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Windows 7

Add Administrative Tools to Start Menu

SUMMARY: Make Windows 7 Administrative Tools such as the Event Viewer, Services, and Task Scheduler easier to access from Windows 7's Start Menu.

Windows 7 comes built-in with many Administrative Tools to start and stop system services, manage scheduled tasks, adjust firewall settings, manage hard drive partitions, and more. By default, unless you type the name of a tool or Administrative Tools directly into the Start Menu, the main way to access these tools is via a link in the "System and Security" section of the Control Panel.

If you frequently access these tools, you might find it easier to add a link to them via the "All Programs" menu of the Start Menu. Or, for even easier access, provide a link directly from the right side of the Start Menu.

Administrative Tools link on Windows 7's Start Menu

1. Right-click an empty area of the Windows 7 Taskbar and choose "Properties".

2. The "Taskbar and Start Menu Properties" multi-tabbed dialog box appears. Click the "Start Menu" tab.

3. Click the "Customize" button.

4. The "Customize Start Menu" dialog box appears. Scroll down to "System administrative tools" and choose from the following radio buttons:

* Display on the All Programs menu
* Display on the All Programs menu and the Start menu
* Don't display this item (default)

5. Click "OK" on the dialog boxes to close them.

This tip was written for Windows 7 RC. Screenshots and information are subject to change between this and the official release of Windows 7.