Desktop or Start - When Sign in or Close apps in Windows 8

How to Go to Desktop or Start when You Sign in or Close Apps in Windows 8 and 8.1

information   Information
This tutorial will show you how to go directly to your desktop or Start screen when you sign in or close apps in Windows 8, Windows RT, Windows 8.1, and Windows RT 8.1.





OPTION ONE

To Go to Desktop when you Sign in to Windows 8


1. If you have not already, you will need to move (drag and drop) the Desktop tile to the top left corner on the Start screen like in the screenshot below.​
NOTE: By putting the Desktop tile at the top left corner of the Start screen, it will become the first tile and thus the default app that runs when you press Enter while in the Start screen.​
Step-1.jpg
2. When you are in the log on screen next, type in your user account's password, and press and hold the Enter key. (see screenshot below)​
NOTE: Do not just press Enter or click on the "next" arrow as you normally would, or this will not work and you will boot to the default Start screen. Holding the Enter key at boot like this is workaround that allows Enter to pressed in the Start screen, and quickly runs the first tile (ex: desktop) on the Start screen without ever seeing the Start screen.​
Step2.jpg
3. You can now release the Enter key as the desktop quickly appears without ever seeing the Start screen. (see screenshot below)​
Desktop.jpg






OPTION TWO

Go to Desktop or Start when you Sign in or Close Apps using "Taskbar and Navigation properties" in Windows 8.1


1. From your desktop, right click or press and hold on the taskbar, and click/tap on Properties. (see screenshot below)​
Windows_8.1_Boot_Directly_to_Desktop-1.jpg
2. In Taskbar and Navigation properties, click/tap on the Navigation tab, and do step 3 or 4 below for what you would like to do. (see screenshot below)​
3. Go to Desktop when you Sign in or Close Apps in Windows 8.1
NOTE: This is the default setting in Windows 8.1 Update (April 8th 2014) for PCs without touchscreens.
A) Check the When I sign in or close apps on a screen, go to the desktop instead of Start box, and click/tap on OK.​
4. Go to Start when you Sign in or Close Apps in Windows 8.1
NOTE: This is the default setting in Windows 8.1, and for touchscreens in Windows 8.1 Update (April 8th 2014).​
A) Uncheck the When I sign in or close apps on a screen, go to the desktop instead of Start box, and click/tap on OK.​
Windows_8_1_boot_directly_to_desktop-2.jpg




OPTION THREE

Go to Desktop or Start when you Sign in or Close Apps using .REG File in Windows 8.1



Note   Note
The .reg files below are for the registry key and value below.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\StartPage

OpenAtLogon DWORD

0 = Open to desktop
1 = Open to Start


1. Do step 2 or 3 below for what you would like to do.​
2. Go to Start when you Sign in or Close Apps in Windows 8.1
NOTE: This is the default setting in Windows 8.1, and for touchscreens in Windows 8.1 Update (April 8th 2014).​
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.​
Open_to_Start_at_Sign_in.reg
download
3. Go to Desktop when you Sign in or Close Apps in Windows 8.1
NOTE: This is the default setting in Windows 8.1 Update (April 8th 2014) for PCs without touchscreens.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.​
Open_to_Desktop_at_Sign_in.reg
download
4. Save the .reg file to your desktop.​
5. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.​
6. If prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.​
7. When finished, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.​


That's it,
Shawn


 

Attachments

  • Open_to_Desktop_at_Sign_in.reg
    624 bytes · Views: 1,168
  • Open_to_Start_at_Sign_in.reg
    624 bytes · Views: 1,170
  • Desktop.png
    Desktop.png
    6.6 KB · Views: 356
Last edited:
Good one Shawn! :thumbsup:

What if we use auto login?
There also has to be something (maybe similar) that gets us to the desktop if we're using autologon enabled, but I didn't found anything yet.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 x64
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy DV6 7250
    CPU
    Intel i7-3630QM
    Motherboard
    HP, Intel HM77 Express Chipset
    Memory
    16GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD4000 + Nvidia Geforce 630M
    Sound Card
    IDT HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    15.6' built-in + Samsung S22D300 + 17.3' LG Phillips
    Screen Resolution
    multiple resolutions
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 250GB + Hitachi HDD 750GB
    PSU
    120W adapter
    Case
    small
    Cooling
    laptop cooling pad
    Keyboard
    Backlit built-in + big one in USB
    Mouse
    SteelSeries Sensei
    Internet Speed
    slow and steady
    Browser
    Chromium, Pale Moon, Firefox Developer Edition
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    That's basically it.
Hello Hopachi,

You could still go ahead and move the Desktop tile to the top left corner of the Start screen. This way when you startup to the "Start" screen after being signed in automatically next time, you could just press Enter to then go to the Desktop. :)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    64-bit Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self built
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K OC'd to 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    OCZ Series Gold OCZZ1000M 1000W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Malwarebyte Anti-Malware Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
Ah yes, it works!

Even even after that, anytime you press enter it goes to the desktop.

Thanks for the reply.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 x64
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy DV6 7250
    CPU
    Intel i7-3630QM
    Motherboard
    HP, Intel HM77 Express Chipset
    Memory
    16GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD4000 + Nvidia Geforce 630M
    Sound Card
    IDT HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    15.6' built-in + Samsung S22D300 + 17.3' LG Phillips
    Screen Resolution
    multiple resolutions
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 250GB + Hitachi HDD 750GB
    PSU
    120W adapter
    Case
    small
    Cooling
    laptop cooling pad
    Keyboard
    Backlit built-in + big one in USB
    Mouse
    SteelSeries Sensei
    Internet Speed
    slow and steady
    Browser
    Chromium, Pale Moon, Firefox Developer Edition
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    That's basically it.
You're most welcome. :)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    64-bit Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self built
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K OC'd to 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    OCZ Series Gold OCZZ1000M 1000W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Malwarebyte Anti-Malware Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
Nice One Shawn! Keep up the Good Work!!
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Triple Boot: Windows Xp, Windows 7 and Windows Release Preview, Virtual Machine ( Windows 8 )
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer
    Motherboard
    Intel
    Memory
    6 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel Graphics Controller
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio Hardware
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Sony LED Monitor (2)
    Screen Resolution
    1600 x 1200
    Hard Drives
    500 GB Western HDD (3) 1 TB Buffalo HDD (2)
    Keyboard
    Samsung
    Mouse
    Microsoft
    Internet Speed
    52 Mbps
Thank you Shon. :)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    64-bit Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self built
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K OC'd to 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    OCZ Series Gold OCZZ1000M 1000W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Malwarebyte Anti-Malware Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
There are a few other solutions to this:

First, you can install a third party program. I believe most of the Start Menu replacements include the ability to boot to the desktop.

There is also an app that will set this up: Josh Cell Softwares: StartOnDesktop - The Cleanest Solution to Start on Desktop

Finally, if you don't want to install any software, then you can simply copy the Desktop.lnk file from the WinX directory to your startup folder:

Copy
C:\Users\(you)\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WinX\Group1\Desktop.lnk

to

C:\Users\(you)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

Log off or reboot, and next log on it goes directly to the start menu.
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    CPU
    Intel i7 3770K
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte Z77X-UD4 TH
    Memory
    16GB DDR3 1600
    Graphics Card(s)
    nVidia GTX 650
    Sound Card
    Onboard Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Auria 27" IPS + 2x Samsung 23"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440 + 2x 2048x1152
    Hard Drives
    Corsair m4 256GB, 2 WD 2TB drives
    Case
    Antec SOLO II
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000
    Mouse
    Logitech MX
Thank you for the addition Erik. :)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    64-bit Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self built
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K OC'd to 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    OCZ Series Gold OCZZ1000M 1000W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Malwarebyte Anti-Malware Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
One question I would have about pressing and holding the enter/return key would be when not having a password, pin code, or image assigned for the automatic logon. You don't see the login screen long enough to do anything without something assigned at installation to simply boot straight up.

Solution: Press and hold enter/return key upon seeing the Windows 8 Welcome screen appear to avoid seeing the Start screen. I tried that out on the RP VM still running on VirtualBox here. But that also means you still have to be at the machine not simply clicking the power button and walking away for a few to grab a coffee in order to hold the enter key down at the right time. :D

Note ff you did assign a password, pin code, or image but saw this tutorial, http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2894-log-user-account-automatically-windows-8-startup.html you wouldn't be seeing the login screen but bypassing right to the Start screen at first sight unless pressing and holding the enter key when the Welcome screen arrives.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    1st W10 Professional x64/W7 Ultimate x64 - 2nd Remote system: W10 Insider Builds/W7 Professional
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom Builds
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X4 975 Deneb 3.6ghz -2nd case AMD Atholon II 3.2ghz
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-790XTA-UD4
    Memory
    Kingston Hyper-X DDR3 1600mhz 16gb - 2nd case Kingston Hyper-X "Fury" DDR3 1600mhz 8gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    MSI Radeon HD 5750 1gb - 2nd AMD Radeon 6450
    Sound Card
    Creative Xtreme Gamer - 2nd case Realtek Onboard audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer 19" dual monitor setup - 2nd case HP 20" lcd
    Screen Resolution
    1440x900 same on both builds
    Hard Drives
    1st build
    WD Caviar Black Edition Sata II 1tb two OS drives
    WD RE "Heavy Duty Sata II 2tb two Storage/Backup
    2nd build
    WD Blue Sata II 500gb
    WD Black Edition Sata III 1tb
    WD Green Power Sata II 1tb in external usb enclosure
    PSU
    Corsair TX750H 750w -Corsair 500w
    Case
    Antec 900-2 -NXZT Vulcan Mini tower/carrying handle
    Cooling
    120mm front pair, 120 rear 200cm top - 120mm Front intake 200mm side cover
    Keyboard
    Azio Blue led back lit both builds.
    Mouse
    MSI DS200 11 button programmable Gaming optical mouse - Odessa 3 button dual scroll trackball
    Internet Speed
    30mbps
    Other Info
    two MSI 22x ide dvd burners, 25 usb flash drives used for Linux Live, live data recovery 128gb, and Windows 7, 10 usb installation keys
Hey Night Hawk,

It really doesn't matter for timing. If you set the Desktop tile to the top left corner (1st tile), you can also press Enter at any point on the Start screen to go directly to the Desktop.

When you are on the Start screen and press Enter, it opens the first tile automatically.

When you hold down the Enter key after signing in, it's the same as pressing Enter on the Start screen, except doing it this way is a lot faster to where you the Start screen is only a quick flash before the desktop opens. :)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    64-bit Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self built
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K OC'd to 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    OCZ Series Gold OCZZ1000M 1000W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Malwarebyte Anti-Malware Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
It was curious when going to try this out right when first starting up the 8 RP VM I still have on here and pressed and held the enter right as the Welcome screen appeared and instantly saw the desktop snap into the picture. The desktop button I always keep at the top left anyways since first installing the CP and RP builds.

It's still a good find you had there however since all too often people had asked how to get past the Start screen! Keep up the good work! ;)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    1st W10 Professional x64/W7 Ultimate x64 - 2nd Remote system: W10 Insider Builds/W7 Professional
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom Builds
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X4 975 Deneb 3.6ghz -2nd case AMD Atholon II 3.2ghz
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-790XTA-UD4
    Memory
    Kingston Hyper-X DDR3 1600mhz 16gb - 2nd case Kingston Hyper-X "Fury" DDR3 1600mhz 8gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    MSI Radeon HD 5750 1gb - 2nd AMD Radeon 6450
    Sound Card
    Creative Xtreme Gamer - 2nd case Realtek Onboard audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer 19" dual monitor setup - 2nd case HP 20" lcd
    Screen Resolution
    1440x900 same on both builds
    Hard Drives
    1st build
    WD Caviar Black Edition Sata II 1tb two OS drives
    WD RE "Heavy Duty Sata II 2tb two Storage/Backup
    2nd build
    WD Blue Sata II 500gb
    WD Black Edition Sata III 1tb
    WD Green Power Sata II 1tb in external usb enclosure
    PSU
    Corsair TX750H 750w -Corsair 500w
    Case
    Antec 900-2 -NXZT Vulcan Mini tower/carrying handle
    Cooling
    120mm front pair, 120 rear 200cm top - 120mm Front intake 200mm side cover
    Keyboard
    Azio Blue led back lit both builds.
    Mouse
    MSI DS200 11 button programmable Gaming optical mouse - Odessa 3 button dual scroll trackball
    Internet Speed
    30mbps
    Other Info
    two MSI 22x ide dvd burners, 25 usb flash drives used for Linux Live, live data recovery 128gb, and Windows 7, 10 usb installation keys
There are a few other solutions to this:

First, you can install a third party program. I believe most of the Start Menu replacements include the ability to boot to the desktop.

There is also an app that will set this up: Josh Cell Softwares: StartOnDesktop - The Cleanest Solution to Start on Desktop

Finally, if you don't want to install any software, then you can simply copy the Desktop.lnk file from the WinX directory to your startup folder:

Copy
C:\Users\(you)\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WinX\Group1\Desktop.lnk

to

C:\Users\(you)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

Log off or reboot, and next log on it goes directly to the start menu.

This one it works on me. Later I found it appears from right-bottom side of my programs start menu after I scrolled.Thanks Mystere and for this thread.

Oh i quoted wrong in a wrong thread!
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Enterprise Edition 64 bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    MSI/Samsung
    CPU
    Bulldozer AMD FX-6110 Six-core Processor
    Motherboard
    880GMS-E41(FX) (MS-7641)
    Memory
    16GB Kingston DDR3 Dual Channel 16384 MBytes
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD Radeon HD 5500 Series 1024 Mbytes
    Sound Card
    Realtek High Definition Audio (Built-in)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Generic PnP Monitor/Samsung (S27B350)
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x1080
    Hard Drives
    Western Digital (WD Blue 500 GB SATA Hard Drives)

    Product Specifications:
    Interface SATA 6 Gb/s

    Performance Specifications
    Rotational Speed 7,200 RPM (nominal)
    Buffer Size 16 MB
    PSU
    ENERMAX (ENP500AST)
    Case
    APOLLO FC-AP11A
    Cooling
    Case Fan
    Keyboard
    logitech Ultra-Flat Keyboard
    Mouse
    Samsung Silver Nano
    Internet Speed
    Slow
    Other Info
    D-Link Router Dir-300
    Samsung Printer SCX-1480
    CREATIVE SBS A320 Speaker(2.1 System)
    AVR-001-ZG 500W

    Power User Configurations
This boot directly to desktop tutorial has been updated for Windows 8.1 Preview. :)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    64-bit Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self built
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K OC'd to 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    OCZ Series Gold OCZZ1000M 1000W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Malwarebyte Anti-Malware Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
It won't be doing me much good since the RP expired on VM already. In the recent drive wipe now I was found wasn't the main problem I was no longer with an 8 VM. I guess that leaves me out of the loop now.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    1st W10 Professional x64/W7 Ultimate x64 - 2nd Remote system: W10 Insider Builds/W7 Professional
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom Builds
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X4 975 Deneb 3.6ghz -2nd case AMD Atholon II 3.2ghz
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-790XTA-UD4
    Memory
    Kingston Hyper-X DDR3 1600mhz 16gb - 2nd case Kingston Hyper-X "Fury" DDR3 1600mhz 8gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    MSI Radeon HD 5750 1gb - 2nd AMD Radeon 6450
    Sound Card
    Creative Xtreme Gamer - 2nd case Realtek Onboard audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer 19" dual monitor setup - 2nd case HP 20" lcd
    Screen Resolution
    1440x900 same on both builds
    Hard Drives
    1st build
    WD Caviar Black Edition Sata II 1tb two OS drives
    WD RE "Heavy Duty Sata II 2tb two Storage/Backup
    2nd build
    WD Blue Sata II 500gb
    WD Black Edition Sata III 1tb
    WD Green Power Sata II 1tb in external usb enclosure
    PSU
    Corsair TX750H 750w -Corsair 500w
    Case
    Antec 900-2 -NXZT Vulcan Mini tower/carrying handle
    Cooling
    120mm front pair, 120 rear 200cm top - 120mm Front intake 200mm side cover
    Keyboard
    Azio Blue led back lit both builds.
    Mouse
    MSI DS200 11 button programmable Gaming optical mouse - Odessa 3 button dual scroll trackball
    Internet Speed
    30mbps
    Other Info
    two MSI 22x ide dvd burners, 25 usb flash drives used for Linux Live, live data recovery 128gb, and Windows 7, 10 usb installation keys
It won't be doing me much good since the RP expired on VM already. In the recent drive wipe now I was found wasn't the main problem I was no longer with an 8 VM. I guess that leaves me out of the loop now.

Nar, you could do a clean install with Windows 8.1 Preview in a VM or on a blank drive if you like.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    64-bit Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self built
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K OC'd to 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    OCZ Series Gold OCZZ1000M 1000W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Malwarebyte Anti-Malware Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
I would be looking at an 8.1 VM here to see what changes have been made in comparison to 8 itself. I just got everything back running including the ISP problem for the previous and now seem to have room for a few VMs it seems. :D
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    1st W10 Professional x64/W7 Ultimate x64 - 2nd Remote system: W10 Insider Builds/W7 Professional
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom Builds
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X4 975 Deneb 3.6ghz -2nd case AMD Atholon II 3.2ghz
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-790XTA-UD4
    Memory
    Kingston Hyper-X DDR3 1600mhz 16gb - 2nd case Kingston Hyper-X "Fury" DDR3 1600mhz 8gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    MSI Radeon HD 5750 1gb - 2nd AMD Radeon 6450
    Sound Card
    Creative Xtreme Gamer - 2nd case Realtek Onboard audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer 19" dual monitor setup - 2nd case HP 20" lcd
    Screen Resolution
    1440x900 same on both builds
    Hard Drives
    1st build
    WD Caviar Black Edition Sata II 1tb two OS drives
    WD RE "Heavy Duty Sata II 2tb two Storage/Backup
    2nd build
    WD Blue Sata II 500gb
    WD Black Edition Sata III 1tb
    WD Green Power Sata II 1tb in external usb enclosure
    PSU
    Corsair TX750H 750w -Corsair 500w
    Case
    Antec 900-2 -NXZT Vulcan Mini tower/carrying handle
    Cooling
    120mm front pair, 120 rear 200cm top - 120mm Front intake 200mm side cover
    Keyboard
    Azio Blue led back lit both builds.
    Mouse
    MSI DS200 11 button programmable Gaming optical mouse - Odessa 3 button dual scroll trackball
    Internet Speed
    30mbps
    Other Info
    two MSI 22x ide dvd burners, 25 usb flash drives used for Linux Live, live data recovery 128gb, and Windows 7, 10 usb installation keys
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:

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.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Core 64-bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    64-bit Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self built
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K OC'd to 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    OCZ Series Gold OCZZ1000M 1000W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Malwarebyte Anti-Malware Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
Hello Brink,

I tried your Show Desktop link to replace the Show Desktop file in my post.
It did not work to boot to Desktop on Restart.

The thing is that your Shortcut is a (.lnk) which is a true shortcut. It has to be clicked on like a button. My post uses the old "Show Desktop" from Windows XP which is a Windows/File Explorer Command not a Shortcut. (.scf)

I originally copied it from WinXP into Windows 8 and it worked. I deleted it because at the time I did not know if in it there was some weird WinXP coding that might mess up Windows 8.

I found the document that I had saved a long time ago that showed how to create the "Show Desktop" command.

I had found an article using the Task Scheduler but I could not get it to work with this Command. Then I figured out that it might be possible to use the Startup folder and Voila it worked.

Hope this helps.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Core 64-bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
Back
Top