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- 15
If this is against the rules of this forum, I'm sorry & please delete it.
Some people hate the ribbon in Windows 8 Explorer. I can take it or leave it, but I do feel it is less helpful
than the old Win 7 style Explorer Menu-bar.
Microsoft said that the old style Explorer Menu-bar was gone for good & couldn't be brought back, the Ribbon is here to stay so get used to it.
Like I said,, I don't really care one way or the other about it's usefulness because I can get by with either one. But on the other hand I do like freedom of choice & I definitely don't like things being forced on me just because someone else thinks I it's a good idea.
But that is my opinion, I'm not saying you should do this just because I think it's good & I'm trying to force anybody but if you want the Old style Explorer bar back in Windows 8 instead of the dodgy ribbon her's how to do it.
Just so you know, I have two installations of Win 8; one is untouched & one is for tweaking. I have tested this change over the last 3 weeks without one single glitch or error. This will not break the MSPaint or Word-pad ribbons either, both of those ribbons are unaffected by this change..
To do this you will need a couple of freeware apps called "Resource Hacker" & "WinOwnership vs 1.1"
Both easy to find if you Google.
1. Open Windows Explorer and go to C:\Windows\System32 folder. I am assuming
that Windows 8 is installed in C: drive on your computer.
If you installed Windows 8 in any other partition, replace C: drive with the correct drive letter.
2. Now look for a file "ExplorerFrame.dll". Once you find the file, COPY IT ("DO NOT CUT & PASTE IT") to some other location, for example on your Desktop.
3. Now we'll need to edit this DLL file in Resource Hacker.
4. Once you have opened this copied DLL file in "Resource Hacker", look in the file tree & go to:
UIFILE / EXPLORER_RIBBON / 1033
NOTE:(1033 is language code for English. It might differ if you are using Windows 8 in a different language.)
5. Now you will need to delete "EXPLORER_RIBBON" key. So click on the "1033" entry to highlight it then you need to Right-click on this 1033 key and select "Delete Resource[UIFILE:EXPLORER_RIBBON:1033]" from the context menu. It will immediately delete the key.
6. Click on Save and close Resource Hacker window.
7. Now you will need to replace default "ExplorerFrame.dll" file that is still present in the System32 folder with this new modified file.
Again go to C:\Windows\System32 folder but this time you will need to take ownership of "ExplorerFrame.dll" file. (To Take ownership of this file just run the "WinOwnership" program). Once the program is open just double click on it anywhere & it will then get you to browse to the file you are after.
NOTE: Although the program says you can drag & drop files it does not allow you to do it with this file. Once the file is loaded in the WinOwnership program it will be displayed, & you then just click on the "ALLOW" button & you will have ownership of the file.
8. Now that you have ownership of this file, you need to rename this original "ExplorerFrame.dll" file to some other name such as ExplorerFrame_bak.dll or ExplorerFrame.old or any other name you like. Once you have done that just copy the newly modified "ExplorerFrame.dll file" from Desktop to the "System32" folder.
9. That's it, Close the WinOwnership program & you are done.
Restart your system and get ready to enjoy the old toolbar back in Windows 8 Explorer without the Ribbon.
Some people hate the ribbon in Windows 8 Explorer. I can take it or leave it, but I do feel it is less helpful
than the old Win 7 style Explorer Menu-bar.
Microsoft said that the old style Explorer Menu-bar was gone for good & couldn't be brought back, the Ribbon is here to stay so get used to it.
Like I said,, I don't really care one way or the other about it's usefulness because I can get by with either one. But on the other hand I do like freedom of choice & I definitely don't like things being forced on me just because someone else thinks I it's a good idea.
But that is my opinion, I'm not saying you should do this just because I think it's good & I'm trying to force anybody but if you want the Old style Explorer bar back in Windows 8 instead of the dodgy ribbon her's how to do it.
Just so you know, I have two installations of Win 8; one is untouched & one is for tweaking. I have tested this change over the last 3 weeks without one single glitch or error. This will not break the MSPaint or Word-pad ribbons either, both of those ribbons are unaffected by this change..
To do this you will need a couple of freeware apps called "Resource Hacker" & "WinOwnership vs 1.1"
Both easy to find if you Google.
1. Open Windows Explorer and go to C:\Windows\System32 folder. I am assuming
that Windows 8 is installed in C: drive on your computer.
If you installed Windows 8 in any other partition, replace C: drive with the correct drive letter.
2. Now look for a file "ExplorerFrame.dll". Once you find the file, COPY IT ("DO NOT CUT & PASTE IT") to some other location, for example on your Desktop.
3. Now we'll need to edit this DLL file in Resource Hacker.
4. Once you have opened this copied DLL file in "Resource Hacker", look in the file tree & go to:
UIFILE / EXPLORER_RIBBON / 1033
NOTE:(1033 is language code for English. It might differ if you are using Windows 8 in a different language.)
5. Now you will need to delete "EXPLORER_RIBBON" key. So click on the "1033" entry to highlight it then you need to Right-click on this 1033 key and select "Delete Resource[UIFILE:EXPLORER_RIBBON:1033]" from the context menu. It will immediately delete the key.
6. Click on Save and close Resource Hacker window.
7. Now you will need to replace default "ExplorerFrame.dll" file that is still present in the System32 folder with this new modified file.
Again go to C:\Windows\System32 folder but this time you will need to take ownership of "ExplorerFrame.dll" file. (To Take ownership of this file just run the "WinOwnership" program). Once the program is open just double click on it anywhere & it will then get you to browse to the file you are after.
NOTE: Although the program says you can drag & drop files it does not allow you to do it with this file. Once the file is loaded in the WinOwnership program it will be displayed, & you then just click on the "ALLOW" button & you will have ownership of the file.
8. Now that you have ownership of this file, you need to rename this original "ExplorerFrame.dll" file to some other name such as ExplorerFrame_bak.dll or ExplorerFrame.old or any other name you like. Once you have done that just copy the newly modified "ExplorerFrame.dll file" from Desktop to the "System32" folder.
9. That's it, Close the WinOwnership program & you are done.
Restart your system and get ready to enjoy the old toolbar back in Windows 8 Explorer without the Ribbon.
My Computer
System One
-
- OS
- windows 8 pro 64x
- System Manufacturer/Model
- DYI
- CPU
- 17
- Motherboard
- Asusu rampage extreme
- Memory
- 8GB
- Graphics Card(s)
- 2x ATI 5750
