I have just started using Windows Vista Home Premium 32 bit, on a Dell Inspiron 531 Desktop, with AMD Athlon64 X2 Dual Core processor 5600+, 4Gb Ram. The Start menu search function button (between 'Games' and 'recent items') has disappeared, which is very annoying as I use it a lot... Any ideas?

not sure why it dissappeared but you can get it back through control panel

You can add or remove items, such as Computer, Control Panel, and Pictures, that appear on the right side of the Start menu. You can also change some items so that they appear as links or menus.
1.	Open Taskbar and Start Menu Properties by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking Appearance and Personalization, and then clicking Taskbar and Start Menu.
2.	Click the Start Menu tab, and then click Customize.
3.	In the Customize Start Menu dialog box, select the options in the list that you want, and then click OK

from this article on Windows Help and how-to

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-GB/Help/c45acd5d-98b5-4245-8ce6-1f7bba6547671033.mspx#EWG

hope this helps Rob

 

Thanks Rob for the quick response

However... I have tried setting it at 'Search this user's files' and 'Search indexed locations', and 'restored defaults...' none of which restore it. it was there before I installed the Service Pack... When I use the 'classic' start menu', the search function is there and works...

A perplexing and diverting problem... perhaps i should uninstall the service pack to see if it returns?.

Martin

 

Success!! Uninstalling the service pack has restored the Search...

I have the option of just 'Search'  which when selected / de selected shows or doesn't show the search