Is there anyway to disable the Start Menu button?

[AuraEdge]

Every time I'm in a game, and I hit the windows button by mistake when I mean to hit Alt or something, it either minimizes the game, or kills the sound, or just crashes the comp all together. Is there anyway to disable this button when certain applications are running? or even to disable it at all times? Ive resorted to ripping the physical button off the keyboard so I dont press it by mistake. I would like to put it back, so my keyboard looks...normal http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

[bwbarbieri]

Here are some simple keystrokes to do what you want.

To Remove Start Button
----------------------
1. Click the Start Button and then the Escape key. Alternate: Hit the Tab button. The point is to get the Start Button selected (you'll see dotted line within the Button), NOT to open it.

2. Press Alt -. (Hold the Alt key down and press the minus sign key.)

3. Select "Close" from the menu that appears.

The Start Button will immediately disappear!

NOTE: I don't have a keyboard with the Windows Button. I assume it won't work at this point. When I try accessing the Start Button using any normal procedure, there's no response!

Restoring the Start Button
--------------------------
If you're going to shut down, just leave it alone. The Start Button will reappear after restarting your PC.

However, if you need it back right away, here's the fast way to reboot your PC:

1. Do a Ctrl-Alt-Del to obtain the "Close Program" window.

2. Select Explorer (NOT Internet Explorer).

3. Click End Task.

4. Click No to the Shut Down Windows screen.
(Windows assumes you want to shut down if you try to quit Windows Explorer.)

5. Wait for the End Task window, and click End Task.

You'll see all your icons disappear and then reappear on your desktop. You've just rebooted! Look in the spot where your Start Button normally appears -- its back!

Try the keystrokes. You'll see its faster and easier than it looks.

Have fun....

[AuraEdge]

The Alt, - thing doesnt show a menu at all...Im running WinME if it matters.
Thanks for the help anyways...anyone else got any ideas?

[OuTpaTienT]

It doesn't work for me either, with Win98. Would be a neat trick if it did though.

[NDC]

What I've done on my son's system is, removed the WIN key by popping out that key with a screw driver. He never uses that key anyways. If he ever decides that he needs it, I'll just pop it back on! http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

[bwbarbieri]

Sorry guys. I'm running under Windows 95b. Everything I wrote was tried just before I wrote it. Works perfectly on my system!

There might be a way to do the same on other versions of Windows. Even if keystrokes don't do it, the Registry is another place to look for a way around the Start Button. For example, HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Policies\Explorer. But I don't know the value that might work here.

I found my procedure by searching the internet using phrases like "hack windows start button" or similar.

Good luck.

[AuraEdge]

Thats exactly what I did
Its just not...aesthetically pleasing (eh?)
Gotta freakin hole on the side of my keyboard now....

I think i used that button sometime, but I havent really noticed it since it's been gone.

[bwbarbieri]

I just did a quick check and found something that reminds me the Start Button may be controlled in explorer.exe in Windows 98.

You might find a hint at the following site that talks about changing the name on the Start Button in Win98:
http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/axcel216/index.htm

A good hex editor might help in viewing explorer.exe.

[OuTpaTienT]

Well, if you REALLY don't use it...

Just pop the key off, put a drop of superglue on the mechanism so it won't depress, then put the key back on.

[NDC]

Or if you don't want to permanantly disable the Win Key after removing the key from the keyboard and putting Super Glue on it, just put a little tissue in the hole (just enough to make it so that the button can't make contact to the keyboard circuitry), and then, pop the button back on. http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

[Eli]

Or open the keyboard up and stick a small piece of paper between the button and the contact on the PCB.

[Underclocked]

Or buy keyboards that don't have them! Their are still a few somewhere. http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/wink.gif

[CujoRbd]

here ya go. this is the easiest and most effective way.

Disable Windows Hotkeys (http://www.regedit.com/detail/549.html)


later.

[AuraEdge]

Does this kill CTRL+ALT+DEL too? Gotta use that alot in Windows... http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif
Seriously...that and ALT+TAB are two things that I use alot.
If these 2 things stay, ill try it out.

[Undertow]

The start key is actually quite useful. Type start+s+c with out holding any of them down and it'll open the control panel without even seeing the start menu. It can also be used for conventional key strokes (meaning hold the button down and hit another key) such as start+f brings up find, start+r brings up run, start+d or m clears the desktop. Explore its uses, you'll find it can be a very useful key, I use it all the time.

-Undertow

[This message has been edited by Undertow (edited 10-10-2000).]

[AuraEdge]

I tried it...set the value to 1..Didnt work (Im in WinME if that matters). Menu and Start buttons on the keyboard still function...