Classic Start Menu

[djs]

A guy on this web site has found a workaround to get something approximating the classic start menu.

" "Classic" menu option does not exist in Window" Yes it does, but MS denies it!

It's been my one pet hate not to have the classic menu, all fixed by this.
It works exactly as his pictures show.

 

[limneos]

Nice find djs..

However, it seems to me too much trouble to go through to just have the programs menu opening in expanding menus instead of scrolling ones...I mean...what's the so big deal ? Srolling has been included as default to enhance the touchscreen abilities, but it's not that bad using the mouse either...My opinion.

Great find for those interested though

 

[djs]

If you have lots of programs installed, having the menus pop out when you mouse over them, saves several mouse clicks needed with the default menu.

So very much easier to see the program that you want to launch when opened in a flow system that shows ALL of the menu items.

I like to have nested menus, ie, Utilities, Media with the program menus inside, now all can be opened by hovering the mouse, the only click needed is to open the program, rather than the several clicks needed in the default setup.

We all have personal preferences, but the default menu was my pet hate.

 

[unawave]

Or use this method.

 

[djs]

I'm happy now, a classic start menu.

I've got the classic flow tree through the Documents and Programs on the task bar ( Thanks unawave ) also a quick launch for most used items.
I've put the Programs next to the start orb, then quick launch.
I'm going to try both methods to see which I prefer for the long term.

Windows 7 is now perfect. !!!!!

 

[gigagiggles]

neither of the links explains how to remove the large, very large empty rectangle. and if the rectangle can be made useful, how? right-click context menu brings up only properties.

 

[unawave]

neither of the links explains how to remove the large, very large empty rectangle. and if the rectangle can be made useful, how? right-click context menu brings up only properties.

"very large empty rectangle" ???
"right-click context menu brings up only properties" ???

Can you explain what you mean by a picture ?

 

[dmex]

If you have lots of programs installed, having the menus pop out when you mouse over them, saves several mouse clicks needed with the default menu.

the only click needed is to open the program, rather than the several clicks needed in the default setup.

Several clicks??? The default setup only needs one click, you start typing the program you want to open and press enter or click the name :sarc:

Its x100,000 better than the classic menu if you give it a chance and get used to it

Microsoft removed the classic menu because they where sick of poeple turning off one of the best enhancements included with Windows then complaining about Windows being useless :huh:

You can bet that Classic-Menu legacy code will be removed by RTM once they convert all the functions found in the the user32 library

 

[gigagiggles]

unawave, i looked back at your input to everestultimate and yours doesn't involve the start orb. sorry.

from the start orb, one can see the rectangular whiteout. everestultimate jumped/skipped over the transition to tada!

dmex - "Microsoft removed the classic menu because they were sick of people turning off one of the ..."

and they were turning it off for a valid consumer/customer reason - they hated it and were sick of it.

 

[djs]

So it's easier to type and enter ?
Your hand rests on the mouse, 2 clicks to open a program, that to me and lots of others is easier.
If I was resistant to change do you think I would be running a beta O.S ?

 

[wguimb]

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]

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 ?

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]

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]

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]

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]

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] -->

wor

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

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

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

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

Firefox -ProfileManager

or

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]

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]

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.

type in name of program or item you want

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

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]

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

 

[sparky]

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