Change order of libraries during start-menu searches in Windows 7

Question

I use the start-menu to launch files (kind of like Launchy or Quicksilver) and the library functionality is really helpful in quickly sorting out what's what. For example, maybe an older copy exists in in the download folder. Or the search string brings up a bunch of stuff that also exist in the Documents library (one of the defaults).

Can I change the order that libraries display in start-menu searches? I have a lot of custom libraries and would love to push the Documents library to the bottom of the list, but I would also love to keep the Documents library to keep everything backed up with Windows backup. That is, I don't want to remove the default libraries (and renaming to zDocuments doesn't push it to the bottom of search results).

Thanks!

Answer 1

In the registry, the class ids in: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel

specify what folders are being loaded. Changing the order of these will change the order they show up.

For the class ids availible: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\

• Richard Herron: Thanks! Too scary for me. I just switched to Win and I've scared to death of the registry! Certainly a bunch of hexadecimal-named folders!

Answer 2

Not the perfect solution, but I found that with a registry hack I can pin libraries to the start-menu. It doesn't move my libraries above the default libraries in searches, but it's progress. It helps be get right to the library with a few letters of the library name.

Still hoping someone knows the silver bullet.