOLD may be changed for other shortcuts. Like u can change the name to some other if u want!
The "Default Icon" is the path of the icon file, which u want to display in the Start menu shortcut. (NOTE: Double slashes r compulsory).
Similarly, the "Param1" in "Instance\InitPropertyBag" is the path of the executable file, to which u want to create the shortcut. (Here also the Double slashes r compulsory!).
demoninside9
May 10, 2006 at 10:34 PM
thanx.................yaar
its very good stuff
anandk
anandk #3
May 11, 2006 at 7:32 AM
i m gonna try this ..................... :)
aku
aku #4
May 11, 2006 at 9:53 AM
yeah man... nice stuff...
aryayush
May 14, 2006 at 7:18 PM
A screenshot of my start menu is attached with the post. Where is the space below 'Run'?

P.S. - Sorry for having to extract the file to see it but my original JPEG file exceeded the forums upload limitations (which is VERY low)!
ashisharya
Jun 6, 2006 at 11:12 AM
cool post man...keep up the good work
samrulez
Jun 6, 2006 at 8:11 PM
Nice...reg..tweak....
Keep it up!!
qarch
qarch #8
Jun 20, 2006 at 1:09 PM
Very nice! Now how do I change it so as to enable me to start another appln of my choice? Will changing just the bold portions to my app work? Or more of other applns?
casanova
Jun 20, 2006 at 1:45 PM
Cool tweak. Applied it but haven't logged of yet.
Can u help out with replacing those unncessary icons like "Help and support", serach, set program acees and defaults, printers and faxes.
I hope we can do these.
Vishal Gupta
Jun 24, 2006 at 3:09 PM
Open gpedit.msc and go to:

User Configurations -> Administrative Templates -> Start Menu and Taskbar

and in right-side pane, u can disable the items which u want. :)
speedyguy
speedyguy #11
Jun 24, 2006 at 3:47 PM
some usefull stuff dude...thanx for those

cheers
casanova
casanova #12
Jun 24, 2006 at 3:58 PM
And then how to use that recovered space??
Vishal Gupta
Jun 24, 2006 at 4:09 PM
U can only add one extra application as I hv mentioned in this thread.
If u disable some items in start menu and see extra space, u can reduce the no. of recent items (default is 6) to remove that extra space .
ashfame
ashfame #14
Jun 24, 2006 at 9:36 PM
lets we do it for wmp & then we want it to be some other shortcut so changing the paths & then carrying on the whole process will edit the previous shortcut naa.
And what if i wanna remove it.
Vishal Gupta
Jun 25, 2006 at 11:07 PM
YES!
If u change the entries (given in BOLD latters in the first post), it'll change the shortcut.
And to remove it, simply delete the whole key "{2559a1f6-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}" in registry!
ashfame
ashfame #16
Jun 27, 2006 at 4:44 PM
thanks, repped u.
Vishal Gupta
Jul 2, 2006 at 11:42 PM
thnx buddy! :)
Also saw ur siggy.
I
iceeeeman #18
Jan 19, 2007 at 3:11 PM
Dude I Want To Put A Winamp Shortcut Instead Of Windows Player So For Tht Which All Changes Ill Have To Make, I Hv Changed The Directry But Its Not Workin!!!!!!!it Comes Winamp.exe Does Not Exits???
Vishal Gupta
Jan 19, 2007 at 4:54 PM
As I already mentioned in first post, u'll hv to change entries in BOLD letters. ;)
For Winamp, if its EXE is placed in following directory:

%ProgramFiles%\Winamp

then the required code will be:

Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{2559a1f6-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}]
@="Winamp"
"InfoTip"="Winamp"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{2559a1f6-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}\DefaultIcon]
@="%SystemRoot%\\system32\\SHELL32.dll,168"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{2559a1f6-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}\InProcServer32]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\
00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,73,00,68,00,\
64,00,6f,00,63,00,76,00,77,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,00,00
"ThreadingModel"="Apartment"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{2559a1f6-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}\Instance]
"CLSID"="{3f454f0e-42ae-4d7c-8ea3-328250d6e272}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{2559a1f6-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}\Instance\InitPropertyBag]
"CLSID"="{13709620-C279-11CE-A49E-444553540000}"
"method"="ShellExecute"
"Command"="Winamp"
"Param1"="%ProgramFiles%\\Winamp\\winamp.exe"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{2559a1f6-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}\shellex]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{2559a1f6-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{2559a1f6-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\{2559a1f6-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}]
@=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{2559a1f6-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}\shellex\MayChangeDefaultMenu]
@=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{2559a1f6-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}\ShellFolder]
"Attributes"=dword:00000000
Tech Geek
Tech Geek #20
Jan 19, 2007 at 9:35 PM
thanks for this tut
try to post screen shots
R
rakhihere #22
Jan 22, 2007 at 2:40 PM
really good one dear....
rakeshishere
Apr 15, 2007 at 8:28 AM
Gud Tut

Edit:Not working,Getting Msg "Windows cannot find Program Files/Windows media player/wmplayer.exe :(