Classic Shell for Windows 8

[jimmoss]

A great program for us old XP users.

 

[Ivo]

View attachment 23933

Got it fixed. Installed WinAeroSkinforClassicShell.

View attachment 24059

I don't think so. The status bar feature of Classic Shell only works on Windows 7.
On Windows 8 you see the total size of the selected files if: a) the selection is up to 100 files, and b) only files are selected (no folders). This may have improved on Win 8.1 but I doubt it.

 

[vrosa]

My first custom buttons

 

[eclectic1941]

I don't know what happened, but the following is my experience after installing the latest version of Classic Shell. After switching the selected Start button from "Aero" to "Classic" or "Custom", I cannot return to Aero. The dot is filled in but the logo doesn't appear. I didn't add any custom button myself, but merely used the one that appeared when I selected that option. Strangely, I can switch between Custom and Classic without any problem, but I can't restore the original full shell logo. I have tried both the Repair function and uninstalling/reinstalling to no avail. Any suggestions? Thanks.

 

[Clint]

View attachment 23933

Got it fixed. Installed WinAeroSkinforClassicShell.

View attachment 24059

I don't think so. The status bar feature of Classic Shell only works on Windows 7.
On Windows 8 you see the total size of the selected files if: a) the selection is up to 100 files, and b) only files are selected (no folders). This may have improved on Win 8.1 but I doubt it.

You are right Ivo. It's not fixed.

 

[cognus]

Not defaulting in 8.1 Pro Preview

Gang I've used Classic Shell on 8.0 with no issues - fabulous tool.
However, installed it the same way on a freshly built 8.1 Preview and its not defaulting to the desktop and I see no settable parameter to force it.

can someone give me a clue???

it works - the features are all there etc but I have to manually hunt down the "Desktop" app pane and hit it.... annoying

 

[Tews]

This should set you straight.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/7449-desktop-boot-directly-windows-8-a.html

 

[xpclient]

Hi there
What's the basic difference between Classic shell and simply using custom toolbars

Here's my Custom toolbar for most of the stuff I run -- so I can't really see the need for this program any more (although a great idea though until custom toolbars did the job simply and without having to fiddle anything in the OS).

I'm certainly not against anybody developing things but in this case it seems the standard Windows 8 stuff can now provide most of what classic shell can provide.

Cheers
jimbo

The difference is that the Start Menu All Programs is a combined view of two folders - per user and All Users. With the toolbar method, you will have to create two toolbars to see the contents of both.

 

[tw33k]

I just updated to 3.6.8 and now no matter which start menu style I choose it's showing $Menu. I'm not using Windows 8.1. Could that be why?

 

[Ivo]

Looks like the file ClassicStartMenu.L10N is missing or corrupted. Uninstall and install again.

 

[tw33k]

Fixed...thanks Ivo

 

[davidbrownuk]

I have Windows 8 Pro 64bit installed and when I try to install Classic shell 3.6.8 I get an error.
The application has failed to start because the side-by-side configuration is incorrect.

I also have Windows Server 2012 and get the same error.

Do I need to load anything else before Classic shell to make it install correctly?

 

[Ivo]

No, Classic Shell has no external dependencies. It should work on a fresh OS installation with no additional software.
How far into the installer do you get?
You can try using the logging option to see what is failing: Classic Shell: FAQ

 

[davidbrownuk]

I click the EXE and immediately get the error.
I've tried Run as Admin which makes no difference.

I have a second older Windows Server 2012 setup that loaded classic shell fine but when the update came through it also fails with the Side-by-Side error. All are 64 bit so I don't know if that has any bearing on the problem. The previous version of CS must of loaded OK at the start of the year for me to be using it on the older server. This is now happening on 3 units, 2 servers and one PC so I don't think hardware is the issue.

OK tried logging, the EXE doesn't start as there isn't a log file produced.

I've done a trace

=================
Begin Activation Context Generation.
Input Parameter:
Flags = 0
ProcessorArchitecture = AMD64
CultureFallBacks = en-US;en
ManifestPath = C:\Users\david\Downloads\ClassicShellSetup_3_6_8.exe
AssemblyDirectory = C:\Users\david\Downloads\
Application Config File =
-----------------
INFO: Parsing Manifest File C:\Users\david\Downloads\ClassicShellSetup_3_6_8.exe.
INFO: Manifest Definition Identity is (null).
ERROR: Line 0: XML Syntax error.
ERROR: Activation Context generation failed.
End Activation Context Generation.
=================

Does that help?

 

[Ivo]

It may be a bad download. Try downloading again.

 

[davidbrownuk]

I've downloaded the installer individually on each piece of hardware and have just downloaded it again on this new Windows 8 PC and it still fails.

Is it possible Microsoft have changed something in an update for Windows 8 that is now giving the error with your installer?
Could you extract the files from your current installer and make sure the XML file is correct for Win 8?

 

[Ivo]

Not sure what you mean by "extract the files and make sure the XML file is correct". There are no XML files in the installer.

 

[davidbrownuk]

The installer manifest XML.

See Resolving Side-by-Side Configuration Issues - OJ's rants

 

[Ivo]

The installer statically links all libraries it needs. The only thing in its manifest is Common Controls v6, which should be present on all machines since XP. What you are seeing is not typical. Something is busted on your end.

 

[davidbrownuk]

Possibly, but the common factor is Window 8 64bit core software. It installs fine on all the XP 32bit and Windows 7 32bit machines I've tried. It only fails on Windows Server 2012 (which is Window 8 64bit underneath) and Windows 8 Pro. Very strange. I wouldn't put it passed MS to tweak Win 8 so Classic Shell doesn't load because they don't want people using the old menu system.

Using a server with the new interface is crazy. I can't see a time when a server is run using a touch screen. I started with Windows 3.0 and Unix so even the Windows 7 interface annoys me