Customizing the Start Menu
The Start menu's Windows components and default behavior are easy to change. You can, for example, change the name of My Computer; decide which icons the menu displays; and highlight recently installed programs.To rename a Start-menu item:
1. Right-click any menu item; then choose Rename.2. Type a new name or edit the existing one; then press Enter (Figure 2.19 ).
Figure 2.19. If you rename a top-level menu item, you edit in the Start menu directly. If you rename a sub-menu item, you edit in a dialog box.
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TipsIt's okay to rename any folder in the Start menu, even My Documents, but don't rename the Startup folder. If you do, Windows won't launch programs automatically when the computer boots.The keyboard shortcuts for Cut, Copy, and Paste (Ctrl+X, Ctrl+C, and Ctrl+V) work in the edit box.To cancel renaming an item, press Esc while editing.To configure the Start menu:
1. Right-click the Start button; then choose Properties.2. Make sure that Start Menu (not Classic Start Menu) is selected; then click Customize.3. Click the Advanced tab (Figure 2.20 ).
Figure 2.20. The Advanced tab (which isn't that advanced) of the Customize Start Menu dialog box affects overall Start-menu behavior, including what you see in the menu's right column, where Windows components are listed.

Figure 2.21. Display As a Menu makes a Start-menu folder expand as a submenu that displays its contents (rather than open as a window).
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TipsYou still can open Control Panel even if you've chosen Display As a Menu: Right-click Control Panel; then choose Open. If Control Panel spawns its submenu too quickly for you to right-click, right-click a nearby menu icon (such as My Computer); then, without choosing anything on the right-click menu, point back to Control Panel and right-click it. (This technique works for any Display As a Menu folder.)Right-click an individual document to delete it from the My Recent Documents list. The list still will contain 15 items.In the classic Start menu, My Recent Documents is named Documents.