Classic Shell: Forum

After the screw up by Microsoft of their own product (a.k.a. Windows 8.0), and the repairs by others (a.k.a. Classic Shell, for instance) they have announced an attempt to sabotage these repairs (a.k.a. Windows 8.1).

Have you already been able to test whether Classic Shell will continue to function after installing that virus?

I am afraid the 'solution' of Microsoft will cross that. It would be a reason NOT to install 8.1.

"We call it 'QuikProtect'"
http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/1995-09-17/

Windows 8.1 final is not released yet, only announced. Once it is released, Classic Shell can be updated to work on it.

Classic Shell is now fully compatible with Windows 8.1 RTM. For the best experience with Windows 8.1, update to the latest Classic Shell 3.9.x beta/RC or stable version 4.0 when it becomes available.

Windows 8.0 continues to be supported so you can install the latest Classic Shell version before updating to Windows 8.1.

If you find that the color of the Start Menu does not match Windows 8.1's taskbar (because MS tweaked it again), use this alternative skin: http://www.classicshell.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1186 and set the color override values in settings as described.

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Links to some general topics:

● Compare Start Menus

● Read the Search box usage guide.

I am a Windows enthusiast and did Classic Shell's testing and usability/UX feedback.

AFAIK, the new start-button on the desktop will always be there. So the developer(s ?) of Classic Shell will have to figure out a way
to intercept a click on the icon and show the "old" menu instead of the start screen. However, it's not that different (I guess) from what
it's done in Vista or Win7.

Windows 8.1 also allows you to boot into the desktop.

We'll get a public beta soon (June), so we'll know soon !

8.1 is already out today. A colleague accidentally installed it. Now his PC is 'enriched' with a NEW-NEW-NEW button that wants to take him ultra fast where he does NOT want to be.

I am afraid I will have to put any update from Microsoft on hold as long as I am not sure they wil not SCREW UP my PC again.

Absurd situation, where I have to ward off the builder of my OS!

Where can one download this 8.1? Aside from a few leaked builds I don't think there is anything else out there at the moment.

You are right. It was not 8.1. that caused his changes. Some other tool dropped a 'start button'.

I stay anxious.

I installed Windows 8.1 Preview on my HP Envy m6 notebook today.

After the LONG install and restarting about 200 times it finished.

The first thing I noticed is the Windows start button under the classic shell start button. I restarted a couple of times but it was still there. So I researched online how to disable the official Windows start button. No luck.

At the end of the day I just disabled the Classic Shell start button. Now when I click on the start button it shows the Windows start screen and when I use the Windows key I get Classic Shell. For now this works for me because I usually use the Windows button to get the start menu.

If anyone else has a better solution, please let me know.

Thanks all!

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I've also installed the Windows 8.1 Preview yesterday on my desktop PC and also on my Macbook Pro mid 2010. It has some noticeable improvements, I liked it and I definitely recommend it.

Unfortunately, I had to uninstall our beloved Classic Shell, because it's incompatible with the new Start Button of this 8.1 release, which simply gets you to the Modern Start Menu and nothing else.

I hope that the Classic Shell developers figure this out and release a compatible version, because I really miss it already.

Please let me know if someone finds a workaround or something.

Peace.

its been mentioned in another thread that you can use the option 'remove start button' in classic shell, and set classic shell to open with the windows key, and im sure there will be a fix likely before the 4.0 release

I have posted on this subject.

http://www.classicshell.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=698

http://www.classicshell.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=816

http://www.classicshell.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=817

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I asked a question last night about whether or not Win8.1/Classic Shell would interfer with each other and Fresnogamer said he's been using both for awhile and that it was "tolerable". It seems to me that the best thing to do is to install Classic Shell First and then wait for the 8.1 fix to come out in Oct. and by that time Classic should be up to par and will have problems hopefully solved by then. No sense in creating compatibility problems or conflicts with the two right in their infancy stages. Don' t think I'll download the IE9 as I am a staunch user/believer in FireFox. Nice to see input from all sources, thanks!

Sorry, forgot to say that MS sure screwed up royally by putting a Mobile platform setup for PC's.... my feeling is that if it ain't F....g broke, don't F....g fix it, and Amen...sorry for being fouled mouthed but MS really, really pissed me off for what they did.

If anyone is curious about 8.1 check out this site:\
http://www.zdnet.com/microsofts-windows ... ag=rSINGLE

classic shell will likely work with 8.1 before its official release in october..
@if it isnt broke dont fix it;
I don't necessarily agree with this as it limits progress, but i do feel Older options should be supported IE users should be able to disable the metro side of things..

I installed Windows 8.1 and am running Classic Start Menu same as before. I recommend to select a custom start menu icon in Classic Start Menu options and find an icon which is LARGE which will cover up the new one that Windows puts there. If you have a small icon (like my previous one) it will not completely overlay the new Windows one and if you click just outside of the Classic Start Menu start icon it will open whatever the new Windows start icon is set to open, which is configurable in a new settings tab under the Taskbar Properties called Navigation.

So, the long and short of it is that Classic Start Menu works exactly as before with Windows 8.1. There are no problems. But its advisable to use a larger icon to completely overlay the new Windows one hiding behind it in order to avoid inadvertently clicking on it.

If anyone has some good suggestions for a cool-looking custom start menu icon please let me know! My favorite previous ones were one called Tribal and another called Spiral. Hopefully someone will make something similar to these but larger!

I read with sadness other posts in this thread where people said they uninstalled Classic Start Menu. Why? Its working perfectly here! Classic Start Menu is always going to blow the Windows default away in terms of features, functionality, and appearance and I hope this project continues forever.

I didn't want to screw up my existing computer with the 8.1 preview, so I installed a new hard drive and downloaded and installed the 8.1 preview. I then installed the latest version of Classic Shell and it is working perfectly. I have the feeling that those who are having issues might should have uninstalled CS before installing Microsoft's 8.1 preview and then reinstalled CS.

The default setup in CS disables the Start Screen active corner, so when I move my mouse to the start button and go too far, I see the Windows 8.1 start button appear over the CS button, but when I click it, CS menu comes up.

Hooray!

I actually now kind of like the fact that I can access either the Classic Start Menu or the Windows Start screen. Sometimes its faster to open the Windows Start screen and just click on a tile for an app you want to open rather than having to navigate through menus and submenus for it.

Only thing I really hated about the Win 8.1 upgrade was that it tried to force me to create a Microsoft account. There was no option to "skip" that step! Luckily my Thinkpad has a kill switch for the network which worked. Once I killed the network, used the back icon, and then went forward again it skipped the Microsoft registration.

Also, I had to rejoin my Homegroup after it installed.

After updating Windows 8 to Windows Blue 8.1, Classic Shell is not working anymore . When trying to install the "Program Compatibility Assistant" appears.

Please fix this issue. Thanks in advance.

Hawkens_NL

After updating to Classic Shell version 3.6.7 it works again! I hope Microsoft will give the option in the final release of Windows 8.1 to disable the start button, so It won't interfere the Classic Shell start button no more!

Hawkens_NL

What version of Classic Shell did you try before that?

Based on what I have read so far, I think it would be prudent for those people updating Win 8 running with Classic Shell Menu to uninstall Classic Shell Menu before starting the update to Win 8.1. Once the update has completed to ones satisfaction install the latest version of Classic Shell Menu.

Update for anyone to whom it's not clear from the homepage: Classic Shell's latest RC is fully supported and compatible with Windows 8.1 RTM.

_________________
Links to some general topics:

● Compare Start Menus

● Read the Search box usage guide.

I am a Windows enthusiast and did Classic Shell's testing and usability/UX feedback.

I just updated to Windows 8.1 today, and have been using Classic Shell 4.0.2 since whenever it was released.

Now when I restart, the Metro screen doesn't automatically go away, the pointless new Windows button is on my taskbar instead of the Classic Shell start button, and the "active corners" are back. I had disabled all of that stuff in the Classic Shell settings before 8.1.

However, if I click on the Search "charm" and find "Classic Start Menu Settings", launching that application immediately sets everything back to how it was before (with the Classic Shell start button replacing the dumb 8.1 button, and the active corners are disabled).

So it seems like Classic Shell is just not starting up with the computer like it did before. Is there something I need to do to make that happen? Or maybe do I need to reinstall Classic Shell?

Thanks!

You need to run the installer again and select "Repair".

That did the trick! Thanks a bunch

Although it's a bit unreasonable that I had to wait an entire 2 minutes for someone to answer


Kidding of course! Keep up the great work guys, I love this app