How do you remove 'My Recent Documents ' from the start menue in XP?

[silver24]

Well thats it How?

 

[Saltin]

Here's how to make sure it is always empty (i.e. it wont show any "recently opened docs", which is just as good.

1) Type gpedit.msc at the run line
2) In the window that opens go to User Configuration>Administrative Templates>Start Menu and Task Bar
3) In the right hand pane there will be a list of policies. You are looking for the one named Do not keep history of Recently Open Documents
4) Right click that one, and select enable.

From now on it will always be empty.

 

[silver24]

Well that didnt work, Run menue say it cant find it.....Thanks though.

 

[fastman]

It's there, try again. This is the explaination that is provided for it:

Prevents the operating system and installed programs from creating and displaying shortcuts to recently opened documents.

If you enable this setting, the system and Windows programs do not create shortcuts to documents opened while the setting is in effect. Also, they retain but do not display existing document shortcuts. The system empties the Documents menu on the Start menu, and Windows programs do not display shortcuts at the bottom of the File menu.

If you disable this setting, the system defaults are enforced. Disabling this setting has no effect on the system.

Note: The system saves document shortcuts in the user profile in the System-drive\Documents and Settings\User-name\Recent folder.

Also, see the "Remove Documents menu from Start Menu" and "Clear history of recently opened documents on exit" policies in this folder.

If you enable this setting but do not enable the "Remove Documents menu from Start Menu" setting, the Documents menu appears on the Start menu, but it is empty.

If you enable this setting, but then later disable it or set it to Not Configured, the document shortcuts saved before the setting was enabled reappear in the Documents menu and program File menus.

This setting does not hide document shortcuts displayed in the Open dialog box. See the "Hide the dropdown list of recent files" setting.

Note: It is a requirement for third-party applications with Windows 2000 or later certification to adhere to this setting.

 

[MTDEW]

gpedit.msc command doest work in XP home version.
Thats probably why it doesnt work for you.

In that case, try this:
CONTROL PANEL / APPEARENCE & THEMES / TASKBAR & START MENU , click the start menu tab then the customize button, set number of start menu programs to 0.

 

[pISSANt]

Or, you could right click on the start menu, select properties, click the customize button, then the advanced button. At the bottom of that window is a box that allows you to disable, or clear then recently used documents.

 

[silver24]

Well no luck so far, cant make it go away, got the Documents to go away but not the "My Recent Documents".

 

[silver24]

GOD!!!!!!!!!!! Think you pISSant ive been trying to make this go away for 4 hrs, cant believe how simple it was, and Ive posted on 2 bords this same question and have many replys but yours was the one that worked.......thanks........

 

[Blueoak]

Go to Control Panel -> Appearances and Themes -> Taskbar and Start Menu Properties

Select Start Menu Tab, Click on Customize, Select Advanced Tab

Deselect "List my most recently opened documents" AND click on "Clear List" button.

After you do this, double click on a file (some jgp or html file or something) in your file explorer and then the "My Recent Documents" will be gone.

 

[wildwolf]

I'm a little late, I know, but here's an alternative:
Run regedt32
Goto this key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\POLOCIES\EXPLORER

Add the DWORD value NoRecentDocsMenu and give it a hex value of 1. That'll keep the whole thing from even showing up though.

I find a better approach is to add the DWORD value of NoRecentDocsHistory and give it a hex value of 1. That way, the menu will still be there, but after you've cleared it, nothing will ever go back to it. So it appears as if you've just not looked at anything, or are always emptying it out.

 

[pISSANt]

glad to see that it worked, it was a simple solution to a simple problem