Okay.. if you manually edit the registry ( NoSimpleStartMenu = 0 )
you'll have to restart explorer.exe before you'll see the change to
option in Start Menu properties.

I figured out the Start > Shutdown > SHIFT+CTRL+ALT+Cancel' method to
Kill explorer.exe gracefully.

With Shutdown dialog open,
- Hold the SHIFT+CTRL+ALT keys down
- Then click Cancel
--> this will kill Explorer.exe.

Now to restart Explorer.exe
--> click CTRL+ALT+DELETE to get Task Manager..
- Then go to File, select New Task (Run...).
- Then enter C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe and click OK.

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else--

here is a nifty tool to restart Explorer.exe (and IExplorer.exe) if
you manually edit the Registry...

[url]http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/restart_explorer.html[/url]

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* the GPEDIT.MSC tool makes the change immeditately.

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I tested both methods in Vista and XP. works fine.

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confused yet? sorry... It a process of discovery for me as an
intermediate user