XP users have been able to access their system’s start menu by pressing the Windows key and typing “xp” into the search bar. This feature has been available since XP was released in 2001. However, recent documents and programs that were installed on XP systems may not be accessible by pressing the Windows key and typing “xp” into the search bar. Instead, they may be found under the “Programs” category in the Start Menu. If you are unable to access your system’s start menu or if your programs do not work as they should, it may be helpful to review recent documents and programs that were installed on your XP system. This can help you determine which files were not properly installed or which files may have been changed since you last used XP.
Right click the start menu icon and select Properties. Click the Start Menu tab and click on Customize.
In the Customize Start Menu window click on the Advanced tab.
Now you have two options:
Click the Clear List button to just clear the recent documents.
Uncheck the “List my most recently opened documents” box to make the entire feature go away.
