Suffer not: 10 Windows Start menus for Windows 8.1

It seems Microsoft really has put its Windows Start menu out to pasture, alongside Bob, Clippy, and Rover. Sure, the forthcoming 8.1 update to Windows 8 has a shiny new Start button, but clicking it doesn't cause a familiar menu to pop up, providing users quick access to their preferred apps and files. Why'd Microsoft retire the menu in the first place? It was a design choice made by Steven Sinofsky, former head of Microsoft's Windows division.
Suffer not: 10 Windows Start menus for Windows 8.1 - InfoWorld
 
Not all of these will work with Windows 8.1 Preview though. For now only Start8 has a version that is confirmed to work. A new version of Classic Shell comes out tomorrow that will also support 8.1.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
I'm giving 8.1 a go without one. I'll see what happens.

I did enable the Quick-Launch toolbar, tho.


Wenda.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 'Ultimate' RTM 64 bit (Pro/WMC).
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer AS8951G 'Desktop Replacement'.
    CPU
    i7-2670QM@2.2/3.1Ghz.
    Motherboard
    Acer
    Memory
    8GB@1366Mhz.
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce GT555M 2GB DDR3
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD w/Dolby 5.1 surround.
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Built-in. Non-touch.
    Screen Resolution
    18/4" 1920x1080 full-HD.
    Hard Drives
    Toshiba 750GBx2 internal. 1x2TB, 2x640GB, 1x500GB external.
    PSU
    Stock.
    Case
    Laptop.
    Cooling
    Stock.
    Keyboard
    Full 101-key
    Mouse
    USB cordless.
    Browser
    IE11, Firefox, Tor.
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, MalwareBytes Pro.
    Other Info
    BD-ROM drive.
When I first had windows 8, the first thing I did was put on classic she'll based all the negative reviews of win8 and how supposedly horrible the experience was without a start menu. After the first month or so, I realized that I hadn't touched the start menu in weeks. So I uninstalled it and see how it faired. Its been now 7 months and I still don't miss the start menu.

People seem to want to stick to the old ways and won't give the new ways a chance. I'm not saying everyone will not miss the start button like me. But it seems like a lot of people are like that guy that spent 10 minutes with the new os and went back to 7. Might as well stick with dos.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8
Not all of these will work with Windows 8.1 Preview though. For now only Start8 has a version that is confirmed to work. A new version of Classic Shell comes out tomorrow that will also support 8.1.

Great to hear. How will it work? Will the start button be disabled and the start menu accessible by using win+x?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8 x64 Pro
    System Manufacturer/Model
    tw33k
    CPU
    Intel 3770K @ 4.7GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS Maximus V Formula
    Memory
    8gb (2x4GB) Crucial Ballistix
    Graphics Card(s)
    Sapphire 7950
    Sound Card
    On Board
    Monitor(s) Displays
    27" Acer B273HU
    Screen Resolution
    2048 x 1152
    Hard Drives
    Crucial M4 128GB
    WD Black 2TB
    Samsung F3 1TB
    WD 1TB USB 2.0
    WD 3TB USB 3.0
    PSU
    Corsair AX-750
    Case
    Corsair 800DW
    Cooling
    H100
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Wireless 5000
    Mouse
    Microsoft Wireless 5000
    Internet Speed
    5mb/s
People seem to want to stick to the old ways and won't give the new ways a chance. I'm not saying everyone will not miss the start button like me. But it seems like a lot of people are like that guy that spent 10 minutes with the new os and went back to 7. Might as well stick with dos.

The first couple of months that I played around with Windows 8, I used the new Start Screen. However, this was on a secondary system that I wasn't actively using for day to day work.

When I moved to a new laptop at work and bought it with Windows 8 pre-installed, I immediately put a Start menu back on it. Rarely ever use the start screen.

I've happily moved on from DOS.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self-Built in July 2009
    CPU
    Intel Q9550 2.83Ghz OC'd to 3.40Ghz
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R rev. 1.1, F12 BIOS
    Memory
    8GB G.Skill PI DDR2-800, 4-4-4-12 timings
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA 1280MB Nvidia GeForce GTX570
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC899A 8 channel onboard audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    23" Acer x233H
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Intel X25-M 80GB Gen 2 SSD
    Western Digital 1TB Caviar Black, 32MB cache. WD1001FALS
    PSU
    Corsair 620HX modular
    Case
    Antec P182
    Cooling
    stock
    Keyboard
    ABS M1 Mechanical
    Mouse
    Logitech G9 Laser Mouse
    Internet Speed
    15/2 cable modem
    Other Info
    Windows and Linux enthusiast. Logitech G35 Headset.
I keep getting bagged for an update for Start8. All of these have to account for the new, worthless "Start Menu" butt. Ton.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro with Media Center/Windows 7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus § DualCore AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2300 MHz (11.5 x 200) 4400+ § Corsair Value Select
    CPU
    AMD 4400+/4200+
    Motherboard
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus/Asus A8M2N-LA (NodusM)
    Memory
    2 GB/3GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce 8400 GS/GeForce 210
    Sound Card
    nVIDIA GT218 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Hitachi 40" LCD HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    "1842 x 1036"
    Hard Drives
    WDC WD50 00AAKS-007AA SCSI Disk Device
    ST1000DL 002-9TT153 SCSI Disk Device
    WDC WD3200AAJB-00J3A0 ATA Device
    WDC WD32 WD-WCAPZ2942630 USB Device
    WD My Book 1140 USB Device
    PSU
    Works 550w
    Case
    MSI "M-Box"
    Cooling
    Water Cooled
    Keyboard
    Dell Keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Intellimouse
    Internet Speed
    Cable Medium Speed
    Browser
    Chrome/IE 10
    Antivirus
    Eset NOD32 6.x/Win Defend
    Other Info
    Recently lost my Windows 8 on my main PC, had to go back to Windows 7.
Not all of these will work with Windows 8.1 Preview though. For now only Start8 has a version that is confirmed to work. A new version of Classic Shell comes out tomorrow that will also support 8.1.

Good to hear that !

:)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10.0.10122
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    My Build - Vorttex Ultimate
    CPU
    Core i7 @ 4500 MHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS Z87-Plus
    Memory
    32GB DDR3 @ 1822 MHz (OC)
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon R9 280X 3GB @ 1180 / 6800 MHz
    Sound Card
    7.1 HDA
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LCD LG 22" + CRT LG 17"
    Screen Resolution
    1760 x 1320 / 1280 x 960
    Hard Drives
    1 x 240 GB SSD (System)
    3 x 500 GB HDD (Data/Media)
    1 x 2000 GB e-HDD (Backup)
    PSU
    ThermalTake 1000W PSU
    Case
    Corsair Carbide R300
    Cooling
    Corsair H60 (Push-Pull)
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Wireless Keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Wireless Mouse
    Internet Speed
    60 Mbps (Down) 5 Mbps (Up)
    Browser
    IE, FF, Chrome
    Antivirus
    AVG Internet Security 2015
    Other Info
    Some wired stuff
Look forward to that Ivo. Thanks.:thumb:
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    7/8/ubuntu/Linux Deepin
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
I'm giving 8.1 a go without one. I'll see what happens.

I did enable the Quick-Launch toolbar, tho.


Wenda.

Yups... I use the xp style quick launch toolbar as well.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win8.1 Pro, Desktop Mode
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Me
    CPU
    AMD FX-8150
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-890GPA-UD3H
    Memory
    8.00 GB Dual-Channel DDR3 (9-9-9-28)
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD Radeon HD 6570
    Sound Card
    Creative X-Fi Titanium
    Monitor(s) Displays
    PX2710MW
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080@60Hz
    Hard Drives
    1x1TB Western Digital WDC WD1001FALS-00J7B1 ATA Device Caviar Black -

    4 x 2TB Seagate ST32000542A -
    1 x 4TB Seagate External
    Case
    Antec
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-D14
    Keyboard
    Logitech Illuminated Keyboard K740
    Internet Speed
    60meg cable
    Browser
    Cyberfox
    Antivirus
    AVG Security Suite
Yups... I use the xp style quick launch toolbar as well.
Me too!

My set up:

  • StartIsBack legacy start menu.
  • Modern switched off totally.
  • Direct boot to desktop.
  • Icon short cuts on desktop to frequently used apps, USB, eSATA, optical drives & internal storage SSD HD.
  • Jump start for less frequently used.
  • Alpha numeric cascaded menu for infrequently used.
  • Quick launch desktop button to view when multiple windows open simultaneously.

Works for me. :thumb:
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 Ult Reatil & Win 8 Pro OEM
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Built as DIY
    CPU
    6 core 12 thread & 4 core
    Motherboard
    Inel Extreme & Intel standard
    Memory
    12GB & 8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    3 top end SLI linked & onboard
    Sound Card
    In built in graphics card & onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    24 & 23 inch Samsung LED backlit
    Screen Resolution
    High def
    Hard Drives
    Corsair Force 128GB SATA3 SSDs in each machine. Plus several external USB3 and eSATA spinner HDs
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