My Documents is Missing (Restricted) – Start Menu

June 22, 2007 16 Comments

Windows XP My Documents menu is missing from the Start Menu and is also missing when you try to customize the Start Menu using the Taskbar and Start Menu applet in the Control Panel. The most likely cause of this is malware utilizing Group Policy Objects which enforces policies for system settings and/or user accounts settings. The Group Policy for Remove My Documents icon from Start Menu will cause the My Documents menu to be restricted/disabled (removed) from Start Menu when enabled.

Group Policies are typically applied at businesses to control access to programs, system properties, and user account settings. For Home users, My Documents menu can be removed from the Start Menu by these Group Policies but usually malware is the culprit. If you are a home user and the My Documents menu is missing from the Start Menu and looks like the pictures below then there is a good chance you are infected with malware.
My Documents Missing – Start Menu
My Documents – Start Menu
My Documents Options Missing – Taskbar and Start Menu
Properties
My Documents Options – Taskbar and Start Menu Properties

NOTE

Ensure your computer is malware free before applying the following solutions.

CAUTION

Before making any changes to the Windows XP Registry, please backup your Windows XP Registry using the direction from "Using ERUNT to back up the Windows XP Registry".

Manual Steps Using Group Policy Editor

NOTE

The Group Policy Editor requires Administrative privileges and is only available for Windows XP Professional Edition. Windows XP Home users can use the Windows XP Registry method to remove the Group Policy restriction.

  1. Click Start and then Run.
  2. Type gpedit.msc in the Run dialog box.
  3. Press ENTER on your keyboard.
  4. In the Group Policy Editor navigate to:

    User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

  5. Double-click Remove My Documents icon from Start Menu.
  6. Select Not Configured.

NOTE

If the My Documents menu is restricted/disabled (missing) from the Start Menu on a per User account basis then the above method will not work, you will need to use the Registry Editor to remove the Group Policy.

Manual Steps Using Windows XP Registry

  1. Click Start and then Run.
  2. Type regedit.exe in the Run dialog box.
  3. Press ENTER on your keyboard.
  4. Navigate to:

    HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

  5. Right-click NoSMMyDocs to select Modify.
  6. Change the value to 0.
  7. Navigate to:

    HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

  8. Right-click NoSMMyDocs to select Modify.
  9. Change the value to 0.
  10. Quit the Registry Editor (Regedit.exe).

NOTE

You may need to log off then log on to your user account or restart your computer for the changes to take affect.

Manual Steps Using REG ADD

  1. Open a Command Window.
  2. Type:

    REG ADD "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer" /v NoSMMyDocs     /t REG_DWORD /d 0

  3. Press ENTER on your keyboard.
  4. Type:

    REG ADD "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer" /v NoSMMyDocs     /t REG_DWORD /d 0

  5. Press ENTER on your keyboard.
  6. Type EXIT and press ENTER on your keyboard.

NOTE

You may need to log off then log on to your user account or restart your computer for the changes to take affect.

Automated Fix Using an Registration File

  1. Download MyDcmnts.Allow.reg to a folder on your hard drive.
  2. Right-click MyDcmnts.Allow.reg to select Merge.
  3. Now the registration entries are added for you.

NOTES

The MyDcmnts.Allow.reg file is from my web server (http://lprf.homeserver.com). You also can view the contents of the MyDcmnts.Allow.reg file by right-clicking the file and selecting Edit. You may need to log off then log on to your user account or restart your computer for the changes to take affect.

Platforms Tested

  • Microsoft Windows XP Editions
Related Articles

Version 1.11
Edited: May 9, 2012

Filed under Windows XP, Windows XP Fixes Tagged with , , , , ,

My Documents Desktop Icon Restricted (Greyed) – Display Properties

June 1, 2007 2 Comments

Windows XP My Documents Desktop Icon checkbox located in the Desktop Items properties sheet which can be accessed by the Customized Desktop… button under the Display tab in Display Properties is restricted/disabled (greyed out). The most likely cause of this is malware utilizing Group Policy Objects which enforces policies for system settings and/or user account(s) settings. The Group Policy for Remove My Documents icon from the desktop will cause the My Documents Desktop Icon checkbox to be restricted/disabled (greyed out) in Display Properties when enabled.

Group Policies are typically applied at businesses to control access to programs, system properties, and user account settings. For Home users, My Documents Desktop Icon checkbox can be restricted/disabled (greyed out) by these Group Policies but usually malware is the culprit. If you are a home user and the My Documents Desktop Icon checkbox is restricted/disabled (greyed out) from the Display Properties and looks like the pictures below then there is a good chance you are infected with malware.

NOTE

Ensure your computer is malware free before applying the following solutions.

CAUTION

Before making any changes to the Windows XP Registry, please backup your Windows XP Registry using the direction from "Using ERUNT to back up the Windows XP Registry".

Manual Steps Using Group Policy Editor

NOTE

The Group Policy Editor requires Administrative privileges and is only available for Windows XP Professional Edition. Windows XP Home users can use the Windows XP Registry method to remove the Group Policy restriction.

  1. Click Start and then Run.
  2. Type gpedit.msc in the Run dialog box.
  3. Press ENTER on your keyboard.
  4. In the Group Policy Editor navigate to:

    User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Desktop

     

  5. Double-click Remove My Documents icon on the desktop.
  6. Select Not Configured.

NOTE

If the My Documents Desktop Icon checkbox is restricted/disabled (greyed out) on a per User account basis then the above method will not work, you will need to use the Registry Editor to remove the Group Policy.

Manual Steps Using Windows XP Registry

  1. Click Start and then Run.
  2. Type regedit.exe in the Run dialog box.
  3. Press ENTER on your keyboard.
  4. Navigate to:

    HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\NonEnum

     

  5. Right-click {450D8FBA-AD25-11D0-98A8-0800361B1103} to select Modify.
  6. Change the value to 0.
  7. Navigate to:

    HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\NonEnum

     

  8. Right-click {450D8FBA-AD25-11D0-98A8-0800361B1103} to select Modify.
  9. Change the value to 0.
  10. Quit the Registry Editor (Regedit.exe).

NOTE

You may need to log off then log on to your user account or restart your computer for the changes to take affect.

Manual Steps Using REG ADD

  1. Open a Command Window.
  2. Type:

    REG ADD "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\NonEnum" /v {450D8FBA-AD25-11D0-98A8-0800361B1103} /t REG_DWORD /d 0

  3. Press ENTER on your keyboard.
  4. Type:

    REG ADD "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\NonEnum" /v {450D8FBA-AD25-11D0-98A8-0800361B1103} /t REG_DWORD /d 0

     

  5. Press ENTER on your keyboard.
  6. Type EXIT and press ENTER on your keyboard.

NOTE

You may need to log off then log on to your user account or restart your computer for the changes to take affect.

Automated Fix Using an Registration File

  1. Download MyDcmntsDsktpIcn.Allow.reg to a folder on your hard drive.
  2. Right-click MyDcmntsDsktpIcn.Allow.reg to select Merge.
  3. Now the registration entries are added for you.

NOTES

The MyDcmntsDsktpIcn.Allow.reg file is from my web server (http://lprf.homeserver.com).  You also can view the contents of the MyDcmntsDsktpIcn.Allow.reg file by right-clicking the file and selecting Edit. You may need to log off then log on to your user account or restart your computer for the changes to take affect.

Platforms Tested

  • Microsoft Windows XP Editions

Related Articles

Version: 2.3
Edited: May 12, 2012

Filed under Windows XP, Windows XP Fixes Tagged with , , , , , ,