title: How can I disable the Start button (but not the Taskbar) on Windows 7?
body: <p>On Windows XP, it was possible to disable the Start button with the following code:</p>
  
  <pre><code>hTray = FindWindow (TEXT("Shell_TrayWnd"), NULL);
  if (hTray)
  {
      hStartButton = FindWindowEx(hTray, NULL, TEXT("Button"), NULL);
      if (hStartButton) ShowWindow(hStartButton, FALSE);
  }
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>For a public-access computer configuration, I need to be able to do this on Windows 7. The Start button must be disabled (not just hidden), and the remainder of the Taskbar must still be visible and usable. Hiding the Taskbar along with the Start button is not an option. Running full-screen is not an option. Using "Start Killer" won't work because it doesn't actually disable the Start button, just hides it (users can still use hotkeys to pull up the Start menu).</p>
  
  <p>I have already tried the method that uses <code>FindWindowEx</code> with 0xC017 as its third parameter and then tries to disable that window. It doesn't work. That method only works if the whole Taskbar is disabled first. What I need is a method that <em>only</em> disables the Start menu, just like the code I reproduced above does in XP.</p>
  
  <p>Any help is greatly appreciated.</p>