Problems starting programs using Start/Search Field/Program Name

[Sebastian Trandafir]

there is this small frustration i'm having with Vista's Search option.

I am using Vista Home Premium [32b] [NO Service Pack installed], and there
is some time now since some of my programs wouldn't open using this neat
method Vista implemented introducing the "Search" field in the Start Menu.

This does not happen to all the programs i have installed. It only happens
with Microsoft Office and iTunes [sadly, i use these two quite a lot]. In the
past, i have tried reinstalling the applications, working on the Search
Index... everything seems to be alright, but, somehow there are some broken
links that i can't figure. The search is successful, the program name is
being offered as a result, but the program won't start when i hit "enter".
nor when i right click on it and select "Open".

I would really appreciate some help on the matter.
Yours, Sebastian.

 

[Gordon]

there is this small frustration i'm having with Vista's Search option.

I am using Vista Home Premium [32b] [NO Service Pack installed], and there
is some time now since some of my programs wouldn't open using this neat
method Vista implemented introducing the "Search" field in the Start Menu.

This does not happen to all the programs i have installed. It only happens
with Microsoft Office and iTunes [sadly, i use these two quite a lot]. In
the
past, i have tried reinstalling the applications, working on the Search
Index... everything seems to be alright, but, somehow there are some
broken
links that i can't figure. The search is successful, the program name is
being offered as a result, but the program won't start when i hit "enter".
nor when i right click on it and select "Open".

I would really appreciate some help on the matter.
Yours, Sebastian.

May I ask why you are using the Search function to find programs in the
first place? If you have the Start menu open, why not use the menu item for
either Office or ITunes and "pin" them to the Start menu?

 

[Paul Montgomery]

there is this small frustration i'm having with Vista's Search option.

I am using Vista Home Premium [32b] [NO Service Pack installed], and there
is some time now since some of my programs wouldn't open using this neat
method Vista implemented introducing the "Search" field in the Start Menu.

This does not happen to all the programs i have installed. It only happens
with Microsoft Office and iTunes [sadly, i use these two quite a lot]. In the
past, i have tried reinstalling the applications, working on the Search
Index... everything seems to be alright, but, somehow there are some broken
links that i can't figure. The search is successful, the program name is
being offered as a result, but the program won't start when i hit "enter".
nor when i right click on it and select "Open".

I would really appreciate some help on the matter.
Yours, Sebastian.

MOST people create a desktop or quick launch shortut for frequently
used programs - or they pin a shorcut to the Start menu.

Your method is a strange one.

 

[DL]

You dont mention version of Office;
Do you not have the 'New office doc' and 'Open Office doc' in your start
menu.
Depending on version of Office you may have to add this - see office help.

And if you type Word in the search it returns nothing?
'Microsoft Office' is not a program shortcut, its a folder name

 

[Sebastian Trandafir]

I agree there are thousands and thousands of ways to bypass this problem
including creating shortcuts, pinning them to the start menu etc etc etc...
this, by no means, thou, excuses Vista from malfunctioning at the level i
mentioned ...

Gordon Wrote

[May I ask why you are using the Search function to find programs in the first place?]

Sebastian added:
Using the Search function is useful whenever you are in the middle of
something and you don't want to bring everything down to see desktop
shortcuts, nor you want to use your mouse to slowly find start, and then find
the other programs...

[Plus the fact that you REALLY REALLY ought to install SP1]

Sebastian added:
I have tried several times, both using windows update, and downloading the
file from microsoft site... it fails to complete the installation.

Paul Montgomery wrote:
[Your method is a strange one]

Sebastian added:
It might be indeed... but it's fast, and as i am all about response time in,
i am going to use it as long as it is functional. Still, this is not a good
reason for vista to not act the way it's supposed to .

You dont mention version of Office;

Sebastian added:
It's Microsoft Office 2007 [sorry].

And if you type Word in the search it returns nothing?

It does find Microsoft office Word and Word Pad, still, Microsoft office
Word won't start when i hit enter. Wordpad does.

'Microsoft Office' is not a program shortcut, its a folder name

Sebastian added:
My bad... i just wanted to incorporate all the applications into one single
statement "None of the Microsoft Office Suite applications would start when
found in the search field". I did not expect it to find "Microsoft Office",
but the applications.

Another shortcut problem would be Right Click on Computer/properties/[on the
left side]Device Manager.... the Device Manager won't start. In order to open
Device Manager i am using the Search function in Start... and, it does start
from here.

I do appreciate your interest in the problem and your answers... but i would
still like to know whether there is any logical solution to solving this
problem.
Thanks for indulging me .
Yours, sebastian.

 

[Richard Urban]

I can open any Office module from search. What have you done to your system
that prevents this?

The first time I open a module my firewall pops up and asks if I want to
allow this to be opened in this fashion. What are "your" protection programs
doing?

iTunes?? Wouldn't touch anything from apple with a long pole. My personal
opinion.

--

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP
Windows Desktop Experience

I agree there are thousands and thousands of ways to bypass this problem
including creating shortcuts, pinning them to the start menu etc etc
etc...
this, by no means, thou, excuses Vista from malfunctioning at the level i
mentioned ...

Gordon Wrote

[May I ask why you are using the Search function to find programs in the
first place?]

Sebastian added:
Using the Search function is useful whenever you are in the middle of
something and you don't want to bring everything down to see desktop
shortcuts, nor you want to use your mouse to slowly find start, and then
find
the other programs...

[Plus the fact that you REALLY REALLY ought to install SP1]

Sebastian added:
I have tried several times, both using windows update, and downloading the
file from microsoft site... it fails to complete the installation.

Paul Montgomery wrote:
[Your method is a strange one]

Sebastian added:
It might be indeed... but it's fast, and as i am all about response time
in,
i am going to use it as long as it is functional. Still, this is not a
good
reason for vista to not act the way it's supposed to .

You dont mention version of Office;

Sebastian added:
It's Microsoft Office 2007 [sorry].

And if you type Word in the search it returns nothing?

It does find Microsoft office Word and Word Pad, still, Microsoft office
Word won't start when i hit enter. Wordpad does.

'Microsoft Office' is not a program shortcut, its a folder name

Sebastian added:
My bad... i just wanted to incorporate all the applications into one
single
statement "None of the Microsoft Office Suite applications would start
when
found in the search field". I did not expect it to find "Microsoft
Office",
but the applications.

Another shortcut problem would be Right Click on Computer/properties/[on
the
left side]Device Manager.... the Device Manager won't start. In order to
open
Device Manager i am using the Search function in Start... and, it does
start
from here.

I do appreciate your interest in the problem and your answers... but i
would
still like to know whether there is any logical solution to solving this
problem.
Thanks for indulging me .
Yours, sebastian.

 

[Gordon]

I agree there are thousands and thousands of ways to bypass this problem
including creating shortcuts, pinning them to the start menu etc etc
etc...
this, by no means, thou, excuses Vista from malfunctioning at the level i
mentioned ...

Gordon Wrote

[May I ask why you are using the Search function to find programs in the
first place?]

Sebastian added:
Using the Search function is useful whenever you are in the middle of
something and you don't want to bring everything down to see desktop
shortcuts, nor you want to use your mouse to slowly find start, and then
find
the other programs...

Then add the Desktop toolbar to the Taskbar....click on it and you get a
menu of desktop items. HAS to be far quicker than using search...

 

[DL]

If sp1 fails to install, your first priority is to determin the cause,
usually it is a driver problem.
Have you checked either your PC manufacturer for driver updates or the
hardware manufacturers?

Theres no point in trying to solve the Office problem untill you have solved
sp1
BTW Office 2007 installs a shortcut in the start menu to 'New Office Doc'
etc
If Word does not start then you either have an Office installation problem,
or a PC problem - but see my first point.

I agree there are thousands and thousands of ways to bypass this problem
including creating shortcuts, pinning them to the start menu etc etc
etc...
this, by no means, thou, excuses Vista from malfunctioning at the level i
mentioned ...

Gordon Wrote

[May I ask why you are using the Search function to find programs in the
first place?]

Sebastian added:
Using the Search function is useful whenever you are in the middle of
something and you don't want to bring everything down to see desktop
shortcuts, nor you want to use your mouse to slowly find start, and then
find
the other programs...

[Plus the fact that you REALLY REALLY ought to install SP1]

Sebastian added:
I have tried several times, both using windows update, and downloading the
file from microsoft site... it fails to complete the installation.

Paul Montgomery wrote:
[Your method is a strange one]

Sebastian added:
It might be indeed... but it's fast, and as i am all about response time
in,
i am going to use it as long as it is functional. Still, this is not a
good
reason for vista to not act the way it's supposed to .

You dont mention version of Office;

Sebastian added:
It's Microsoft Office 2007 [sorry].

And if you type Word in the search it returns nothing?

It does find Microsoft office Word and Word Pad, still, Microsoft office
Word won't start when i hit enter. Wordpad does.

'Microsoft Office' is not a program shortcut, its a folder name

Sebastian added:
My bad... i just wanted to incorporate all the applications into one
single
statement "None of the Microsoft Office Suite applications would start
when
found in the search field". I did not expect it to find "Microsoft
Office",
but the applications.

Another shortcut problem would be Right Click on Computer/properties/[on
the
left side]Device Manager.... the Device Manager won't start. In order to
open
Device Manager i am using the Search function in Start... and, it does
start
from here.

I do appreciate your interest in the problem and your answers... but i
would
still like to know whether there is any logical solution to solving this
problem.
Thanks for indulging me .
Yours, sebastian.

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, Sebastian.

I concur with DL:

If sp1 fails to install, your first priority is to determin the cause,

and Gordon:

[Plus the fact that you REALLY REALLY ought to install SP1]

There are plenty of "generic" reasons for determining the cause of your
Vista's failure to install SP1, and curing the problem. And there is a more
specific reason in your case: SP1 included significant improvements in
Vista's Search function.

Yes, it might take half a day to track down and cure the problem, but it
very likely will cost you much more than that in time (and frustration) if
you hobble along without fixing it. You really need SP1 - for a variety of
reasons.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP
(Running Windows Live Mail 2008 in Vista Ultimate x64 SP1)

I agree there are thousands and thousands of ways to bypass this problem
including creating shortcuts, pinning them to the start menu etc etc
etc...
this, by no means, thou, excuses Vista from malfunctioning at the level i
mentioned ...

Gordon Wrote

[May I ask why you are using the Search function to find programs in the
first place?]

Sebastian added:
Using the Search function is useful whenever you are in the middle of
something and you don't want to bring everything down to see desktop
shortcuts, nor you want to use your mouse to slowly find start, and then
find
the other programs...

[Plus the fact that you REALLY REALLY ought to install SP1]

Sebastian added:
I have tried several times, both using windows update, and downloading the
file from microsoft site... it fails to complete the installation.

Paul Montgomery wrote:
[Your method is a strange one]

Sebastian added:
It might be indeed... but it's fast, and as i am all about response time
in,
i am going to use it as long as it is functional. Still, this is not a
good
reason for vista to not act the way it's supposed to .

You dont mention version of Office;

Sebastian added:
It's Microsoft Office 2007 [sorry].

And if you type Word in the search it returns nothing?

It does find Microsoft office Word and Word Pad, still, Microsoft office
Word won't start when i hit enter. Wordpad does.

'Microsoft Office' is not a program shortcut, its a folder name

Sebastian added:
My bad... i just wanted to incorporate all the applications into one
single
statement "None of the Microsoft Office Suite applications would start
when
found in the search field". I did not expect it to find "Microsoft
Office",
but the applications.

Another shortcut problem would be Right Click on Computer/properties/[on
the
left side]Device Manager.... the Device Manager won't start. In order to
open
Device Manager i am using the Search function in Start... and, it does
start
from here.

I do appreciate your interest in the problem and your answers... but i
would
still like to know whether there is any logical solution to solving this
problem.
Thanks for indulging me .
Yours, sebastian.

 

[Sebi Trandafir]

after a while since i posted the question... i found the resolution.
thank you all for bugging me about the SP1 install... in the end i had to do
it. i reinstalled Windows Vista, and then SP1 worked like a charm.
the start/search field/program name problem is now gone, i can finally use
this function as desired [i know, loads of you don't necessarly agree with
this way of using the function].
what else can i say?
just thanks a bunch for all of your replies and stuff.
yours, sebastian.