[Snake_Eater]

Ok, I found if you download and install start8 on windows 8, its restores the start menu and looks like its part of the windows theme.

I find it better than classic shell.

[d'@ve]

Classic Shell works very well... it's freeware... and doesn't demand your email address or take you through screens full of adverts to get to the download file, unlike Start 8 (depending on how you download it)

[noise747]

i used start8 on the RC version of windows 8 and I did not like it at all. I have heard it is better now, but you got to pay for it, why should I pay to get something back which should not have vanished in the first place?


classic shell is very good to be honest, and while I said above that I don't think I should pay for something that should be in windows anyway, because of the way Classic shell is done, if I keep windows 8, I will gladly donate a bit to help them. Prefer to pay them than a large software company like stardock.

[Snake_Eater]

I tried classic shell, but I find start8 goes more with the theme of windows 8 so it looks like its part of windows and not a add on which is what classic shell looks like.

[noise747]

you make classic shell look as dull and drab as windows 8, or do you mean the way it pops up? i think with start 8 you can make it pop out from the side, i prefer it to pop up like the normal start menu.

Can anyone tell use again why we updated to windows 8 when all we want to to is make it act like windows 7?

[Snake_Eater]

Originally Posted by noise747

you make classic shell look as dull and drab as windows 8, or do you mean the way it pops up? i think with start 8 you can make it pop out from the side, i prefer it to pop up like the normal start menu.

Can anyone tell use again why we updated to windows 8 when all we want to to is make it act like windows 7?

Because windows 7 just worked, and I can't be bothered to re-format my drive so until I do, Win 8 is here for now.

[BrokenArrow]

Originally Posted by noise747

you make classic shell look as dull and drab as windows 8, or do you mean the way it pops up? i think with start 8 you can make it pop out from the side, i prefer it to pop up like the normal start menu.

Can anyone tell use again why we updated to windows 8 when all we want to to is make it act like windows 7?

Why did you update to Windows 8?

Does Windows 7 not run all your programs?

[alias alias]

Win 8 boots faster apparently and under the hood is probably better just a shame you cant easily turn off the new tab? UI.

Unless 9 returns to a normal desktop option i can see myself staying with 7 for at least another 5 years.

[noise747]

Originally Posted by BrokenArrow

Why did you update to Windows 8?

I was forced and held to ransom it seemed like I was .

I was not going to bother, I have tried the release candidate and the developer previews and was not overly impressed, but a friend of mine thought that £25 for a new Os was good value and she would not mind seeing windows 8 in action herself, well that was he excuse.

i think she just wanted to see me pulling my hair out when things don't work the way I want them to

So my friend paid for windows 8 as she said there is no risk, if I think it is naff and too far away from window sI can get a refund within 14 days.

Does Windows 7 not run all your programs?

It does, which is more than windows 8 do.

[noise747]

Originally Posted by alias alias

Win 8 boots faster apparently and under the hood is probably better just a shame you cant easily turn off the new tab? UI.

Unless 9 returns to a normal desktop option i can see myself staying with 7 for at least another 5 years.

There are third party software like classic shell that will give you the start menu back and also allow you to bypass the Modern UI.

classic shell is free and does a good job. If that is what is holding you back then there is a way around it.

the worse part for me is the desktop, it is just so flat.

[Paddy C]

I'm going to install Windows 8 tonight. To be honest, losing the aero desktop thing doesn't bother me. Never really used it. I've had a play on a mates laptop and found the no start menu a refreshing change, but pressing the Windows key toggles between the desktop and the tiled screen which is essentially the start menu anyway. Maybe if people were able to boot into the desktop it would make them feel better but in all fairness, it's only one button press or gesture to get there once the system has booted up.

I do slightly agree with noise747 about the desktop looking a bit flat, but I guess that's just how Microsoft want it. What's the chances Windows 9 is just a graphical update for 8 where the tiles have shadows and are shaded to make them look more 3D?

[emptybox]

Originally Posted by alias alias

Win 8 boots faster apparently and under the hood is probably better just a shame you cant easily turn off the new tab? UI.

Unless 9 returns to a normal desktop option i can see myself staying with 7 for at least another 5 years.

It only boots up and shuts down faster than Windows 7 because it doesn't shutdown completely, but saves some data to the harddrive, so it can boot up quicker the next time.

I had to turn that feature off because I found that the incomplete shutdown wasn't turning off my external hard drive as it was supposed to. (Seagate drive, no physical switch)

With the fast shutdown feature off it takes more or less the same time as Windows 7 to boot.

[SnowStorm86]

Why add the start button at all? If you want a OS that looks like Windows 7... Use Windows 7.

[len112]

Originally Posted by SnowStorm86

Why add the start button at all? If you want a OS that looks like Windows 7... Use Windows 7.

I'd like to get used to the windows 8 interface but without the start button I find it confusing trying to find and open my old programs , if there's a way of doing this using the new interface i'd be happy for someone to tell me .

[Helbore]

Originally Posted by len112

I'd like to get used to the windows 8 interface but without the start button I find it confusing trying to find and open my old programs , if there's a way of doing this using the new interface i'd be happy for someone to tell me .

There's a couple of ways.

1. From the Start Screen, simply type the name of the application you are looking for. It will perform a search and show a list of any matches on the Start Screen. There are a list of filter buttons that appear on the right-hand pane to filter the search between apps, settings and files.

2. Right-click the Start Screen and click the "All Apps," button that appears in the bottom-right of the screen. You'll get a list of all the applications on the computer, broken down into group headings (as if they were the folders I the start menu) or simply arranged alphabetically.

Personally, I use option 1 for everything that isn't pinned to my taskbar. It works pretty much the same as the search box that has been on the start menu since Windows Vista.

[len112]

Originally Posted by Helbore

There's a couple of ways.

1. From the Start Screen, simply type the name of the application you are looking for. It will perform a search and show a list of any matches on the Start Screen. There are a list of filter buttons that appear on the right-hand pane to filter the search between apps, settings and files.

2. Right-click the Start Screen and click the "All Apps," button that appears in the bottom-right of the screen. You'll get a list of all the applications on the computer, broken down into group headings (as if they were the folders I the start menu) or simply arranged alphabetically.

Personally, I use option 1 for everything that isn't pinned to my taskbar. It works pretty much the same as the search box that has been on the start menu since Windows Vista.

Thanks for that was vaguely aware of it but found it didn't work , I must have been typing in stuff when in desktop mode . A stupid question , is there a difference between a desktop program and a metro app . For instance my chrome seems to look different depending on where I open it from , and is there an easy way to tell what version of the program i'm using ie desktop or metro ?

[Helbore]

Originally Posted by len112

Thanks for that was vaguely aware of it but found it didn't work , I must have been typing in stuff when in desktop mode . A stupid question , is there a difference between a desktop program and a metro app . For instance my chrome seems to look different depending on where I open it from , and is there an easy way to tell what version of the program i'm using ie desktop or metro ?

Both desktop and metro apps will appear on the start screen. Metro apps should appear as a colourful tile from edge-to-edge. Desktop apps will appear as a coloured box (the colour being dependant on what you set the start screen colour to be) with the normal desktop icon in the middle of it.

If you start a desktop app from the start screen, it will immediately launch the desktop and then open the program in question. Metro apps will always start full screen, usually with a little animation of the app spinning out of the tile (ie. it looks like the tile spins around and fills up the whole screen with the app)

[len112]

Originally Posted by Helbore

Both desktop and metro apps will appear on the start screen. Metro apps should appear as a colourful tile from edge-to-edge. Desktop apps will appear as a coloured box (the colour being dependant on what you set the start screen colour to be) with the normal desktop icon in the middle of it.

If you start a desktop app from the start screen, it will immediately launch the desktop and then open the program in question. Metro apps will always start full screen, usually with a little animation of the app spinning out of the tile (ie. it looks like the tile spins around and fills up the whole screen with the app)

Thanks , it's much easier to learn what you're doing when there's an explanation of what you're looking at .

[Snake_Eater]

I don't normally promote things, but this start8 is definitely worth the $4.99.

Look how well it fits in the windows 8 look.

http://postimage.org/image/k8ez4hdqj/

the colour also changes to match your task bar.

[psionic]

I must admit I find this much better then Classic Shell.

[BrokenArrow]

Originally Posted by SnowStorm86

Why add the start button at all? If you want a OS that looks like Windows 7... Use Windows 7.

The problem for me is the fact that Windows 8 exists at all.

I have to make sure all my programs work on windows 8 or customers are gonna start complaining.

I think the best bet would be to run win 8 in a virtual machine under windows 7.

http://www.labnol.org/software/insta...machine/20919/

[noise747]

Originally Posted by SnowStorm86

Why add the start button at all? If you want a OS that looks like Windows 7... Use Windows 7.

Because Windows 8 is suppose to be quicker and better, just like windows 7 was quicker and better than XP. so why have people updated from XP to windows 7? as apart from having Aero it still works the same way as XP, with a start menu and taskbar.

[noise747]

Originally Posted by Helbore

There's a couple of ways.

1. From the Start Screen, simply type the name of the application you are looking for. It will perform a search and show a list of any matches on the Start Screen. There are a list of filter buttons that appear on the right-hand pane to filter the search between apps, settings and files.



2. Right-click the Start Screen and click the "All Apps," button that appears in the bottom-right of the screen. You'll get a list of all the applications on the computer, broken down into group headings (as if they were the folders I the start menu) or simply arranged alphabetically.

Personally, I use option 1 for everything that isn't pinned to my taskbar. It works pretty much the same as the search box that has been on the start menu since Windows Vista.

But you got to remember what the software is called, I wanted the snipping tool on my desktop and do you think I could remember the name of it at the time?
I had to go back to the charm menu, click on search and have a look at every thing on there to see if it could jog my memory.

Now got it on the taskbar

[noise747]

There are some people here saying that Microsoft will put the start menu back in on windows 9, they won't because they think they know best and they won't do a boot to desktop, it will just be up to third partys.


The only time MS would do that if windows 8 failed and since most computers will have windows 8 on it, if you want it or not, because pc manufactures are stuck up Microsoft's backside, windows 8 will do well.

[wavejockglw]

I had the free windows8startbutton software installed and enabled but within a week I don't need it. For Start button think Start Screen and the button to launch that is in the same place as the old Start Button anyway.

Windows 8 has been the most seamless upgrade of an OS yet. Installed on a new desktop then on a laptop and the settings migrate seamlessly. Windows 7 was good, very good but Windows 8 is so much better with a unique user interface which is intuitive once your brain adapts out of the previous Windows habits.

Windows 8 - Lovin' It!