How do I make "Run" remember again?

Discussion in 'Software' started by Wisewiz, Jan 23, 2004.

  1. Wisewiz

    Wisewiz Apprentice's Sorcerer

    The history of most recently used commands from the Run command on the Start menu should be stored in the following registry location:

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\RunMRU

    My RunMRU is empty, and stays that way. I can't recall having turned off Run's memory.

    (But that means diddley-squat. There's lots I can't remember.)

    Where was I? Oh, yeah:

    I'd like to make Run remember my commands again, because I've started using a lot of them, and some of them I use repeatedly, so the drop-down list would be handy. I know how to edit it once I get it working again.

    So, ... how do I get Run to REMEMBER again? :confused:
     
  2. Kodo

    Kodo SNATCHSQUATCH

    I know tweakUI has a clear run history option.. maybe you tweaked that?
     
  3. Wisewiz

    Wisewiz Apprentice's Sorcerer

    I don't think it's there anymore in TweakUI for XP. I hunted through TUI and couldn't find it. Maybe it's a control that doesn't actually MEAN what it SAYS.
    (Wouldn't be unique in Windows, would it?)
     
  4. NICK ADSL UK

    NICK ADSL UK MajorGeeks Forum Administrator Staff Member

    Hi Wisewiz
    By default all recently used commands stay in the drop down box in xp. Which means you have some software which is clearing the drop down box on rebooting the computer. I use mru blaster where if i untick the run command box the run command's stay and if the box is ticked they go. So if you cant find any software on your computer which is causing the run box to be deleted every time you reboot it may pay you to install some software like mru blaster which will give you the choice as to weather you wish to keep the run command's or not
     
  5. Wisewiz

    Wisewiz Apprentice's Sorcerer

    Interesting idea, Nick. Thanks. First I'll do a search through my apps and utilities to see whether I can find it. Don't suppose it would be in Spybot or Ad-Aware, and I have one other Tweak app (FreshUI) that MIGHT have it, but I thought I had searched that one.

    Prob is, of course, that if I turned it OFF somewhere, it's not guaranteed that another program can turn it back ON. Worth a try, though.
     
  6. bigbazza

    bigbazza R.I.P. 14/12/2011 - Good Onya Geek

    Lost "Run" command

    You don't say what OS you are using but try out

    http://www.bayden.com/SlickRun/

    I have over 100 shortcuts on my system (Win98SE).

    You can delete most of your icons on your desktop and replace them with shortcuts.

    Type IE for Internet explorer, for example.
    X for Excel, db takes me to an Excel spreadsheet db.xls, etc. mydoc takes me straight to MyDocuments folder, expl goes to Windows Explorer. Some DOS commands are accessible. A:\ takes me straight to A: drive. Check it out

    bigbazza

     
  7. Wisewiz

    Wisewiz Apprentice's Sorcerer

    Will do, bazza, and thanks!

    BUT I sure would like to find out how to kickstart my Run's memory again, instead of using a program to work around Run's amnesia.
     
  8. NICK ADSL UK

    NICK ADSL UK MajorGeeks Forum Administrator Staff Member

    Hi Wisewiz
    I have searched high and low for a answer. The only queries posted on this issue in the last 6 months as far as i can see have gone unanswered. It seams that everybody who has posted on this issue wont"s to clear the run command and NOT keep the history. I will keep looking for you thou
     
  9. Wisewiz

    Wisewiz Apprentice's Sorcerer

    Thanks, Nick. I've found a lot of the same. People want to STOP Run from remembering what they've typed or they want to EDIT the LIST. Both are a snap for people who know the registry well and are comfortable with it. The Policies list, for instance, comes up repeatedly, and there's nothing there for me.

    I searched the possible apps and util's and found no check boxes for Clear Run History, so I'm thinking it may be a side effect of another decision, like not permitting IE to autocomplete, or not having My Docs in the Start menu, or something like that that seems totaly unrelated. Guess I could try fiddling around in Internet Options for some unconnected switch that turns out to control Run's memory.

    I even searched through all of the old Win98-type files (most of which XP completely ignores at boot, which is one of the reasons why the FABULOUS Win98 tweak ConservativeSwapfileUsage=1 doesn't work at all on XP), and found nothing to indicate that my Run history is to be wiped at logoff or logon. But I just typed two commands successfully in my Run, then rebooted, and they're goners again. It holds them for the current session, so your suggestion about the REBOOT being involved is definitely right.

    Still searching after all these failures. (And it's my birthday, so you'd think I'd get a break from the universe.)
     
  10. alanc

    alanc MajorGeek

    Well Happy Birthday Wisewiz :)

    I wish I had a solution to your problem, however one thing caught my eye:
    Is it totally empty, or is the

    (Default) REG_SZ (value not set)

    entry still in there?

    Take a look at this article from annoyances.org:

    http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/article05-011

    It talks about how to clear the RunMRU (leaving the above (Default) entry in there), not how to reverse the process, but maybe if your (Default) entry is missing.......
    or maybe you can get an idea or two on fixing the prob from the article.

    So TweakUI for XP doesn't have the "Paranoia" tab?
     
  11. NICK ADSL UK

    NICK ADSL UK MajorGeeks Forum Administrator Staff Member

    Hi Wise-wiz
    From me as well have a great birthday :)
    I have checked my registry and it says that the value is not set. I have uninstalled mru blaster and the memory in the run box is back working normally. As alanc says i to wish i had a solution to your problem.Will continue to work on it and you my friend have a good evening :)

    regards
     
  12. alanc

    alanc MajorGeek

    BTW, just noticed that with the non-XP version of Tweak UI, it looks like there are two places to clear the RunMRU:

    Paranoia > Clear run history at logon

    -and-

    IE > Clear document, run, typed-URL history on exit


    Don't know if that applies in your case...
     
  13. Wisewiz

    Wisewiz Apprentice's Sorcerer

    You guys are the greatest! Kodo, alan, Nick, and robo, my thanks for the wishes and the help. I'm going to try the article and the registry expeddiment in the morning, and I'll report back. And bazza, thanks, and welcome to Major Geeks. As you can see, this is THE place to be! Glad you found it.

    And now that I'm a year older, to bed, to sleep, perchance to dream.
     
  14. Adrynalyne

    Adrynalyne Guest

    Better late than never.

    If that particular registry key does not have the permissions required, it will not be able to populate.

    Screenshots and exmples are incoming, it will be a few minutes.
     
  15. Adrynalyne

    Adrynalyne Guest

    Ok, here we go.

    First my exmaples, and then how I did it.

    Default security permissions, all keys except Restricted have full control:
     
  16. Adrynalyne

    Adrynalyne Guest

    Removed permissions
     
  17. Adrynalyne

    Adrynalyne Guest

    Results:

    Part 1
     
  18. Adrynalyne

    Adrynalyne Guest

    Results:

    Part 2 (I opened RD client from start, run)
     
  19. Adrynalyne

    Adrynalyne Guest

    Results

    Part 3 (I closed mstsc, then re-opened run box, and as you can see, is blank)

    Additionally, the reg key is blank too, but I forgot the screenie.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 23, 2004
  20. Adrynalyne

    Adrynalyne Guest

    How did I do it you might ask?

    Right click the RunMRU key and choose permissions.

    Click advanced.

    Uncheck "Inherit from permission entry that apply to child objects. Include these with entries explicitly defined here."

    Then you get a box that looks like as posted here. Click Remove.
     
  21. Adrynalyne

    Adrynalyne Guest

    Well that reproduces the issue, no third party software need apply.

    If that isn't the issue, do I get an "A" for effort? :p
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 23, 2004
  22. Wisewiz

    Wisewiz Apprentice's Sorcerer

    Holy mackerel! Adryn, you get an A++, and that from an old college prof who was always a "stingy marker." Above and beyond, my friend. Sincere thanks for all that sleuthing.

    I'll be back. (Slept in, then had some life to take care of, and now, finally, ... TaDa!) On with the tweaking!
     
  23. NICK ADSL UK

    NICK ADSL UK MajorGeeks Forum Administrator Staff Member

    I second that wisewiz. Well done Adryn, As they would say in my old school have a cookie [Rep Point] :)
     
    Last edited: Jan 24, 2004
  24. Adrynalyne

    Adrynalyne Guest

    So that was the problem?

    Sorry, I've had about 2 hours sleep the last 48 hours.

    I replaced a motherboard and wanted my computer back in tip top shape so I didn't go to bed, and my daughter kept me up last night :p

    So, I don't know if I read that you got it fixed or not.

    And, by the way, happy belated birthday!! I missed that on the first read of this thread.


    Nick:

    Thanks :)
     
  25. Wisewiz

    Wisewiz Apprentice's Sorcerer

    Well, TEAM MG, you guys GOT IT for me!

    Guess what? Tweak UI for XP has a setting in the Explorer set that says "Clear document history on exit."
    I don't have My Docs showing in the Start Menu, and I don't ever use the My Docs folder, so I guess I checked that way back when and forgot it.

    EVERYBODY who contributed to this thread said something that ultimately helped me discover that the simple solution WAS that that control doesn't MEAN what it SAYS. If you click on it and read the longer message about the control, you find "controls whether Explorer will clear the recent documents history, ...," which is no surprise because that's what the control SAYS, but it CONTINUES: "run dialog history, and typed-URL history when you log off."

    UNchecking that re-created the RunMRU key in the reg (I had taken it out as part of all the tweaking you guys suggested, and was still checking and tweaking and exploring forty things at once) and the next command I entered POPULATED that RunMRU key, where there was NOTHING before.

    I followed through on EVERYTHING you guys suggested, so once again, Kodo, Nick, alanc, and robo, for every suggestion that made me hunt harder and try more tricks, my thanks. And Adrynalyne, you old rear-bringer-upper, I didn't even know that stuff was THERE, and working through it was a valuable and important lesson: an interesting new dimension in this old man's grasp of the registry.
    What a TEAM!

    My Run can remember again. Now I'm just sorry I bothered so many so much for so little.
    :D ...Dan
     
    1 person likes this.
  26. Adrynalyne

    Adrynalyne Guest

    You know, we have such good threads here with valuable information, its a shame we can't sticky them, but then there would be no room on the first page of the forum :p

    Too bad we don't have a section set aside specifically for those threads with the nifty tidbits of info in them.

    Glad you got it all sorted, and I learned something valuable too:

    Read the entire description for tweaks in TweakUI :p
     
  27. alanc

    alanc MajorGeek

    Good show, Wisewiz! :)

    That's a great idea! Like a MGKB with threads/articles about the solutions for the tough nuts to crack. Would make searching the forums for fixes easier. ;)
     
  28. Adrynalyne

    Adrynalyne Guest

    Exactly!

    Great minds think alike :p

    And I bet the MGKB will be more user friendly than a certain software giant, *cough* Microsoft *cough* ;)
     
  29. bigbazza

    bigbazza R.I.P. 14/12/2011 - Good Onya Geek

    Wisewiz,

    Happy Birthday (belated). I'll be 65 next birthday. I have owned PC's since the Tandy Model 1 days but this is only the second forum I have joined. Glad to see that you got plenty of help.

    I wish those kittens were feral cats here in Queensland, Australia.

    Everyone, if you are not already aware of it, check out website below.

    " Stop TCPA now! www.againsttcpa.com"

    Looks like I will have to learn Linux. God, will it never end.

    Seeing everybody adds a quote, I will add my favourite.

    "Beware the light at the end of the tunnel, it may be an oncoming train"

    or 1 more

    "Some days you are the pigeon, some days you are the statue"..

    Bye, Baz

    =======================
     

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