Category: Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows XP and Windows 2000

This setting allows an administrator to revert specific Windows Shell behavior to classic Shell behavior. If you enable this setting users cannot configure their system to open items by single-clicking (such as in Mouse in Control Panel). As a result the user interface looks and operates like the interface for Windows NT 4. 0 and users cannot restore the new features. Enabling this policy will also turn off the preview pane and set the folder options for File Explorer to Use classic folders view and disable the users ability to change these options. If you disable or not configure this policy the default File Explorer behavior is applied to the user. Note: In operating systems earlier than Windows Vista enabling this policy will also disable the Active Desktop and Web view. This setting will also take precedence over the “Enable Active Desktop” setting. If both policies are enabled Active Desktop is disabled. Also see the “Disable Active Desktop” setting in User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Desktop -> Active Desktop and the “Do not allow Folder Options to be opened from the Options button on the View tab of the ribbon” setting in User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> File Explorer.

This policy setting allows you to turn off user tracking. If you enable this policy setting the system does not track the programs that the user runs and does not display frequently used programs in the Start Menu. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting the system tracks the programs that the user runs. The system uses this information to customize Windows features such as showing frequently used programs in the Start Menu. Also see these related policy settings: “Remove frequent programs liist from the Start Menu” and “Turn off personalized menus”. This policy setting does not prevent users from pinning programs to the Start Menu or Taskbar. See the “Remove pinned programs list from the Start Menu” and “Do not allow pinning programs to the Taskbar” policy settings.

This policy setting allows you to remove Network Connections from the Start Menu. If you enable this policy setting users are prevented from running Network Connections. Enabling this policy setting prevents the Network Connections folder from opening. This policy setting also removes Network Connections from Settings on the Start menu. Network Connections still appears in Control Panel and in File Explorer but if users try to start it a message appears explaining that a setting prevents the action. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting Network Connections is available from the Start Menu. Also see the “Disable programs on Settings menu” and “Disable Control Panel” policy settings and the policy settings in the Network Connections folder (Computer Configuration and User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Network -> Network Connections).

This policy only applies to the classic version of the start menu and does not affect the new style start menu. Adds the “Log Off ” item to the Start menu and prevents users from removing it. If you enable this setting the Log Off item appears in the Start menu. This setting also removes the Display Logoff item from Start Menu Options. As a result users cannot remove the Log Off item from the Start Menu. If you disable this setting or do not configure it users can use the Display Logoff item to add and remove the Log Off item. This setting affects the Start menu only. It does not affect the Log Off item on the Windows Security dialog box that appears when you press Ctrl+Alt+Del. Note: To add or remove the Log Off item on a computer click Start click Settings click Taskbar and Start Menu click the Start Menu Options tab and then in the Start Menu Settings box click Display Logoff. Also see “Remove Logoff” in User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> System -> Logon/Logoff.

Disables personalized menus. Windows personalizes long menus by moving recently used items to the top of the menu and hiding items that have not been used recently. Users can display the hidden items by clicking an arrow to extend the menu. If you enable this setting the system does not personalize menus. All menu items appear and remain in standard order. Also this setting removes the “Use Personalized Menus” option so users do not try to change the setting while a setting is in effect. Note: Personalized menus require user tracking. If you enable the “Turn off user tracking” setting the system disables user tracking and personalized menus and ignores this setting. Tip: To Turn off personalized menus without specifying a setting click Start click Settings click Taskbar and Start Menu and then on the General tab clear the “Use Personalized Menus” option.