Vista - WHY? Shortcut to Network file can not be pinned to start menu!

OK, In XP, we could drag just about any file or link to the top of the
start menu and it would stay there for easy access.

Unfortunately, the Vista start menu no longer supports this. There are (at
least) two major problems.

1. You can't drag an drop to the start menu in Vista.

Instead, you have to use the "Pin to Start Menu" r-click context menu
command.

Unfortunately, you have to SHIFT-R-Click many files (like Office 2007
shortcuts!) to even see the command.

But it gets MUCH worse...

2. Shortcuts with a network path instead of a local path can not be Pinned
to the Start Menu.

e.g. on a machine named \\NETPC
If the shortcut target is c:\users\username\Desktop\file.xls
Shift-R-CLick presents the "Pin to Start Menu" command
BUT
If the shortcut target is:
\\NETPC\Users\username\Desktop\File.xls
Neither R-CLick nor Shift-R-Click presents the "Pin to Start Menu"
command

Unsuccessful workaround attempts:
Changing the 'start in' field to a local Path does not fix the problem.
Also, Vista doesn't let you create a shortcut to a shortcut.
(I tried to Pin a local shortcut (indirect.lnk =>
c:\...\network.lnk & network.lnk=>\\PC...file.xls))

Switching to the Classic Start Menu enables drag and drop and shortcuts to
network paths, but you lose the standard Vista Start Menu.



Why are network shortcuts 'un-Pinnable' on the Vista Start Menu?

Is there a good reason for this? (It seems unlikely)
Is there a workaround? (hotfix, powertoy, registry hack, etc)
Is this scheduled for a fix? If so, when?

David

Hi David,

You can open a Windows Explorer window, then click on the Desktop folder in the left folder tree pane. Right click on the Network icon and click on "Create Shortcut". You can then move that Network shortcut it created on the desktop to where you want to keep it, then press and hold Shift and right click on it and select "Pin to Start Menu".

Hope this helps you,
Shawn