Windows 7: Classic start menu in windows 7?

Is there way to get the classic start menu in windows 7?




Thanks.

Downgrade to ancient times?
Otherwise Classic Shell

That is a very snide remark. It is also inaccurate.
The classic start menu was in Server 2008. Apparently it was considered important enough, hm? 2008 doesn't seem ancient to me.

Now I know the classic start menu was introduced in Windows 95. So were a lot of things.

Did Devices and Printers replace Device Manager? Did Device Stage? If you don't know, the answer to the question is no.
Device Manager was also introduced in Windows 95.

The classic start menu was apparently designed very well, so much so that it was "copied" by various operating system distributions.

Before I get into a long post... let me just state that, (arguably) Windows has been the only viable operating system for computing since Windows 95 (not to mention that Microsoft is a monopoly), and many have grown accustomed to this (Windows 95) start menu. You can hardly blame him.

An interesting point to note. Forcing the classic start menu via Group Policy in Windows 7 litters the Libraries and HomeGroup icons on the desktop, similar to how the policy placed the typical desktop icons on the desktop in previous versions of Windows.

You know, it's funny. The same people who derided users who want(ed) the classic start menu in Windows 7 now complain about the "new" start menu's absence in Windows 8...

I'm a fan of the Classic Start Menu myself but a while back I decided to see what was available. The one I currently use is a mix of the Classic Win98 style, with the Aero theme mixed in. You can check it out here: Classic Shell

It has a huge host of customizable settings and it's free. Hopefully this is what you're looking for if not better!

If you have ever knew the previous start menu you will knew that the older one is much better and usable than the new one, it's really easier and less cluttered than the newer. The downgrade is actually using the new one, maybe save for the search box.

In addition to the excellent answer of TalkingTaco, I would add that I don't think it's bad at all to give a new menu look at an option, and maybe even as the default, but forcing and removing the previous one is something unacceptable. Being a software developer myself I learned the hard way that, once you put a feature in, you can NEVER ever, remove it. Otherwise, be ready to receive a lot of complaints.

The OP (that means original poster) is referring to Windows 7, not a Windows server of any kind so Taco's remark in that area is inaccurate, hm?
I personally like not having menu fly-outs all the way across my monitor and find the Windows 7 Start Menu very well done and much more useful than others.

Well, the Windows 7 start menu does "fly-out all the way across my monitor" on it's default setting, and provides less function on it's initial fly-out for the space it takes. Well, "all the way" would be an exaggeration, but it takes more screen real estate than I like. The initial fly-out of the classic style is much less screenspace. Look at these examples:

Windows 7 Default:


Classic Shell:



Classic Shell has a host of configuration, customization. If you don't want your sub-menus all the way across your monitor, you can still set them to scroll like the Windows 7 style. If you want to have the most used programs there, you can. Even the search text box right on the start menu. It's much more attractive imo based on your intent and accomodates for so much more.

I wouldn't say never. I think it's just that most software developers get hung up on a "new feature" which they perceive as better, and in a mild arrogance think they know what their customers want more than the customers themselves. Like the different start menu formats and replacing standard toolbars with a "ribbon" (and countless other things); Microsoft feels they know what we want more then we do based on statistical values they can quantify. When the community asks why a feature was removed, we usually get "We found more users used/wanted this" as a reply.

Features can become obsolete; in this case the old format wasn't obsolete.

All I have to say is just because you own a jet doesn't make you a pilot. You have to know how to use software.

Anyone would say, I want classic Start menu with Classic Start Orb like in Windows 95 or 98 in Windows 7.