When I right click in a explorer drive window and select the new menu
option, there is a very long delay of up to 10 - 30 seconds. I notice
this gets longer and longer with the more applications I install.

On a new install of XP there is no delay. I am sure there is some sort
of registry tweak or way of removing unwanted new items so there is
not a delay.

I use the new menu option to creat new folders.

Hello there!

The delay comes from Windows XP loading each icon associated with the
menu item - for example, the image of the briefcase. Because there are
many such images, scattered around the disk, it can take a while to
display the menu.

But you'll be happy to hear that there is a way to remove those
unwanted entries. In fact, there are two. The most easy way is to get
hold of a program called TweakUI, written by Microsoft themselves. It
lets you tweak many aspects of the user interface, including which
items should appear on the New menu. You can download it here (see the
right hand column):

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/downloads/powertoys.asp

Once it's installed, it will appear on the Start Menu in Programs -->
Powertoys for Windows XP. Simply run it, scroll down to Templates, and
uncheck the items you no longer wish to appear.

The alternative method lets you accomplish this without downloading
new software. It does involve low level tinkering with your system,
however, so I'd highly recommend TweakUI if at all possible. For
details of this other method, see here:

http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/article05-010

I hope this sorts things out for you. If anything's unclear, or the
links don't work correctly, please don't hesitate to request
clarification!

Thanks, and good luck.

--seizer-ga

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