MS 'Recent' folder (2000)

**Nucthat1** · 2004-01-26 21:19

How can I prevent MS Office from creating it's own "Recent" folder ?
This folder is not like the other "Recent" folders, it only contains MS Office
applications I've used.
I've deleted it (with wiping) and it re-appears.
This is in addition to the seeded "Recent" folder in Windows (2000 Pro).

**jscher2000** · 2004-01-27 00:21

Can you tell from the file names whether this is the same set of files that appears on the File menu for quick re-opening? In Word, the MRU list on the File menu is controlled by the General tab of the Tools>Options... dialog.

**jkipk** · 2004-01-27 00:57

In the Office app: Tools>Options>General> Uncheck "Recently Used File List". This should stop Office apps from creating the folder. I would suppose that you have to uncheck the box in each app that you have/use. (I'm using 2003, but I believe it's in the same or similar place in previous versions).

Hope this helps,

kip

**AlKlein** · 2004-01-29 15:26

On a similar note, none of my office apps allow me to turn the MRU list on. It's greyed out in all of them. Did I do something wrong during the installation? Am I missing a dll? (I reinstalled Office 2003 but that didn't help.) TIA

**TonyE** · 2004-01-29 16:14

You have probably used tweakUI to stop the MRU list being displayed.

Within TweakUI in the Explorer section make sure that "Maintain document history" is selected.

**jscher2000** · 2004-01-30 04:46

A "Policy" in the registry can disable the list. If TweakUI is not handy, you could look here to see if there's anything that's doing it:

HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwarePoliciesMicrosoft
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoft

**AlKlein** · 2004-01-30 15:29

Tony, no such item in TweakUI, and I downloaded the latest just to be sure.

jscher, no policies in either of those keys ... I searched the registry for MRU and looked at all the Office 10 entries. They're all set to 10.

I'm at a loss.

**TonyE** · 2004-01-30 15:45

My answer was based on Windows XP version of TweakUI

For version 1.33 of TweakUI the setting is different
Select the IE tab.
Click to select the "Add new documents to Documents on Start Menu " check box, and then click OK.

Also see MSKB 284896

**AlKlein** · 2004-01-30 15:49

Thanks, Tony, that's the one that did it. Although what the text of that item has to do with the file menu in Office programs is beyond me.

**DaveA** · 2004-01-30 16:06

"that item has to do with the file menu in Office programs is beyond me"

Because the Office package as well as MOST other software are using the Windows API for this function.

**hougs** · 2004-02-09 11:03

After I installed and invoked Evidence Exterminator from Softstack.com I experienced the same problem. Took me a couple of torn out grey hairs to find out what went on... <img src=/S/hairout.gif border=0 alt=hairout width=31 height=23>
The tip about TweakUi sure did it - the checkmark is back (set manually), and all MSOffice apps are back to normal.

/Hougs

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