Start menu still accessible?

Start Killer hides my Start button fine but if I move the mouse to the far left edge down at the taskbar the regular start menu still appears.

Is this a feature or a bug?

Running WinXP Pro.

OK, let it be the feature

I guess this depends of the XP theme you ar using. I hav not this feature

BTW do you click there or only move mouse?

I click there. It looks like it works on any pixel just left of the closest button.

Feature it is, and I like it.

??? I found that clicking any of the first three icons on the quick launch bar in windows xp using the classic windows theme brings the start button back, in addition to the last post's issue. I don't mind it opening the start menu when i click all the way to the left, but I prefer it didn't bring the start menu back if I use the first three icons, that defeats the purpose of using Start Killer at all for it to keep coming back.

The "feature" is that beginning with XP, Windows now automatically moves the cursor to the start button if it is between the button's position and the edge of the screen when you click.

The reason has to do with Fitt's law, which says that a button is easier to hit if it's at the edge of the screen. However, instead of moving the button to the edge of the screen, Microsoft decided to move the cursor to the button***. This also works with the space below the other buttons on the takbar.

Unfortunately, this seems to happen even if the button is hidden by Start Killer.

So basically, if you click between where the start button normally is and the left or bottom edge of the screen is the start menu will still pop up.

At this moment it doesn't bother me so much that Start Killer doesn't prevent this, since I'm mainly using it to disbale the menu from appearing when I press the WIN key, but I am considering replacing the start menu with TLB, and it would probably bother me then.


*** There is a bug in this feature though, that will prevent it from working normally if you use any toolbars that increase the height of the taskbar (even by 1 pixel), such as the language bar or the WMP bar.

Hi, I was interessted on your option "Disable Start Menu" in startkiller.

Im using Windows 2008 over a terminal Server session and run startkiller (for test) at that server environment.

Our users should start some applications in a container, but we not allow a desktop and a start menu. But our users need a taskbar, if they minimize their programs.
In Win 2003 I wrote a little program hat hides the start button (FindWindow + ShowWindow(hwnd,false) ) and set the desktop with EnableWindow to disabled.
But now with W2008 I see its not working any longer.

So I test Startkiller. But the effect stays the same. Even with "Disable Start Menu" I can click on the left corner and a start menu appears. In an empty taskbar (no other programs running) I can click in the invisible start button area and I also get a start menu poped up.

For me its a bug and I can't sell it as feature, because our users should not open other programs on our terminal server. Maybe you have an idea to get rid of that start menu?

Kind regards

Nighty

Hi,
your option "Disable Start Menu" also not disable the start menu in Windows 2008 (R1).

I can click at the left border (corner) and a start menu poped up. Also if I have an empty taskbar, I can click under the "hidden" startbar, if my taskbar has the double height and the menu popup.

For me its not a feature, because I searching for a software that disable the start button AND any start menu popup.

Please can you take a look at it? If anyone wants this as a "feature" you can add another option: "Open Start Menu by clicking in the corner of the taskbar."

-------------------------------
I try it by myself with FindWindow("Button", "Start") --> EnableWindow(false) --> ShowWindow(False)
but it still popup the start menu once. (And then never, but I need it under no circumstances.)

With MS Spy I seems that the start menu in W2008 is outside the "Shell_TrayWnd" (Taskbar window) and if I make it invisible there is another only "bitmap" that shows the button inside the "Shell_TrayWnd". And, thats the problem, "Shell_TrayWnd" responds to clicks in this area (not only the bitmap, also under the bitmap, if you double your taskbars height.

Maybe you find a way to disable all "start menu" popups? Thany for your help.

Kind regards

Nighty 8)

you are right "Disable Start Menu" is not working on Windows 2008 (R1) and Windows 7. I'll try to fix this bug. Thank you.

For me its a bug and I can't sell it as feature, because our users should not open other programs on our terminal server.

Hmmm... Any Open/Save dialog box will make the hole in your system. Maybe the better solution for restrictions is something like group policy? As I know it is possible to restrict the application the users can run.