The Start Menu is Back W8 RP (at least 99.999%) !!!

jimbo45

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Hi there
a few have been looking at various ways to get the Start menu back

I'm surprised more people haven't mentioned "Classic Shell" -- menu is customisable as well

FREE from here

Welcome to Classic Shell

this it what it looks like on my system (note I've taken the standard option but you can customize it after installation via settings==>classic shell.

(You still have to click desktop after bootup to get to the desktop but that's hardly a pain given the faster boot time anyway).

Bye Bye those 97 zillion million tiles !!.

cheers
jimbo
 

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Fantastic :D.

I now use Windows 7 Aero skin, and the START button is as much "Windows 7" as I want it to be. :dinesh:

Thank you very much. Maybe some day somebody will find the solution to boot direct to desktop :D
 

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I think classic shell is a great tool...BUT my question is why should I have to pay for my shiny new OS and then have to hack at the core code to get back functions that should have been allowed as an option by MS in the first place?

I also have concerns about issues that might crop up with windows updates and security features as well.
 

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I think classic shell is a great tool...BUT my question is why should I have to pay for my shiny new OS and then have to hack at the core code to get back functions that should have been allowed as an option by MS in the first place?

I also have concerns about issues that might crop up with windows updates and security features as well.

What is it with you man, I believe if Microsoft just changed the mouse pointer in Windows 7 you'd have something to say about it. Why don't you just stick with Windows 7 until people get Windows 8 to work the way you want or if not just stick with Windows 7. You don't have to pay for Windows 8, no one is forcing you, Windows 7 will be around for a long time.
I've still got Laptops running XP and even a HDD with XP on my main PC, when Windows 8 comes out, I'll buy it, but I'll still have a HDD with Windows 7 on it.
Whenever I buy a new OS I always keep an older one that I'm used to with all my Apps on it and just gradually make the transition by swapping HDD's back and forth, all my work gets put onto a NAS so I don't lose anything.
Just stay cool man, you're getting all worked up over nothing.
 

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I wonder will this still work when Microsoft releases the final version?' I've read reports that Microsoft was furiously ripping out legacy codes to prevent third party start menu apps. I suppose we'll see.

That said, I personally like the Metro. It is different and took some getting use to, but once I messed around with it, it isn't as bad as I thought.
 

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I think classic shell is a great tool...BUT my question is why should I have to pay for my shiny new OS and then have to hack at the core code to get back functions that should have been allowed as an option by MS in the first place?

I also have concerns about issues that might crop up with windows updates and security features as well.

What is it with you man, I believe if Microsoft just changed the mouse pointer in Windows 7 you'd have something to say about it. Why don't you just stick with Windows 7 until people get Windows 8 to work the way you want or if not just stick with Windows 7. You don't have to pay for Windows 8, no one is forcing you, Windows 7 will be around for a long time.
I've still got Laptops running XP and even a HDD with XP on my main PC, when Windows 8 comes out, I'll buy it, but I'll still have a HDD with Windows 7 on it.
Whenever I buy a new OS I always keep an older one that I'm used to with all my Apps on it and just gradually make the transition by swapping HDD's back and forth, all my work gets put onto a NAS so I don't lose anything.
Just stay cool man, you're getting all worked up over nothing.

He does have a valid point. Not everyone wants to use a third party application that significantly alters the OS. Classic Shell is relying on undocumented and obsolete OS components, and it is very possible for Microsoft to push out an update that changes things enough to cause incompatibilities severe enough to irreversibly damage the system.

Also: ViStart > Classic Shell.
 

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Sorry,
With Respect,
I must respond.

The Classic Shell is an application that is easily uninstalled.
It cannot alter the Operating System.

To end the application,
all you need do is select to exit the program.

This will not affect the Operating System.
It is like closing notepad.

Classic Shell will save any changes you made if you tell it to...
... to a configuration file.

Otherwise, you can simply turn it off or on at will.
It does not rely on undocumented or obsolete OS components.
It simply reads the menu structures built by the Operating System.
It cannot cause incompatibilities.
It cannot damage the system.

I apologize if this seems rude.
I hope this helps.
thanks
 
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It has been mentioned a lot on this forum and others -because so many people want a start menu - not a start screen.

In addition, there is an entire thread by the developer.

Classic Shell for Windows 8


:confused:


Hi there
a few have been looking at various ways to get the Start menu back

I'm surprised more people haven't mentioned "Classic Shell" -- menu is customisable as well

FREE from here

Welcome to Classic Shell

this it what it looks like on my system (note I've taken the standard option but you can customize it after installation via settings==>classic shell.

(You still have to click desktop after bootup to get to the desktop but that's hardly a pain given the faster boot time anyway).

Bye Bye those 97 zillion million tiles !!.

cheers
jimbo
 

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Sorry,
With Respect,
I must respond.

The Classic Shell is an application that is easily uninstalled.
It cannot alter the Operating System.

To end the application,
all you need do is select to exit the program.

This will not affect the Operating System.
It is like closing notepad.

Classic Shell will save any changes you made if you tell it to...
... to a configuration file.

Otherwise, you can simply turn it off or on at will.
It does not rely on undocumented or obsolete OS components.
It simply reads the menu structures built by the Operating System.
It cannot cause incompatibilities.
It cannot damage the system.

I apologize if this seems rude.
I hope this helps.
thanks

I'll admit I haven't really understood what Classic Shell is, but calling it a shell is saying that it's a program that replaces or alters the Windows Shell, or the entire window environment. That is not something that a standard application is capable of. Looking at it closer, Classic Start does seem to operate as a normal application, and the others are implemented as plugins (turns out WE supports plugins. huh.) it might be fine, but I'm still leery of having third-party programs ****ing up my filesystem.

And while I'm on this etymology blitz: The title is a bit misleading. There have been plenty of threads about start menu alternatives to make this thread about "just another alternative." With this thread coinciding with the Release Preview, "The Start Menu is Back W8 RP (at least 99.999%) !!!" is pretty much saying that the official Microsoft-built start menu has been placed back into Windows 8 somehow (possibly by a registry hack)
 

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That's why it is called "The Classic" etc...

Don't blame the Thread Starter.

Lots of people are still unaware of the Classic Shell application.
I would say it is the same or better than Microsoft's start menu.
(because you can change everything!)

There is a great deal of angst by the majority of forum posters (and everyone) that there is no Start Menu.
The complaints are everywhere.
It must be a relief to find something that works!

I agree. The name of the "Classic Shell" is misleading.

I believe the SHELL is referring to the ORB in the shape of a shell.
Plug-ins can be uninstalled as well.
3rd party applications make an Operating System useful.
Without 3rd party applications, Microsoft Windows would be very boring.

This application is in no way a change of "shell" as in "explorer.exe"

It is customizable in ways unavailable to the familiar Microsoft start menu.
 
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edgex.

Do you really like that big black box?
yeough...!*!
 

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I'm using Classic shell, for the moment. There are quite a few alternatives but "Classic is the closest to the legacy menu, if that is what users are looking for.
Windows 8, for me, is, at the moment, only a small step forward in performance, by my own measurements. But the small step was enough to interest me. I have no use for the Metro, or the contents of the only extra - the "Store", all of which can be obtained from third party sources. But I did want to move on the Windows 8. So I emptied the Metro ("Unpinned" the Start items - not really needed, I was just fussing around). I then applied this method of going direct to the Desktop.. It does seem to be a little random, at times, but I am still pursuing the problem as to why. So I boot up and and, after making my coffee, I have a fully operational desktop to play with, together with the "Classic".

1 Open a notepad document. Copy the following text in to the document

[Shell]
Command=2
IconFile=Explorer.exe,3
[Taskbar]
Command=ToggleDesktop

Open file and click on ‘save as’., and save to your “username”/Desktop as a “.scf” file (without the quotation marks). Name it anything, like desktop.scf, sounds good!
To test it, click on the file from any location and it should bring up the desktop

2. Go back to Start Screen and “search” for the ‘Task Scheduler’. You can also find it in the Control Panel - Administrative Options. Once the app opens, navigate to the ‘Task Scheduler Library’ on the left side navigation pane.
Right click on an empty area on the middle pane right below the scheduled tasks. On the contextual menu that comes up, choose ‘Create New Task’.
On the dialog box that appears, fill in the name for the task in the general tab and then click through to the Triggers tab.

3. On the Triggers tab, click on the ‘New’ button and choose ‘At log on’ from the ‘Begin the task’ drop down menu. Click Ok. Then click on the ‘Actions’ tab.
In the Actions tab, choose ‘Start a Program’ from the ‘Action’ tab then click on the Browse button for the Program/Script field and choose the .scf file that you created earlier.

4. Click on ‘Ok’ to exit the dialog box. Restart the computer to check it is working.
With a Laptop, you can also go to the ‘Conditions’ tab. Here, uncheck the ‘Start the task only if the computer is on AC power’. Click on ‘Ok’ to exit the dialog box.

Sorry, I would like to give the source for this, but can no longer track it down.
 

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Hello 97 zillion million folders!
 

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I admit, I am old,
and old codgers like the familiar.
Technicians and Data Processors need not have any fun.

But, the new generation, the facebook and twitter peeps may have alot of fun with the metro shell.

There will be thousands of apps down the road,
many will be fun to play with.

Dare I say FUN!
 

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I've found that none of these fully replace the Win7 Start Menu, particularly the search function. If I wanted to find something in the control panel but I didn't know exactly what, I'd just start typing relevant words and it would pop up. And the third party application's search doesn't always find run commands, such as dxdiag
 

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right click bottom left corner of the desktop

nothing is perfect

for me... I would edit the menu and delete the Classic Shell search.
...and use the Microsoft search...
 

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Hi guys
Of course it's not perfect -- but it for a lot of people seems an acceptable alternative to nothing -- especially as a lot of people weren't even aware that this possibility existed.

Even if they don't use this at least the know that the possibility is there and they look for other alternatives.

It does seem these days (probably because a lot of the Younger generation used to smart phones etc) never got used to "Netiquette" as we called it then back in the days of the old BBS's where sysops would really ensure "Netiquette" compliance was adhered to.

What I'm having a go at in this remark is against those posters who just say "I don't Like it" which really doesn't help the discussion in one bit and furthermore rather displays something about their characters.

Most of the people on these boards do their best to try and help others and this is usually done in their spare time I shudder to think how much time and effort are put in to these forums by the admin team too.

Windows (and computing in general) are very complex areas that can't be handled via Facebook or "Twitter" type remarks.

Absolutely nothing wrong with people saying they don't like something or HATE something with a passion (I've done that enough times !!) but these remarks should be placed in relevant threads.

Cheers
jimbo
 

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1 Open a notepad document. Copy the following text in to the document
...
3. In the Actions tab, choose ‘Start a Program’ from the ‘Action’ tab then click on the Browse button for the Program/Script field and choose the .scf file that you created earlier.
Very funny: Have you ever tried to move the .scf file to another place ?

I have explored that the file is not necessary. Only the Actions tab must point to an .scf file - whether it exists or not.
 

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OK. I moved it and it still worked - Tks. Interesting though. I tried the fix again, on a new installation, but omitted the Copying of the .scf to the desktop - didn't work.
 

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