Start Menu no longer records most-recent after running CCleaner Options

[davestiff]

Hello,

I am using Windows XP SP3.

After running CCleaner the Start Menu items are removed as expected. The problem is that it no longer records most recently used programs anymore.

I have to reboot the machine for XP to start putting most-recent programs on the Start Menu again.

Is this an issue? Is there a workaround?

Thanks,
Dave

[Greg Edwards]

I have this problem as well. I'm using Vista SP2. I installed CCleaner yesterday, opted to clean Start Menu shortcuts (System > Start Menu Shortcuts) along with many other items. The cleaner did the job, and now the most recently used programs are gone. I also cleaned the Registry immediately afterwards.

The problem is the MRU shortcuts on the Start Menu never come back, even after I've started programs several times. Items will appear if I pin them, but it's like the MRU section doesn't work anymore.

So far, I've tried disabling/enabling the Start Menu shortcuts (Start > Properties > Privacy > Store and display a list of recently opened programs), changing the number of recent programs to display (Start > Properties > Customize > Number of recent programs to display) to 0 then back again, and disabling/enabling the Internet and E-mail links on the Start Menu (Start > Properties > Customize > Internet Link / E-mail Link). Nothing has worked. Sucks, cause I use my Start Menu shortcuts a lot.

What else can I try to fix this issue? Thanks!

[mangaa]

I think 2.2 version is way too buggy. I started getting lots of problems with it. I even had to format my computer twice in one night... I swear! I'm using Windows 7, and I have been using CCleaner for a while, but I never had issues with CCleaner earlier versions. But 2.2, is just messing up everything...

[Iván T.]

I had the same problem yesterday. After investigating a lot over google, I found this solution:

Fix “Recent Items not being remembered” problem in Start Menu

1) Open Registry Editor

2) Expand the key

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced in the left pane

3) Now double click the DWORD StartMenuInit in the right pane as highlighted above.

Note: If you do not have StartMenuInit DWORD then create one by right clicking on an empty space in the right pane and then choosing New and then DWORD (32-bit) Value options. Name that DWORD StartMenuInit thereafter.

4) Now type 3 in the Value data textbox.

5) Click OK button and close Registry Editor.

6) Finally Log off and then Log on or restart for the changes to take effect.

It will somehow reset your Start Menu MRU List and Pin the default taskbar items again, like IE, windows explorer..

[Iván T.]

After Running CCleaner again, the problem re-appeared. I don't know exactly wich option is messing everything up. I hope in future versions it will be solved, I'm currently using the latest: v2.23.993. My SO is Windows 7 RTM 7600 x64 Ultimate. And my PC is a Intel Core i7 920 on a Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD3R.

(Sorry for my english, I'm from Argentina)

[booktig]

After Running CCleaner again, the problem re-appeared. I don't know exactly wich option is messing everything up. I hope in future versions it will be solved, I'm currently using the latest: v2.23.993. My SO is Windows 7 RTM 7600 x64 Ultimate. And my PC is a Intel Core i7 920 on a Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD3R.

(Sorry for my english, I'm from Argentina)

So many strange things happening and I don't know how to fix them. I dont want to empty my recycled bin, I dont want to lose my Recent Document list, I dont want to lose the drop down menus in Excel and Word which list my recent documents.

Do I have to deinstall this to get these features back.

booktig

[Iván T.]

Please, I'm waiting a fix for this before analizing again with CCleaner!

[Andavari]

Please, I'm waiting a fix for this before analizing again with CCleaner!

You can input a registry exclude of that key you listed earlier.

To exclude it:
1. Start CCleaner.
2. Click Options, Exclude, Add Registry.
3. Select HKCU from the drop down box, then copy+paste in the path of that registry key:
Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

[booktig]

In the end I deinstalled C Cleaner altogether.

I also found an option in Norton Utilities which I just upgraded. I unticked lots of boxes which were causing the problem, by deleting wastebasket, deleting last documents used and so on.
The Norton help line tried to solve the problem of other files coming up as missing, but as soon as I rebooted the problem returned, and so I just live with constantly repairing.

[Micman]

I too have been experiencing this problem since at least v2.22 on multiple platforms: XP SP3, Vista x86 SP2, and 7 x64 RC 7100. I love this program and I always install it on client's computers as something that runs at startup. That way I know that even the least computer savvy of my clients have some form of HD cleaning taking place once in a while. I have tried the registry fix suggested to no avail. Can sufficient attention be paid to this issue so that future versions fix it? Ccleaner is really an amazing tool that has helped a lot of my clients, friends and family, for which I am grateful. Any help from the developer would be appreciated.

[booktig]

I have to do a registry fix every day! the number of fixes varies from 2 to 16. the helpline told me that they had fixed it by making the said entries invisible to the product. they said it is a Windows problem but the errors still come every day. I just live with it.

[fireryone]

If the latest version of cleaner is causing an issue for you and its the same post here if slightly different make a new topic in this forum.
And then backdate to a previous version: http://filehippo.com/download_ccleaner/ (select one on the right.)

[Micman]

Just installed v2.23.999. Still have the same problem. Has anyone gotten word from Piriform on fixing this?

[Andavari]

Has anyone gotten word from Piriform on fixing this?

It will probably be addressed. However keep in mind that a stable commercial build of Windows 7 is possibly needed to fix things for good, and it doesn't officially come out until about the third week of October according to Microsoft's new TV advert.


I'm moving this thread to the bug report section, that way it perhaps won't go unnoticed.

[Micman]

Thanks for moving the thread to get attention. A lot of people will benefit from this bug being fixed.

Here's an interesting phenomenon I just observed related to this bug. Seemingly out of nowhere, my recent items started working again. I can't explain it, and I have no idea why. I didn't change any Windows 7 or ccleaner settings. The only thing that changed between the list not working and working again was that I installed software that came with my new Western Digital external hard drive. The software is called WD Anywhere Backup Version 3.50.4592. Also installed were the WD Manager and Data Lifeguard, which come with the Anywhere backup as far as I know. I did not use the software, I just installed it.
All good things come to an end of course. After I restarted, my recent items stopped working again. I can't confirm that Western Digital's software had anything to do with this development. I just know that it was the only hardware or software change that happened within the time frame that my recent items started working.
I hope this helps. If anyone somehow recreates my "solution," I'd be interested to hear about it.

[Iván T.]

UP!..

don't forget about this..

[Iván T.]

it deletes seconds after i execute the cleaning..
even if i close ccleaner

[Micman]

I went from version 2.23 - 2.24 with no change to this issue. I still had no recent items in my start menu list in Windows 7.
Then I went from 2.24 to 2.25.1025, still with no change to the issue on the same platform.
Again, out of seemingly nowhere my recent items list began working again. This time it was after I installed a few programs from my Adobe CS3 Master Collection. I've had at least 10 restarts and run CCleaner at least a dozen times since then and my recent items are still working. I wish I could be more helpful and say that I found the fix, but it really just seemed to start working for no reason at all.
I have no way to test this on a different platform.