Q: It would be nice if it would be possible to add the Videos folder to the Windows Vista Start menu. Currently in Start Menu properties you can add Music, Documents, Pictures and Games but for some reason there is no option for Videos. I’m using Windows Vista Home Premium 32bit.

A: There is not a GUI option to add Videos folder to the Start menu. This can be done using a registry hack, and that too, only by replacing an existing item in the Vista Start menu with the Videos link.

Examples

Restore the Start menu Search link in Vista Service Pack 1 (Replaces Help and Support or Run with Search)

Add Favorite Links folder to the Vista Start menu (Replaces Games with Favorite Links)

This tweak is about replacing the Games button in the Start menu with Videos folder.

Important: If you apply this tweak, the Games Explorer functionality will be disabled. However, you can run individual games from Start, All Programs, Games folder.

REPLACING GAMES WITH VIDEOS

Download video-sm-vista.zip and save the file to your Desktop. Unzip the file and extract the two .REG files to your Desktop. Right-click on the file videos_sm.reg and choose Merge. Click Yes when asked for confirmation. Logoff and login back so that the Start menu is updated. Videos is in, and Games is out! The Videos button should be visible in the Start menu. Clicking this button launches the Videos folder in your user profile.

Editor’s Note: The Info Tip that appears when you hover the mouse cursor over the Videos icon seems to be unchangeable. It still says Play and manage games on your computer.

UNDO INFORMATION

To reverse the above setting, right-click on the file undo-videos_sm.reg (which is present in the above Zip file) and choose Merge. Click Yes when asked for confirmation. Logoff and login back so that the Start menu is updated.