Print

[Error: Unknown]

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

by EverestUltimate

     There has been much backlash about Windows 7 beta and the complete lack of a "Classic" Start Menu.  In just about every single forum or blog about Windows 7, there is one topic that is a much debated one, and has frequently resulted in flaming wars.  On the one hand, you have users who are very happy with the new style start menu, boasting the "search" ability, and not having a huge pop-out of a directory tree, and in their eyes, making it "better".  Most of this is due to people who would rather type (yes, type...) in the "search.." panel to find their programs.  Some others also approve of the "all programs" being listed in the size constrained panel on the left in the start menu.  Sure, that is fine and all for some (and obviously ideal for "touch" monitors), but to some, this size constrained panel/search is far less efficient.  I am one of those such people that find the current forced method to be more time consuming, and more wear-and-tear on the peripheral device known as the mouse/track-ball.  More clicks, and far more mouse scrolling than is needed, on top of the amount of time wasted scrolling through the list.
     Because of these more time consuming and added peripheral abuse "changes", many people have stuck with the classic start menu since the new start menu was introduced back with XP SP0.  It is familiar, you see ALL the items in your list at once, and is far quicker to spot an item than having to scroll through the size constrained panel list.  Because there are just as many people that want to keep "classic" start menu, MS should put it in when Win7 is RTM.  However, Microsoft and it's primary developers and coders feel that you should not have the choice of the old way, forcing the new way onto users.  Microsoft's retort to people who wish to keep classic start menu is

"Upgrade to Vista if you are XP, or stay on Vista if you already are and forget Windows 7"

or

"We're not forcing anything on anyone. Feel free to stick to your existing Windows XP. We're not going to prevent you from using it. Similarly, you can move to another platform."

     What is the reasoning behind such a statement?  Well, Microsoft claims that the old "shell" that allowed the "classic start menu" is not coded into Windows 7, so the option for classic does not exist.  These claims come from MSFN, and also has been stated far to many times in the forums deep inside Microsoft that are not available to the general public. 

That's because classic start menu does not exist in Win7, at all. You can't force it if it doesn't exist.  All the old Win9x-era start menu and shell code is finally gone.  Look, eventually you have to either manage two codebases for two different start menu and shells, or you cut ties with one. Windows 7 cut the ties, as Vista did with the program manager from Win3.x. I know that Microsoft will not make some people happy with the removal of classic, but the decision was made that the superbar and searchable menu is the new "classic" going forward.
     -Cluberti

     But, you know what?  All that is not true.  You can indeed get back the classic start menu style.. sort of.  You see, even though the dev's for Windows 7 claim that the old style pop-out menu system does not exist in Windows 7, it is actually still there. And, you can get your "programs" to tree out like good old classic style from the start menu.  This leads me to believe that Windows 7 will indeed include the "classic" start menu. I could be wrong. Only RTM will say for sure if it there or if MS is going to do to PC user's what the Nazi's did to anyone Jewish... Force them into something they do not like.  No choice, no freedom.
     Now, I imagine there are many of you out there reading this news article and thinking or even saying aloud: "How!?!? I must know!!"  Today is your lucky day.  This is how you get to have some sort of classic start menu.

1: Right-Click on the task bar, choose "properties", then choose "Start Menu" from the available tabs up top.


2: Click the "Customize..." button, a new window will popup, navigate down to "Documents" and select "Display as a menu", then click "ok" then on previous windows click "Apply" then "OK".


3: Now, click the "Orb" Start button, and on the right hand side you will see the Documents choice with a side arrow now, with My Documents and Public Documents available as popouts.  Almost there!


4: Right-Click "Documents" and choose "Properties".  Now you will see "Library locations:"  Followed by the two default choices: "My Documents" and "Public Documents", with "My Documents" having a check mark next to it.  These can be left as-is. If you prefer to have them, skip to step 5, if not, simply select the item(s) you do not wish, and select "Remove".


5: In this panel, click "Include a folder..." and a navigation window will pop-up. On the left via "computer" Navigate to "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\" and select "programs" folder and click the "Include Folder" button. You will now see it in the list in the "Document Properties>Library locations:"


6: Now you will see the old style of XP/Vista "classic" as far as a real directory tree.


7: This step is optional:  Click Start/Orb, right-click "Documents" and choose "rename" and rename it to what ever you prefer, I choose "Programs"


And there you have it, classic start menu... sort of...  Now, to get rid of that stupid empty white panel to the left..  so I get this instead:


As you can see by the steps above, and the resulting look, I think it is a safe bet that the "classic" start menu will be in the RTM version of Windows 7 and that only the Beta and RC are only neutered by Microsoft to, as usual, force their idea of what things should look and feel like.
Enjoy.

EverestUltimate of Win7Vista.com
     

[Demon]

  But too drawn out for my tastes.

[djs]

Than you very much everestultimate for the Classic Start Menu options.
That has solved my one big hate of Windows 7.

Also how did you get rid of the left white pane ?

[unawave]

5: In this panel, click "Include a folder..." and a navigation window will pop-up. On the left via "computer" Navigate to "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\" and select "programs" folder

But then are missing some links:
Programme:
Internet Explorer
Windows Media Player

Accessories:
Run as
Command prompt
Windows Explorer

Because this links reside in
C:\User\[Name]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Startmenu\Programs

Other method:

• Right mouse click on taskbar -> symbol bar -> new symbol bar
• Point to: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Startmenu\Programs
• Right mouse click on taskbar -> unlock taskbar
• Right mouse click in taskbar on dotted delimiter -> disable "Show text" and disable "Show title", enable "Big symbols"
• Right mouse click in taskbar on dotted delimiter -> Open folder
• Choose a link and change icon; e.g. change "Send feedback" link into green symbol out of c:\windows\ehome\ehres.dll
• Drag dotted delimiter to the left till changed icon appears
• Drag changed icon to the most left position
• Drag dotted delimiter to the right till only one icon remains
• Drag left dotted delimiter beside the start button to the right site till new symbol bar suddenly jumps to the left
• Drag dotted delimiter to the left till only one icon remains
• Right mouse click on taskbar -> lock taskbar

Open Windows Explorer.
Move all links and folders from:
C:\User\[Name]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Startmenu\Programs
to:
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Startmeni\Programs
(Because first folder includes the "User menu" links while second folder includes "All user menu" links)

See here:

Code: [Select]

http://www.unawave.de/windows-7/win7-classic-menue.html... (German)

[grdh20]

Thanks for this effort.  I don't see why people get irritated if you prefer the classic start menu.  I wouldn't mind the new one as much if you could simply resize it when in all programs so to avoid the scroll bars.  What I use in win7 is a very old program called PaneKiller that I have had for years. After quite a bit of customizing in the programs options pane,  it looks and acts just like a XP classic menu right from the SuperBar. It is pretty basic looking, but you can skin and make it transparent etc.  You can decide what to show or not show.  If you want to check it out google Panekiller.

[DanielRemains]

grdh20, I tried to run that PaneKiller program on Windows 7 and it just can't install.. I even tried in compability mode with all OSes and it always failed..

[grdh20]

Worked for me as a straight up regular install even on 64bit win 7. See a PM I sent you.

[DanielRemains]

lol Windows 7 said the program didn't installed succesfully and I forgot to check if it had installed.. When I clicked on the notification area I saw it was working lol

[ChazzMatt]

or do it this way!



See classic menu is back.  You use two free apps: CSMenu and StartKiller. Links at bottom of post but read the explanation first.


===============

Code: [Select]

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/2227/get-the-classic-start-menu-in-windows-7/

Get the Classic Start Menu in Windows 7

Like the new Start Menu in Windows 7, but wish that you could have the Classic Menu too?  Now you can have both with CSMenu.

Note: CSMenu comes in exe install file and portable versions.

CSMenu – Befor & After


Here is a quick look at the default Start Menu in our Windows 7 example. Time to get that Classic Menu!

 

Double click the CSMenu exe file to get things started. The install process for CSMenu is quick and straightforward.

After finishing the installation, you will see a message window that will say that CSMenu is going to index your Start Menu. While it is indexing, you will see the following window showing the progress of the indexing process.



Once it has finished indexing, you will need to log off and then log back into your User Account.



After logging back in, go into the Start Menu to locate the CSMenu folder.

Right click on the “Show CSMenu” shortcut and select “Pin to Taskbar”. Once you do that, there is your new Classic Menu Start Button right next to the original one (you made need to move it to the left in your taskbar). (You will have TWO Start Buttons.  We'll take care of this in the next step.)

Notice that the CSMenu Start Menu button is slightly smaller than the original.



An expanded view of the new Classic Menu in our Windows 7 example.


(classic fly-out menu is back.  You can see everything at one glance)

NEXT STEP:  Hiding the Original Windows 7 Start Button

If you decide that you only want to have your new Classic Menu Start Button display (instead of two "Start" buttons), you can hide the original with a nice little program called Start Killer.

Run the Start Killer exe file and let the program automatically start after the installation is finished. Just one start button to deal with now (nice!).





NOTE: To make certain that Start Killer runs every time you start Windows, right click on the taskbar icon and select “Settings”. Make certain that “Load on system startup” is selected.



A quick check on startup programs using CCleaner shows the everything is set to have nothing but Classic Menu goodness each time you start Windows 7.



Have fun with your new Classic Start Menu!



LINKS

Code: [Select]

http://windows7forums.com/windows-7-desktop-customization/5369-windows-7-classic-start-menu.html

Code: [Select]

http://www.tordex.com/startkiller/

==============

Edit by Staff. Read the rules - Code links please.

Sure, very sorry --ChazzMatt

[Bodrumdiver]

Thank you very very much. SUPEERRR...

[teddyoreo]

I think Rocketdock solves a lot of trouble in launching any of your apps without so much use of the mouse or typing the progs name.

[optivest]

Thank you for all the info, I like classic better.

[grdh20]

or do it this way!
ry sorry --ChazzMatt

But this way right click context menu does not work.

[Nazagoth]

Thanks for all the info and apps, gonna do this on my sister's pc

[midgo]

Than you very much everestultimate for the Classic Start Menu options.
That has solved my one big hate of Windows 7.

Also how did you get rid of the left white pane ?

Has anyone been able to remove the left white pane that is mentioned in the above post?

Any help appreciated:)

• Powered by SMF 2.0 RC1.2 | SMF © 2006–2009, Simple Machines LLC
• RSS
• WAP2

Blueace design by Crip, customized by: Mizta Insane & HellBlaze

Disclaimer: We do not host any files on our server and we are not responsible for what users post
Win7Vista is in compliance with 17 U.S.C. 512 and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act ("DMCA")

Terms of Use and Disclaimer