Summary: 
How can I force the "Internet" and "E-mail" links at the top of the Windows XP  
start menu to always open maximized? 
 
Details: 
The new Windows XP start menu has two slots reserved at the top for links to  
your web browser and e-mail programs.  These links can be turned off or  
changed to different apps by right clicking on the task bar, and  
clicking "Properties", "Start Menu", "Customize" and looking at the "Show on  
Start Menu" block at the bottom.  Problem is, these slots appear to be special  
system object, as they don't offer the usual shortcut options when you right  
click on them.  With a normal shortcut, I can right click on it,  
choose "Properties" and set the Run option to Normal window, Minimized or  
Maximized.  These internet/e-mail entries offer no such properties, they seem  
to Run as Normal all the time.  As a result, if you resize your browser, or if  
a web page does it for you (with a pop-behind, etc.), it will restart in the  
same size as it was when you last closed it.  This is very annoying when you  
close your browser window, discover a pop-behind and close it -- then the next  
time you start the browser it's tiny.  How can I force these special slots to  
open up in Maximized state? 
 
Caveats: 
1) Don't suggest removing these items and adding them back as shortcuts.  That  
doesn't preserve there spot at the top of the list. 
2) Don't suggest using pop-up/-behind killer software, that doesn't really  
solve the problem. 
3) Don't suggest the ctrl-shift-click trick, that only works if you put the  
browser back to the size you want it before closing -- which is what I'm  
trying to avoid. 
4) Don't give similar answers that don't really address the root problem.  I'm  
looking for some kind of registry entry that controls the Run state, or maybe  
some hidden shortcut that gets used that I *can* set Properties on, etc.  I  
want a genuine, system level answer.  If there isn't one, so be it -- let the  
question go unanswered. 

Didn't get all the way, but here is what I've figured out so far:

The registry settings that control which browser/mail clients are used:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Clients\mail
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Clients\StartMenuInternet

These keys refer to programs defined in:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\Mail
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\StartMenuInternet

For more information on customizing these, go visit:
http://www.jsifaq.com/SUBJ/tip4600/rh4608.htm

Sadly, this doesn't do what you want, you since you can only tweak the command 
line at this point, and Internet Explorer, etc. doesn't have a maximize 
command line option.  And it doesn't look like there is a way to do it. 
But, you can set a global preference to maximize all Internet Explorer 
instances (as long as you are using XP).  Check out this thread:
http://groups.google.com/groups?
q=internet+explorer+registry+maximized+xp&hl=en&selm=_RQQ7.435660%
24bY5.1815381%40news-server.bigpond.net.au&rnum=6

ciao...

Hey Andrew,

Open Internet Explorer, maximize the window, close it. Now try the shortcut 
from your "Start" menu.

IE wants to open in the same state it was closed. ie maximized or otherwise.
Hope this is correct. ( I am not MS certified )

OOPS! Sorry Andrew, I meant Mr Zorg,
And looking at it again, I can right click the IE icon on the start menu, then 
choose properties, then on the "shortcut" tab, select maximize.
Windows XP Pro Version 5.1.2600 Build 2600

An alternative to using the shortcut method is using a small utilit called 
AutoSizer.

http://www.southbaypc.com/AutoSizer/

According to the website:
AutoSizer automatically resizes any window you specify. For instance, some web 
browsers open up in a non-maximized window. Using AutoSizer, you can set those 
windows to automatically maximize every time they’re opened. It works with 
almost any program, including web browsers, Notepad, etc. AutoSizer stays 
running in the system tray (next to the time), so it stays out of your way 
while it works.

This is a free utility that will automatically resize windows based on the 
application.

- Todd

A couple of comments on these comments:

andrew-ga:
This is good info, and gets me about 90% of the way there.  If I can get the 
rest of the way I'd be happy to give you credit for the answer.  I tried 
changing the StartMenuIntenet keys to launch a shortcut instead of 
iexplore.exe, but that, unfortunately, didn't work.  It has to be a valid 
win32 app.  If there is some rundll32.exe call or something I can use to 
launch iexplore.exe maximized, or perhaps a little passthrough utility that 
does nothing more than open another program in the state (min, max, normal) of 
my choosing, I could call that there instead.  I was able to make it work 
with 'cmd.exe /c "c:\program files\internet explorer\iexplore.lnk"', but that 
causes the command shell to flicker briefly when launching.  Argh!  So close, 
yet so far away...

constructionwx-ga:
Read the caveats I listed, your first suggestion is in essence the same as #3, 
which doesn't really address the problem.  As for your second suggestion, are 
you using the "new" Start Menu or the "Classic Start Menu"?  I'm referring to 
the new start menu, in which the "Internet" and "E-mail" links at the top 
aren't actually shortcuts, and so have no properties...

coldfusion-ga:
Interesting utility.  Unfortunately, it's not quite what I'm looking for 
because it sounds like it would make all my IE windows maximized.  There are 
legitimate reasons for a website to use sized windows (granted 99% are pop-up/-
behind ads), and I don't want to limit myself to only maximized windows.  But 
I do want it to maximize when *I* launch it...  For example, in Win95/98 there 
was a program "start.exe" which took some parameters, and would have allowed 
me to do 'start.exe /max "c:\program files\internet explorer\iexplore.exe"', 
which coupled with the registry entries andrew-ga turned up, would solve my 
problem.  Alas, in WinXP, the start command is a command shell (cmd.exe) 
command, not a separate EXE, so I can't call it without opening a command 
shell.  Perhaps you know of a freeware/shareware that would do the same thing 
as start.exe did?  Thanks!

isnt that little utility called 'start'?

try start /max iexplore

you may need to use the full path. Of course combine this with andrews tip :)

Later

I'm sorry I missed your last comment. I used this command and didn't notice 
the flicker you speak of.

cmd /c start /max iexplore

Unfortunately, phr0ze-ga, the flicker is there and I'm the kind of person it 
would bother.  :-)  All I really need it a simple 10 line (or less) windows 
app (not console mode) that recognizes 3 flags (/min, /max, /normal) and then 
passes that flag and the remainder of the command line on to ShellExecute() 
(In essence, exaclty what "start" does, but as a native win32 app).  I could 
write it myself, except I don't have access to a compiler either at home or at 
work anymore.  Hmm, gcc maybe?  It would be so much simpler to just download 
one, if only I could find one...

iexplorer does take arguments. One is -k which will start IE in "kiosk" mode

Michel

Remove the links by right clicking on them and selecting "Remove from list"
Now right click on web brower and email program and select. "Pin to start menu"

This will add the mail and browser shortcuts and preserve their position on 
the top of the list. You can now edit the shortcut properties setting the 
maximized attribute.  Right click, the shortcut select properties and then set 
the Run key to Maximized.

I just tried this and it works great!

graiz,

Thanks for the "Pin to Start Menu" tip.  That solves my main objection in 
caveat #1, keeping its position in the start menu, and also gives me 
the "Properties" I so badly desire.  I'd seen the "pin" option on the context 
menu but hadn't thought to try it...  Duh.  With all of the other nice stuff 
in XP, it's a shame to have to circumvent the built in facilities due to (what 
seems to me to be) a glaring oversight, but it does work.

Thanks for the suggestion, that'll do!