Classic start menu in windows 7?

[kuchiyo]

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


Thanks.

 

[logicearth]

Downgrade to ancient times?
Otherwise Classic Shell

 

[TalkingTaco]

Downgrade to ancient times?

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...

 

[lokanu]

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!

 

[Alejandro85]

Downgrade to ancient times?

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.

 

[Britton30]

The OP (that means original poster) is referring to w7, 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 w7 Start Menu very well done and much more useful than others.

 

[lokanu]

...
I personally like not having menu fly-outs all the way across my monitor and find the w7 Start Menu very well done and much more useful than others.

Well, the w7 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 w7 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.

 

[lokanu]

...
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.

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.

 

[Britton30]

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. :sarc:

 

[JonathanV]

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

 

[TalkingTaco]

The OP (that means original poster) is referring to w7, 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 w7 Start Menu very well done and much more useful than others.

Britton30,
I am aware that the original poster is referring to Windows 7. I merely mentioned Windows Server 2008 because it is, to my knowledge, the latest version of Windows to support the classic start menu, thus the snide remark from logicearth is inaccurate.

 

[logicearth]

Windows Server 2008 is Windows Vista, Windows Vista has the classic menu.
Windows Server 2008 R2 is Windows 7, it does not have the classic menu.

You failed to understand my point, the classic menu comes from Windows 95. It is an ancient concept. Regardless if it continued to exists in recent incarnations.

 

[TalkingTaco]

Windows Server 2008 is Windows Vista, Windows Vista has the classic menu.
Windows Server 2008 R2 is Windows 7, it does not have the classic menu.

That's what I said: Windows Server 2008.

You failed to understand my point, the classic menu comes from Windows 95. It is an ancient concept. Regardless if it continued to exists in recent incarnations.

And your point would be? Device Manager, for example, comes from Windows 95. Should this be removed?
The desktop metaphor was introduced to Windows with Windows 95. By definition, this is an "ancient concept" should it be removed as well?

There is nothing wrong with having a choice, even if the preference is for something that isn't exactly "recent".


I'm not sure how you feel about Windows 8, but complaints about the Start Screen are widespread.
When Windows 7 was in beta, adherents of the Classic (Windows 95) Start Menu were (and are still) told everything from "it's time to move on" to the snide "get over it", yet the same people who rebuked these adherents don't want to lose their Windows 7 Start Menu. Irony at its finest.

 

[Britton30]

His point is underlined Taco. Obviously you are trolling, PCs are ancient too by your definition, let's just get rid of them too.

 

[logicearth]

Device Manager, for example, comes from Windows 95. Should this be removed?

I know it might be confusing for you since they share the same name, but the Device Manager in Windows 95 is not the Device Manager in Windows 7. Furthermore, Device Manager is not something casual users use, even power/admin users do not use it constantly, making UI updates to it not important.

The desktop metaphor was introduced to Windows with Windows 95. By definition, this is an "ancient concept" should it be removed as well?

Obviously, it is being phased out in Windows 8 just the same. So maybe it will be in future versions.

The world is constantly changing, the way we do things changes and evolves. What we thought was a good idea years ago, may not be now. Either you move to something that continues to do what they did in ancient times or you adapt. (In terms of computer technology we advance almost every 6 months, what was new 5 years ago is now ancient in this world.)

 

[TalkingTaco]

His point is underlined Taco. Obviously you are trolling, PCs are ancient too by your definition, let's just get rid of them too.

I am not trolling, I assure you.
Ancient concept was underlined in his post. I asked him his point. Just because it's "ancient", doesn't mean that it has to be removed.
PCs are not ancient by my definition. In fact, if you'll notice, he was the first one to use the term.

I know it might be confusing for you since they share the same name, but the Device Manager in Windows 95 is not the Device Manager in Windows 7. Furthermore, Device Manager is not something casual users use, even power/admin users do not use it constantly, making UI updates to it not important.

But it was important to remove the classic start menu?

I apologize for apparently irritating a few people...

 

[lokanu]

I think this is gone way overboard. It's simple, logic's reference to "ancient" was quite unnecessary. We still use the same forks (or other eating utensils) today as mankind did ages past, now they're just made with better metals and fancier designs. Doesn't make them any less useful. Taco took logic's comment too much to heart; sure, it was unnecessary, but not inaccurate, see my reference to eating utensils.

That aside, this thread is way offtopic, and has been answered. Closest thing available is Classic Shell, which both logic and I pointed to. Unless anyone else has anything else on this topic it should probably remain closed.

 

[arj6321]

I am using Classic Shell and the classic menu in windows 7. The log-off button presently appears above the shutdown button. Is there any way to put the log-off option into the shutdown fly out ? I hope I am posting in the right place

 

[SIW2]

If you ask Ivo - I expect he will show you how.

SourceForge.net: Classic Shell: Help

 

[Ivo]

Go to the Customize Start Menu tab in the settings. Find the LogOffItem in the tree on the left. Drag it inside the ShutdownBoxItem.

You may want to change the text from $Menu.Logoff to simply "Log off" (or Sign Out as kids are calling it these days) because otherwise the text will include your name and may look too long in the sub-menu. To change the text, double-click on the item and edit the Label setting.