I've been using CCleaner for a long time. And I've never run into any real problems, until recently.
I can't seem to figure out which option causes the Windows 7 start panel to be cleared. It's very annoying that I have to be rid of those items every time I give CCleaner another chance at NOT cleaning it.
I've unchecked most options that could be responsible, but after cleaning and clicking just one item in the start panel, it's cleared!
What do I do to NOT clean out the start panel??
Keep up the good work, btw. Other than this prob, CCleaner is great and I use it at every machine I use
Which items are being removed from the start menu that you would like to retain? Theres Run, Recent Docs, Recently used programs etc. In the mean time here are the items that will affect the start menu that I know of...
Recent Documents, Run, Other Explorer MRU's and Taskbar Jump Lists
Those items are stored under: HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\StartPage2\ProgramsCacheSMP
But so far I havent been able to get CC to remove the pinned items. I can do it manualy in regedit. If we cant figure out which option is removing that key we can add an exclusion rule in CC (options>exclude>add registry).
You are probably referring to something else. I think "pinned items" are items that stay at the top, regardless of the most opened items. I don't use pinned items, as you can see.
In your screenshot are all those apps 'recently used' then?
Have you tried unchecking all items in CC and then check one item, clean and repeat until the items are removed from the start panel? Are you using the registry cleaner?
Yes it's the recently used part of your screenshot. No I haven't tried your suggestion, because that would ultimately clean out the start panel again, and I don't want that
And I'm not using the reg cleaner to produce this problem.
Im almost certain if you were to add an exclusion for the registry key, that it wouldnt happen again. The exclusion overrides any option in the cleaner.
I believe the one you are looking for is under advanced "user assist history" and it is cleared after running that and restarting explorer. so unchecking "user assist history" should stop ccleaner from removing your recent programs.