Program items/desktop shortcuts don't show up

I have an installation package (.msi) that is sent out thte users. This .msi
creates a shortcut on the desktop and places entries under Start - Programs.
On Windows Vista, the admin installs this .msi and logs off.

Now the non-admin user logs in, but he doesn't see the shortcut and the item
under Start - Programs. The non-admin user can browse to Program Files\xxx
and create a shortcut of the .exe on the desktop, but this isn't the best
way.

Are there any special settings in Vista that allow the non-admin user to see
the entries under Start - Programs and the shortcut on the desktop?

What's happening here is your installation package (MSI) is using the
personal start menu location instead of the common start menu location more
than likely. So it's putting the start menu items into the admin's profile.

You need to store your start menu items in the common profile
(C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs) for example on Vista.

Hope this helps,
Jon

http://www.insidetheregistry.com

---

"Gaurav" <gauravbajaj25@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:%23pvIvFjKJHA.5992@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>I have an installation package (.msi) that is sent out thte users. This
>.msi creates a shortcut on the desktop and places entries under Start -
>Programs.
> On Windows Vista, the admin installs this .msi and logs off.
>
> Now the non-admin user logs in, but he doesn't see the shortcut and the
> item under Start - Programs. The non-admin user can browse to Program
> Files\xxx and create a shortcut of the .exe on the desktop, but this isn't
> the best way.
>
> Are there any special settings in Vista that allow the non-admin user to
> see the entries under Start - Programs and the shortcut on the desktop?
>

Also put the shortcut in the c:\Users\Public\Desktop folder.

--

Regards,
Hank Arnold
Microsoft MVP
Windows Server - Directory Services

Jon Wallace wrote:
>
> What's happening here is your installation package (MSI) is using the
> personal start menu location instead of the common start menu location
> more than likely. So it's putting the start menu items into the admin's
> profile.
>
> You need to store your start menu items in the common profile
> (C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs) for example on
> Vista.
>
> Hope this helps,
> Jon
>
> http://www.insidetheregistry.com
>
> ---
>
> "Gaurav" <gauravbajaj25@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:%23pvIvFjKJHA.5992@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>> I have an installation package (.msi) that is sent out thte users.
>> This .msi creates a shortcut on the desktop and places entries under
>> Start - Programs.
>> On Windows Vista, the admin installs this .msi and logs off.
>>
>> Now the non-admin user logs in, but he doesn't see the shortcut and
>> the item under Start - Programs. The non-admin user can browse to
>> Program Files\xxx and create a shortcut of the .exe on the desktop,
>> but this isn't the best way.
>>
>> Are there any special settings in Vista that allow the non-admin user
>> to see the entries under Start - Programs and the shortcut on the
>> desktop?
>>
>

Also put the shortcut in the c:\Users\Public\Desktop folder.

--

Regards,
Hank Arnold
Microsoft MVP
Windows Server - Directory Services