Is there a way to boot and start with the desktop instead of Metro?

[mart4494]

This thread is not about those who like metro.

It is about trying to find a way to boot direct to main ui - avoiding playschool along the way.

No point in trying to tell people they are right or wrong - let each use their own machine the way they like.

 

[johnpombrio]

Yeah, bypass is the raison d'etre for this post after all. I am still cruising the web for hits but nothing 'cept a way to end up in libraries instead of desktop. Amazing how many hits end up back to this site! I will keep searching, there is a lot of smart people out there...

 

[whs]

I am really puzzled. Can someone explain to me where the big problem is. It cannot be the one extra click on the desktop tile that gets everybody so up tight.

 

[johnpombrio]

I am really puzzled. Can someone explain to me where the big problem is. It cannot be the one extra click on the desktop tile that gets everybody so up tight.

Not that big of a deal but I, like most posters here, ENJOYED turning off Metro in the Developers Preview. I turned it off on the first day and did not use it once during the whole time I ran DP. Why boot and paint an entire extra screen that I simply click through if there is a way to bypass it? Someone will figure it out before long...

 

[GMan]

Someone will figure it out before long...

That's ridiculous for you to say that.

C:\Windows\explorer.exe, explorer.exe

Edit the Shell DWORD value above at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\

 

[GMan]

I like this value better. It opens Computer view instead:

explorer.exe, explorer ::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}

 

[CB]

I also did it in silly way.
Putting any shortcut in startup menu folder will just make it appears at the end off booting routines.
This is my shortcut target box "d:\Documents"

 

[johnpombrio]

Before I fuss with this stuff, are you saying that you have completely bypassed the Metro screen, that it never shows up? If the desktop is not up at the end of the automated process, that is NOT the solution to the issue as it also involves more clicking to get to the desktop.
Right now I automatically boot into the desktop without intervention on my part as I have turned off password protection and done a desktop shortcut in my startup folder.
All I want is to not see the Metro screen.
I also want to have no time penalty for booting directly into the desktop. DP was much faster booting because of this.

 

[whs]

Before I fuss with this stuff, are you saying that you have completely bypassed the Metro screen, that it never shows up? If the desktop is not up at the end of the automated process, that is NOT the solution to the issue as it also involves more clicking to get to the desktop.
Right now I automatically boot into the desktop without intervention on my part as I have turned off password protection and done a desktop shortcut in my startup folder.
All I want is to not see the Metro screen.
I also want to have no time penalty for booting directly into the desktop. DP was much faster booting because of this.

I think you got the idea. The boot to desktop is a pain. I had originally set my system that way, but the desktop was only showing up after a delay. That disrupted what I was already doing. This whole thing is some 'geek's play' with no practical use. In fact it is counterproductive.

I also set up the automatic login. That really helps (I hate to type passwords). Saves me a lot more time than what I could possibly lose by one click on the desktop tile.

 

[SIW2]

That is because the desktop - main o/s if you like - will obviously take longer to load than Metro - my phone boots pretty quick for example.

Even when we find a way of bypassing the children's drawings, we will either get a blank screen for a few secs - or have to put up some kind of wallpaper.

I am using a scheduled task at winlogon - seems to suit best so far - still get a bit of the kiddie screen.

 

[whs]

That is because the desktop - main o/s if you like - will obviously take longer to load than Metro - my phone boots pretty quick for example.

Even when we find a way of bypassing the children's drawings, we will either get a blank screen for a few secs - or have to put up some kind of wallpaper.

I am using a scheduled task at winlogon - seems to suit best so far - still get a bit of the kiddie screen.

I am afraid you will have to put up with the kiddie screen from now on. They probably made it because the majority of the users are at a pre-kiddie stage as far as their PC skills go. For them it will be a great help. One only has to tell them how to properly organize it. I did mine like this and it does not look at all 'kiddie' - I think it is really practical.

 

[GMan]

Ya, I even tried disabling the userinit.exe completely and then installing explorer.exe as a service.

No matter any options, I couldn't get explorer to open although the service I made was trying its best lol.

 

[Calico]

I think we just need to give it a little time. Server 8 Beta boots straight to desktop with Winkey taking the user to Metro and the load time is no different to Windows 7 and not far off CP.

 

[Pixel Eater]

Wow I forgot about this thread. Lots of haters, I still love and prefer Metro. This is just one thing I would change. Have there been any new possibilities from the Release Preview? New ideas?

 

[DooRules]

Haters, lol, that the best you can do. The single best thing about w8 is it lets you know for sure how good w7 is.
And yup, metro is for the kiddies all the way.

 

[jimbo45]

Paul Thurrott said it very succinctly: the Metro Start Screen IS the new Windows environment, the desktop is just an App of Metro. My take? NO BIG DEAL, let me explain,
First, no one was complaining in the DP as you could bypass the Metro screen. That will certainly be allowed in the ACTUAL PRODUCT (MS needs feedback about Metro so turned on hard in the CP).
Next, Metro is nothing more than the Start Menu writ large. It has its uses and will be enjoyed by most "normal" folks once MS FIXES it before releasing the final product (if nothing else, a close app button is absolutely necessary- see the video of the old man trying to operate Metro).
Finally, there are many ways around using Metro that us "power users" will be in it only during the short time in boot up.
I have found that THERE ARE some good uses for Metro so I am both bitchin' about it and using it. Once I had figured out how to use it, not so bad...
According to St. Paul du Windows, there was a HUGE fight inside Microsoft about Metro. There are bad tempers all around in the labs and there is a team of people who secretly hope that it fails miserably. Here is the post, and a terrific piece by Paul about Metro's dual nature and how it is going to play out :

http://www.winsupersite.com/article/windows8/windows-8-consumer-preview-sense-142496

"Embrace the possibilities and ignore the inconveniences"

Hi there
Interesting article -- great read thanks for the link -- but even so it's so obvious what he was saying that even a two year old could spot it -- there are two basically incompatable functions having to work "in the same space".

The idea that a PC can be used as a tablet or vice-versa is fine by me -- why it's taken so long for anybody to have fathomed this out is beyond me -- as soon as the first ipads appeared I thought -- yes I could use one of those sometimes but still need a computer at other times.

Some old fasioned " Ancient professor geek tinkerer in the shed type" guy was needed to produce one -- and who knows what would have happened had one appeared a few years ago..

If you are going to incorporate a "generic" OS into a multitude of devices you need to have either user or automatic customising of the start up / installed selections depending on the nature of the device being used.

I don't have any problem picking up a Samsung smart phone even though the whole navigation etc is totally different to what a normal desktop Windows user is accustomed to -- so it's not necessary to have the identical start screen or even necessarily the same GUI. Users don't have to see the same screen on every type of device.

Devices are much more powerful these days and a lot of this could easily be dynamically resolved at boot time -- the user would barely notice the overhead either.

I'd love to be "the proverbial fly on the wall" at the next few marketing strategy meetings at Ms.

cheers
jimbo

 

[reb3rd]

If you have not upgraded to Windows 8.1 yet.

Boot To The Desktop - For Windows 8 and 8 Pro

Make sure you have "Hide extensions for known file types" unchecked in Folder Options. Just for file verification purposes.
Re-check it afterwards if you want.

Create the "Show Desktop" file:

Show Desktop Shortcut - Create - Windows 7 Help Forums

Open a text editor like Notepad. (not Word or Wordpad)
Copy and Paste or type the following into the text editor:

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

Do not have any extra spaces at the top and do not "Carriage Return" (enter) to next line at the end.

Save the file as - Show Desktop.scf (actually any name you want, just remember it)
When you see the file it will have the Desktop icon but it will not have .scf at the end even with "Hide extensions for known file types" unchecked. Right click the file and go to properties. It should have "Type of file: File Explorer Command (.scf)" and the name should be just "Show Desktop" with no extension.

Copy the file to the "Start Menu\Programs\Startup" folder.
There are more than one "Startup" folders in Windows 8 and 8 Pro. Put it in this one:

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

Close everything down. Restart your computer.

When it boots up, it will pause at the "Start" screen until it reads the contents of Startup.
It will then go to the Desktop with nothing opened up.

Side note: If you want something to open automatically when you boot up, put it in this same Startup folder after Show Desktop.