The Startup Menu is the menu you see when you click on All Programs. A virus can alter the Start Menu and if that happens, you will loose the items listed here. You can loose links to a program or a game because of the damage.  Even after getting rid of the virus, the damage to the Start Menu can still exist. To fix this menu, you will have to manually copy the shortcuts to the startup menu, reinstall the programs or copy the startup menu back from a saved file. The easiest way is to copy a backed up copy. Once the file is backed up, you can restore it if something happens to your Startup Menu.

Majority of people back up their files but they don't think about backing this up. Sometimes you are able to fix the damage done by a virus but the startup menu will be damaged. If you backed up the startup menu, you can fix the startup menu simply by copying it back over. There is two files that you need to back up. There is files for individual user's startup menu and there is a menu for all users. Once it is backed up, it is easy to restore. This is how to restore the User's Startup Menu.

1. Sign into the User's account you want to back up

2. Click Start

3. Right-click All Programs

4. Click Open

5. Copy all the files you have on the backed up location to this location (If it asks you if you want to overwrite, say Yes)

If you need to know the actual location that step 4 takes you, it is c:\users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu  (substitute the user's name for username)

For instructions on backing up , click here.

If you already lost the default shortcuts in the Start Menu and you do not have a backup copy, you can download a copy here. (Windows 7 only. It may or may not work for Vista)