Microsoft Jump Lists Disappeared

For some reason some of my MS jump lists no longer appear in my Start Menu. PPT still functions, but Word and Excel are gone.

I have Windows 7 Home Plus, Service Pack 1.

So far I have tried:
1. Start Menu / Properties / Store and Display Recently Opened Items - de-selected then reselected then rebooted
2. Control Panel / File Type Associations / Change - changed app to notepad then back to appropriate app then rebooted
3. Control Panel / Programs / Repair MS Office - completed process and rebooted.

My recent documents folder shows the correct list including word and excel, but those to programs still have no jump lists in start up menu. any others suggestions?

thanks,
Allec

 

I don't know what a jump list is. As far as the OS, do you mean Windows 7 Home Premium?

Right click a blank spot on the Toolbar. Select properties then the Start Menu tab. Go through the list and select or deselect what you want to see.

I don't have office installed on the computer I'm currently on so I can't test. If you go to your Office folder in the All programs list, open it and right click Word, you should get an option to pin, at least to the taskbar.

I'll go on a computer running Office later and look at the options. (I just put shortcuts to Word and Excel on the desktop so my husband clicks those instead of looking through the All programs list).

 

matador7...

Sounds like you are referring to the list of files you use are not present and the programs themselves are disappearing...is this correct?

Go to the Microsoft Office folder here:

C:\->Program Files (x86)->Microsoft Office
*this is the 32 bit version...not sure where the 64 bit version startup executables are located...possibly somewhere in C:\Program Data

Depending on which version of Office you are running, look for the startups for the programs you want pinned to the start menu. Right click on each startup and select "Pin to Start Menu". I am using Office 2007, and the path to the startup executables is C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office12.

The jump lists for each program to individual files should happen automatically as you use the files, but, if you are using CCleaner or some other cleaner, they may be being removed by that program.

 

jump lists appear in you start menu window next to applications and list the recently used files or locations.

my start menu keeps the programs i used but for some reason excel and word doesnt have jump lists. ppt and many others do. they both used to but magically stopped one day.

here is an example of what it should look like:


mine lack the arrow next to the application that you can hover over to get the drop down menu with recent files/locations. well, except for PPT and Chrome and Outlook.

 

matador7...

I have the same thing, but I must have unpinned a bunch of them. Only Excel is there now. It does have the jump list.

I don't have the answer. Maybe the jump lists appear based on usage of files. You could check to see if opening 6 or 7 Excel files in a row jump starts the feature...

 

The data that stores the Jump Lists have become corrupted. Here's a fix.

https://angrytechnician.wordpress.com/2010/05/24/how-to-fix-a-brokenempty-jump-list-in-windows-7/

 

Thanks, Eldon. I did navigate to that location and started opening files with notepad. within 3f47a82fb45f8090.automaticDestinations-ms I could see the names of a few word files. I deleted the file and opened a few word files then closed word. No jump list. I then emptied my trash can and did it all over again. No jump list.
Any other suggestions?

 

Every link I clicked led to the same instructions as per the link I posted.
Then I found this 'fix' from Microsoft.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-za/kb/2607576/#/en-za/kb/2607576#bookmark-installupdate

If it doesn't work, run CCleaner. Under Windows Explorer check Taskbar Jump Lists.

 

Again, Eldon, my thanks.

I have actually found all the suggestions proposed prior and completed them several times before to posting here. Never have they worked.

The CCleaner was a new one to me, though I did just run it a month ago for another reason. I did as you described. As expected, it cleared the PPT jump list. It also wiped all the "recent" files from within PPT. I then tried Word. It had cleared all the recent files from within the app. I opened several and then closed. No start menu jump list for word or excel, but I did have the PPT back again. For some reason those two applications refuse to bring it back again.

Oh and I can see the "C:\Users\XPS Control\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\AutomaticDestinations" folder was wiped out and is getting rebuilt as I open docs. Very strange.

 

It is indeed strange that only Word & Excel are affected. I'm stumped.
FYI The folder being rebuilt is normal.

 

I did find this on microsoft.com:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-za/kb/2607576#/en-za/kb/2607576#bookmark-installupdate

"A Jump List Item is not displayed in Windows 7"

It gives the instructions to customize the start menu, which we discussed prior. It then provides some instructions to download an update to fix the problem. After I download/run the update it says there is no update needed for my computer. So back to square 1.

 

If you pin Word, or Notebook to the Taskbar, start it from there and open and close a few files, do you then get jump lists off the Taskbar? When using taskbar jumplists you right click the taskbar icon.

I ask because although I have three Win 7 systems, none of them has ever displayed jump lists off the Start menu such as the one you have, and I guess this is because I have never used the Start menu for my most used programs, I always use the previously pinned taskbar icon. My taskbar jump lists work fine, but if I try to use the Start menu, no jump lists. It's so easy this way I always wondered what the fuss was about no start menu in Win 8.

 

Earthling, I didnt even know you got jump lists on the task bar, so good idea. Unfortunately no luck. they popped right up for PPT and chrome, but not for word and excel.

 

Might be worth repairing Office, which you can do via Control Panel > Programs and Features. Right click Office > Change. BTW I find I do have jump lists on my Start menu but as I never use it I just never noticed those arrows before. Mind you I've only been using Office for 18 years so it's understandable :-o

 

matador7,
As you have already tried to repair Microsoft Office, I suggest you do a re-install. A while back I had to do a re-install because repair didn't work.

Earthling,
Jump lists even work for Notepad and some third party programs.

 

i was wondering about reinstalling word or excel and seeing if that did the trick. reinstalling office is just too drastic - would just live without jump lists.

 

I cannot decide whether the problem is with Windows or Word & Excel.
Nonetheless, I found Jumplist-Launcher which can create custom jump lists.

http://helpdeskgeek.com/windows-7/customize-windows-7-jumplists/

The download link leads to nothing. Try this one.

http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Launchers-Shutdown-Tools/Jumplist-Launcher.shtml#download

 

matador7...

Have you tried this?

http://www.makeuseof.com/answers/excel-jumplist/

The post I am referring to is the long one by Anonymous that mentions xlsx files. I think he is saying that associating this one type of file with another program and then reassociating it with Excel will restore the jumplists. I can't tell as it looks like part of the post is missing...:confused

I see this poster recommended a program called Jumplist Backup Restore 2.1 at the end of the post.

This definitely must be a Windows problem from the sounds of it...:-o

 

matador7,
I downloaded Jumplist-Launcher and ran it - no install necessary!
Then I added Ashampoo Photo Commander, IZArc & Media PLayer Classic - Black Edition, and they all now have jump lists.

 

Eldon, I gave it a try. I downloaded and installed Jumplist Launcher.

I navigated to excel and selected the application (C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14\EXCEL.EXE)
It then automatically created a name EXCEL and choose the correct icon.

Unclear what it wanted me to do next so I clicked "create jumplist". Didn't look like anything happened, but I see a knew file in the Jumplist Launcher window called "settings.dat".

I opened a few excel files but don't see a jumplist on the taskbar icon or the start list icon. What am I missing?

 

I just found a jump list reader utility (link below). It apparently monitors the files in AutomaticDestinations folder and then presents a list in the gui of each file name, automaticdestination file it was found in and some date time info.

I opened up some excel files and I can see them appear in the utility. But for some strange reason my Excel shortcut in start menu and task bar are not pulling the info from the automaticdestination file.

http://download.cnet.com/JumpListsView/3000-2094_4-75886501.html

 

matador7,
It seems the program takes a little getting used to. Before you click Create Jumplist, you must click Add File.

 

So it still looks like a manual process of adding items to a jump list, rather than the application automatically creating a list of links to recently used files per application.

 

No. Once you add the application, Jump Lists will always be created for that application. And Jumplist-Launcher doesn't have to be running.
it's the next best thing to re-installing Microsoft Office.

 

then i must be doing something really wrong. i see jump list launcher in my start up window. i see excel and word in the jump list for them. but i dont see any documents.
here is what i did:
i dragged the word & excel exe to the launcher window. i see the step 1 boxes auto populate and the icon show up. i click save. i click create jump list.
i can now see all three apps in the quick launch applications quick launch window. no documents show up

 

Your text in bold is confusing.
There is no save option, and the documents wont show in the program.

Click on each entry, click the big red X and start over. After you add the first program, click Add File and then Create Jumplist - nothing more. Open the program you added, open a file and then look if it shows in the Start menu.

 

Eldon, thanks for the time and patients. We seem to be having some miscommunication so I will be very concrete and specific about what I have done and am doing.

I downloaded an application called: Jumplist Launcher (though it’s header window when running says “Hedgehog’s Jumplist-Launcher v4)

I downloaded it from: http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Launchers-Shutdown-Tools/Jumplist-Launcher.shtml

The instructions that I found for it say to drag the exe file to the window, click the save button (which is in the middle at the bottom below the window where I dragged the exe file, and then click “Create Jumplist”, which is on the right hand side below the big red X.

Ok, so working on what you asked me to do:

I cleared all of the existing items from the window using the X.

In the “Choose the location of a file” box I navigated to: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14\excel.exe

The application applied the name EXCEL and selected the icon automatically.

I clicked on “Add file”. I saw a new folder appear under “Group 1” in the window, as well as the file path to the application.

I clicked on “create jumplist”. Nothing appeared to happen.

I opened excel, then opened a couple of files.

In the start menu excel did not create a jump menu.

In the start menu the Jumplist Launcher application did not appear.

I navigated to the folder containing the Jumplist Launcher and right clicked on the application, then selected “Pin to start menu”.

I now see the application in my startmenu with a jumplist. When I hover over it I only see the application excel as a recent item, not any documents.

Where am I going wrong?

Many thanks.

 

The only solution to the problem is to re-install Microsoft Office.

 

Edit:
Jumplist Launcher treats programs like files. You wont see the files opened by the programs.

I thought this program might be a solution to your problem. Clearly it isn't. Re-install... or live with it.
Sorry. :-o

 

well this is wierd . . .

i wanted to get to the start menu folder but couldn't recall location so i opened a browser window and searched for "start". in the results i saw an application called "microsoft excel starter 2010". i clicked on it and up popped a stripped down version of excel. didnt think anything of it so i closed it.

when i went to my start menu i found a new program listed: MS Excel Starter - with a jump list of all my excel files attached!

it appears excel (and probably word) is associating the files with the wrong program.
i went to an excel file, right clicked and tried forcing the computer to use the correct version of excel to open files. change appears to be made, and the "always use" box is checked. however the jump list doesnt change to excel.

fortunately when i use the starter excel jump list the file DOES open in excel. ditto for word.

wierd?

 

I think we might be getting somewhere...
When you open files with Excel Starter, there are Jump Lists.
When you open files with Excel, there are no Jump Lists.
Correct?

 

yep. ditto for word. and those are the ONLY 2 applications with "starter" versions.

 

Ok.
You'll have to uninstall Microsoft Office Starter Edition - it has basic versions of only Word & Excel.

But, first try this:
Click Start > Default Programs > Associate a file type or protocol with a program. Scroll down to .xlsx and double-click it. Look for Microsoft Office Excel and select it. Click OK.

 

done. no change.

if i delete the starter edition and that doesnt fix the jumplist issue, can i download the application again and use as a work around?

 

MSO Starter Edition is not available for download. At least not legally.

 

Starter deleted and pc rebooted.

Still see the starter programs in the start menu with jump lists. Jump lists work but I get an error if i click on the app icon.

When I open new word or excel files, they continue to populate in the starter jump list and a new jump list for word/excel does not occur.

Just for fun I used JumpListViewer application to find out which of the files was the word file, I then deleted it. The jumplist for Word Starter was wiped. I then opened up some word files. It again began building jumplist, but for Word Starter. WTF?

 

It seems MSO Starter Edition was not completely removed.
I would uninstall MSO 2010 and re-install it. If you don't have the disc, the files are on your PC in a hidden folder.

First try this. Open Registry Editor and go here.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.xlsx
Right-click and click Export. Name it excel. It will save to Documents (this is your backup). Then right-click again and click Delete.
Download the file I have uploaded, double-click it and click Yes.

 

are you referring to: regedit.exe? if so i get the error message when i click on it: The application was unable to start correctly (0xc0000142).

 

Then you need to run Tweaking.com - Windows Repair Portable. Follow all the steps. I have to log off... sorry.

http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/tweaking_com_windows_repair_portable.html

 

Have you scanned for malware?
One of the suggestions was if regedit gives that error, you might have malware.

 

i ran anti-virus (Comodo Internet Security) and Malwarebytes. No problems found. will run tweaking now

 

I ran the Tweaking Windows Repair 6 times and things got better after each pass. Final Results:

Pre-Scan (Step 2): No errors
Check File System (Step 3): No errors
System File Checker (Step 4): Found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them. (Log is about 50 pages long)
Repairs: All selected repairs done.

I then tried running Regedit.exe again but got the same error: The application was unable to start correctly (0xc0000142).

BUT - i just noticed that since doing all of this the computer is no longer putting documents into the jumplists for the starter versions of the applications. so i just lost my acceptable workaround. and it is no associating with the correct versions jump list either.

i checked and the recently open files are not showing up in any of the jumplist files on the c drive. forget the address - something/something/something/automatic destinations.

Thoughts?

 

Do you have the Windows 7 DVD?

 

I haven't been following this long thread so apologies in advance if this has already been covered. In Ccleaner > Options > Advanced there is an option to Enable Windows Jump Lists. Could this be relevant?

 

No. That setting enables Jump List Tasks for CCleaner only.

If I may bring you up to date...
matador7 has no Jump Lists for MSO Word & Excel. Jump Lists for PowerPoint, Access and Outlook are working.

From post #42 it seems some System Files are corrupt and cannot be repaired as per Tweaking.com Windows Repair.

I have asked if he has a Windows 7 disc as the OS can be repaired without losing programs or personal files.

To the best of my knowlegde, everything possible has been tried, including using the program Jumplist Launcher.

Note: MSO Starter Edition is also installed. This might be the crux of the problem as Jump Lists for Word and Excel do appear. Also, he cannot change the default programs for Word and Excel - they open with the Starter Edition.

 

I can check - will need to do some digging through the vaults.

But that question makes me nervous. What are you thinking and what is the impact?

thanks,
Allec

 

With two different versions of Office installed maybe it's not surprising one or two things aren't working as they should. I see you said earlier that reinstalling Office is just too drastic, but it would only take 15-20 mins. It's certainly what I would do, and I'd also try and get rid of the Starter edition before reinstalling.

 

would that be like bringing the computer back to its original state?
would all my settings and downloaded applications be wiped?
would my data be wiped?

 

Reinstalling Office does not affect either your operating system or any of your installed programs, other than Office of course, and won't touch any of your personal files at all. So all your applications and Excel and Word etc files will be untouched. All you have to be certain of is that you have a retail Office installation disk and a valid product key. You can check your present product key with Belarc advisor.

 

I asked if you have the Windos 7 DVD because you can do a repair. All* your programs, including Microsoft Office, and personal files will be untouched.

*I only had to re-install the Lexmark and Nero programs.