Here is the link to a pdf file to creating a start menu like. No hacks are used. I still can't post links yet since I don't have 20 post. Please delete the spaces in the link. h t t p : / / sdrv.ms/SAA22x
Ah, never thought of doing that before. Actually it's quite easy, right click taskbar, toolbars->new toolbar, navigate to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu. Then drag it all the way to the left. This location is the "actual" global start menu, the linked pdf does something similar but you create and populate the folder yourself.
users/username/app data/roaming/Microsoft/internet explorer/quick launch, the quick launch toolbar has been there since XP