Classic Start Menu

wguimb · 06 Mar 2009

Get XP Styled All Programs List in Vista or Win7
Before applying, change taskbar properties->customize->enable Favorites
;Created by Vishal Gupta for *****.com

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders]
"Favorites"="C:\\ProgramData\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Start Menu\\Programs"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders]
"Favorites"=hex(2):43,00,3a,00,5c,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,\
44,00,61,00,74,00,61,00,5c,00,4d,00,69,00,63,00,72,00,6f,00,73,00,6f,00,66,\
00,74,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,5c,00,53,00,74,00,\
61,00,72,00,74,00,20,00,4d,00,65,00,6e,00,75,00,5c,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,\
00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,73,00,00,00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoStartMenuMorePrograms"=dword:00000001

Use at your own risk...

Enable the Copy To Folder and Move To Folder options
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AllFilesystemObjects\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\{C2FBB630-2971-11D1-A18C-00C04FD75D13}]
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AllFilesystemObjects\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\{C2FBB631-2971-11D1-A18C-00C04FD75D13}]

Use at your own risk...

Note: you can paste these in to a notepad file with this line first.
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
Then save as whatever.reg and double click it. Backup your registry first.

unawave · 06 Mar 2009

dmex said:

you start typing the program you want to open ...

But what should I type when I don't know the name of the program ?
Should I remember all name of all programs ?

dmex said:

Microsoft removed the classic menu because ...

And for what has Microsoft included the new Menu style ?
I think Microsoft knew that the user needs a menu, because he can not remember all name of all programs. I personally only don't like the new style.

unawave · 06 Mar 2009

wguimb said:

Get XP Styled All Programs List in Vista or Win7

Problem is that you do not have all links to all programs.

You only have the links that resides in:
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Startmeni\Programs
But not from
C:\User\[Name]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Startmenu\Programs

E.g.: You don't have the program links in "Accessories" to "Windows Explorer", "Command line", "Editor" and "Run as"

unawave · 06 Mar 2009

wguimb said:

Get XP Styled All Programs List in Vista or Win7 ...

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders]
"Favorites"="C:\\ProgramData\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Start Menu\\Programs"

Second problem is:
You use "Favorites" for your new classic menu. So the classic menu also appears in Internet Explorer - see picture:

swarfega · 06 Mar 2009

I dont get the fascination with going back to the past. Ive used classic menu as far back as win95 and much prefer the ability to search for anything in my start menu

johngalt · 07 Mar 2009

Ahem - In the Windows XP and Vista start menu in classic mode you have a minimum of 3 clicks to start a program that is installed under its own folder (unless of course you have the menu system set up to automatically open sub menus on hover- which, by the way, is *actively* using extra resources on your computer) - and if you have lots of programs that means opening either multiple columns or scrolling the column.

You all might consider the 'classic' start menu as the 'classic' method, but let me remind you of a little piece of history - the command line came *before* the start menu. Thus, the start menu search bar is like having your own, mini, *indexed* command line. So, if you think about it, the 'start menu' as you describe it is actually a newer more PITA piece of coding than any I have seen.

For all you mouse jockeys, it may rock your world, but being a bit older, and much more used to a command line, I prefer being able to start word without having to touch the bloody thing at all - Keyboard FTW, baby!

And, for the record, I don't even use the mouse to hit the orb - a simple press of the Windows Key and poof, I am off and typing, no mouse movement and multiple level / tree opening needed nor required.

For an example:

[WIN] -->

Code:

wor

--> [ENTER] - {wait about 1.5 seconds} --> start typing my document.

I want to open device manager? Heh - try [WIN] -->

Code:

dev

--> [DownArrow] --> [ENTER] - or you can get to it easier by typing out Device and starting the second word (M) - then you just hit enter.

Oh, wait, I forgot the best part - any part of your drive that is indexed also gets added like this - so after finding relevant programs that match your search expression, it starts searching elsewhere - places like your Documents folder, your Downloads folder, etc...

Firefox users - try searching for

Code:

fir

and see what happens - and if you keep the installer handy in your download folder you'll be surprised to note that you can call the installer from that same search, provide you haven't turned off indexing for your Downloads folder (or whichever folder the installer resides in).

Also, for programs that need a command line, making a separate shortcut for it is now a thing of the past - you can simply type in the program name, and if it shows in the list, add the parameters that you need - for example, typing

Code:

Firefox -ProfileManager

or

Code:

Firefox -p

opens the Firefox profile manager.

Finally, as a result of this, I have my desktop completely cleared off of any junk by hiding all the desktop items. This rocks - for the first time I can break my habit of storing things (temporarily) on my desktop where it clutters crap up. I now have a clean image of my Dark Knight wallpaper on both monitors - just the way I like it.

I'll take that *any* day over having to move the mouse around to find stuff.

swarfega · 08 Mar 2009

You dont need to remind me of the history of interfaces since Ive been using then since DOS 2.11.

The modern Vista/Win7 approach is quicker than the classic menu as with the classic you have to spend time to navigate through the hierachy of sub-menus before you get to what you want.

With the search bar in todays menu its far easier.

1. Click start button
2. type in name of program or item you want (can be anything, not just programs)
3. click on the result.

A 3 step process

So give me the modern solution every time.

unawave · 08 Mar 2009

swarfega said:

The modern Vista/Win7 approach is quicker than the classic menu as with the classic you have to spend time to navigate through the hierachy of sub-menus before you get to what you want.

I am faster to move the mouse to the menus instead of typing in the name of programs.

swarfega said:

type in name of program or item you want

And what to do when you don't know the name of the program ?

swarfega said:

So give me the modern solution every time.

OK.
But also give the chance to switch to the classic menu. For all the people, who don't remember all names of all programs. Like it is in Vista.
Why not offer two possibilities and let the user choose want they want to use ? The classic menu is not bad - it is only another way.

swarfega · 08 Mar 2009

oh yeah Im not knocking peoples preferances, just stating what I prefer

sparky · 08 Mar 2009

how did you get rid of the left white panel, when classic start menu is created ?