Windows 7 Classic vs. New Start Menu

Good to know, maybe include that information (about it being self contained) to the readme as well as a list of versions it has been tested on and work properly with?

Good suggestion, I've actually managed to try it on Build 7600 now, and it appeared to be working fine. I've updated the first post accordingly!

I've turned on Small Icons on the taskbar which give it the Vista look with the Start button overhang and allow more screen real estate at the bottom. The dynamic themes are a nice touch alongside.

CSMenu now has its own website! Please go to CSMenu Official Siteto download CSMenu and the related documentation.

Thanks,

Thomas.

New start menu

I love it. It's fresh looking, gives option to pin programs to start menu or task menu for easier access. Also allows you to open documents related to programs through the arrow extension, ie, microsoft word, and open the last few documents you were working on. ITS FAB.

My son has vista on his pc and I have xp with classic menu (95 - 2000).

My problem is that when I tried using his pc I could not navigate nor find how to print a document on his office 2007 word. Also I have a very hard time navigating with vista menu.

Why did they make it so hard to navigate office 2007 and vista? No menus anywhere! I bought win7 home premium and am seriously thinking of not installing it since I cannot understand the logic behind the user interface!

Moving on does not mean making things harder but easier. We are not all geeks nor do we have the time to spend just to find out how to print a document. Also they got rid of outlook express and windows live is horrid. Everything is foggy and not sharp.

I could navigate at great speeds with the classic menu but the new menu has everything hidden!

WHY?????

I do want to use win 7 very much but if I cannot have outlook express and classic menu then I will thow away the new OS!

Damn shame really!

Hi tanzanos. There is this program that I found for you that changes the Office 2007 ribbons back to the classic menu. I know it's difficult getting used to new things but there are a lot of help videos on Microsoft office website. press F1 whilst in micro office and you can click the links there that show videos on how to do whatever. Here is the link for you. Please don't let the changes put you off Windows 7; it's as fast as XP and nice to look at like Vista. You will get the hang of it so hang in there. Here is that link for you. Classic Menu for Office 2007 - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com Let me know how you get on with this. cheers

Sylvia said:

Hi tanzanos. There is this program that I found for you that changes the Office 2007 ribbons back to the classic menu. I know it's difficult getting used to new things but there are a lot of help videos on Microsoft office website. press F1 whilst in micro office and you can click the links there that show videos on how to do whatever. Here is the link for you. Please don't let the changes put you off Windows 7; it's as fast as XP and nice to look at like Vista. You will get the hang of it so hang in there. Here is that link for you. Classic Menu for Office 2007 - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com Let me know how you get on with this. cheers

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Thank you for the info. I also found an application that makes Win7 have a classic start menu. This will alleviate the problems I have with the new way of doing things. I want the power of new technology without the hassles of new market oriented user interfaces!
Again thank you

csmenu

thomasw234 said:

CSMenu v0.9 by Thomas Wormald

CSMenu is a little application which acts like the classic start menu. It's designed for Windows 7, which doesn't have a classic start menu.

To download CSMenu, go to http://www.csmenu.com

I recommend that you pin a link of this program to the taskbar, and use Start Killer (Click here for a link). for a program to remove the original start button.

For any bugs, comments, criticism or suggestions, please post on this thread, and I will do my best to reply.

If you are unsure about installing, here is a brief video guide. If you are confident with it, you can skip past the video, but I recommend that you watch the video.

YouTube - Windows 7 Classic Start Menu v0.9 installation

Thanks, Thomas.

Stats:
Version 0.8 Total Downloads - 941 (released for approx 3 weeks).
Version 0.9 Total Downloads - 35,817 (as of 16/10/2009)

Please note: CSMenu has been tested on Windows 7 RC1 (Build 7100) and Windows 7 RTM (Build 7600), it works fine on both!

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i am very sorry but i can't get to work with win 7 64 i agree with bitdockster

I get an error when trying to view program files or my documents.

I notice on the website it says you don't need to use Start Killer. Does the new version automatically disable the Windows Start menu?

Very nice little program--one of the things that was *majorly* annoying me with the changes they made to Win7 was turning the nice cascading Start Menu from 2k and XP into that cramped little monstrosity obviously designed for a cell phone or PDA.
A few questions, though (I may need to ask more later, as I haven't seen whether CSMenu automatically runs on startup yet. )

1) To get rid of the Documents menu--if I'm understanding things, you delete 2documents.ini and then renumber the rest of the .uni files in the main_menu folder? I don't want to go messing with things and completely screw it up--I'm having enough problems with beating Win7 into submission as it is. :-/
2) What's the method to sort/organize the folders? Just direct editing of the Start Menu folder at the moment? (While I know the author is busy with other projects, a simple cut/paste/delete context menu, and/or basic drag and drop functionality would be *greatly* appreciated...)
3) Along with this--I have a empty folder in the Programs listing named 'Tablet PC', and another under 'Accessories' that actually contains shortcuts. Is that normal for a new Win7 install? And related to #3, how do I go about getting rid of the extra one?

Classic Menu under Favorites

I don't particularly want to replace the Windows 7 Start Menu, at least not with additional commercial software.

Instead, I have successfully used to methods that the new Windows 7 Start Menu supports.

First, the method I decided not to use.
I created a "Classic Menu" folder under /Users/[User-Name] followed by sub-folders for the various menus that I lost in the migration to Windows 7. There, I added my program and file links into my new Favorites sub-folders.
I subsequently pinned the sub-folders to the Windows 7 Start Menu.
Because Windows 7 does not allow pinned folders to behave as menus (at least not that I know of ), these folders open in new windows. I rejected this method only because I didn't like the visual aesthetics of the new window.
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These new "Classic Menu" folders are also available in the Windows 7 Start Menu under my user name on the right side of the Start Menu. Because other stuff - sometimes junk I've allowed to accumulate there - also displays under my User Name on the start menu, this "advantage" wasn't much of an advantage for me.

Second, the method I am using.
Under /Users/[User-Name]/Favorites, I built separate folders for each of my "Classic" menus. I made sure that the Windows 7 Start Menu had been customized to display Favorites. Then, I added my program and file links into my new Favorites sub-folders.
+
This method is one step removed - one additional click - from the convenience of the old Classic Menu, but I am still able to pin programs I use a lot to the Windows 7 Start Menu, and, still have links for recently used programs (up to 15 in my particular customization of the Start Menu) readily to hand.

Now, does anyone know how to make a pinned Start Menu folder behave as a menu?

Start Menue

I'm not happy that I don't have the option to revert to classic if I want to. The new one is hard to see for people with limited vision.

Discouraged with results

Despite of MS agents, truth is truth: new start menu designed in mind just to be DIFFERENT, not useful. Old menu were light in navigation, requiring no damn clicks "forward/back". But what's really annoying is the fact, that MS leave no choice! Like you grabbed for eggs and pushed to "the future from MS". I hate it and still looking for replacement of that ugly "new start menu".

And one more addition: DON'T MIX please (like Sylvia) "additional buns" with main conception of menu. Main conception is wrong, "buns" are OK (like "open documents related to programs").

Yep, classic answer of capitalistic world: instead of changing stuff, better to hide ass and suck.
Strongly speaking, you lie. Nobody could dislike "classic" menu, since there was no any OTHER menu than this. And d@mn, do you still think those 65 people voting for "classic" are wrong? Doubt it. This topic even never appeared if "new" menu were so good as laud by its "micro"-"soft" promouters. (as we say, "there is no smoke without fire")
I vote with only one (small) hope: there is smart people in MS who can stop this IT circus with repainting/breaking current system.

ErichXY said:

Now, does anyone know how to make a pinned Start Menu folder behave as a menu?

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This might work. I can't say for sure since I don't have a folder like the one you described.

Right Click the taskbar.
Mouse over: Toolbars
Click: New Toolbar.
Navigate to your folder.
In the Address Bar click on the name of your folder.

This will put the name of your folder in the little window at the bottom named "Folder"
Click: the "Select Folder" button

This should put a toolbar on the taskbar for your folder.

Now if you want it to sit beside the "Start Menu Orb" you'll need to unlock the taskbar.

Right click the taskbar and click on "Lock the taskbar" to deselect it.
The little sliders will appear. They're the little dotted buttons. Slide it over next to the Start orb. Anything that is in the way will get bumped over to the other side and the contents of your folder will probably spread out across the taskbar. Then slide the other slider on the other side over next to your folder. You should be able to slide stuff around til you get it like you want it then relock the taskbar and it will stay put.

If you don't mind it sitting next to the Notification area don't bother with moving it since it can be a bit of a pain.

Like I said, I'm not sure it will work but it might be worth a try.

Thanks. That's a fine solution for the menus that I use most frequently.

It would still be grand if Microsoft enabled (or allowed me to enable) menu behaviour for folders pinned to the Start Menu. I could easily eat up Taskbar real-estate otherwise. And, that would force the Taskbar into the ugly and unkind scroll behaviour should I open more than a handful of windows.

ErichXY said:

Thanks. That's a fine solution for the menus that I use most frequently.

It would still be grand if Microsoft enabled (or allowed me to enable) menu behaviour for folders pinned to the Start Menu. I could easily eat up Taskbar real-estate otherwise. And, that would force the Taskbar into the ugly and unkind scroll behaviour should I open more than a handful of windows.

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You're welcome. I know what you mean about not wanting to use too much of the taskbar. I unpinned all but 2 of the icons from it. I set up a "computer" toolbar on mine. I have a computer menu that allows me to find almost any file in my computer from the taskbar. The only drawback is it won't show hidden files.