Windows 8 In Pictures: 5 tricks to restore the Windows 8 Start menu

[News]

As everybody knows, the Start button is not included in Windows 8, and Microsoft has vowed not to put it back. If you’d rather not be forced to use the full-screen, tile-based UI, called Modern, here are five alternative programs that install on Windows 8.

Source: Yahoo! News

 

[Drew]

1st of all there IS a Start 'button' in Windows 8. 2ndly, no one is "forced" to use the Start screen & its Tiles. For example, I have a few Tiles I've left on Start and occasionally, rarely use them but, really, I don't use Start to access anything but, do use to Search sometimes. One can have a conventional window on the Taskbar giving access to everything, including what may be Start Tiles, w/out ever leaving Desktop. Point is, all is possible w/out adding any 3rd Party things to put unneeded buttons or menus on top of Windows 8.

Cheers,
Drew

 

[dlorde]

1st of all there IS a Start 'button' in Windows 8. 2ndly, no one is "forced" to use the Start screen & its Tiles. For example, I have a few Tiles I've left on Start and occasionally, rarely use them but, really, I don't use Start to access anything but, do use to Search sometimes. One can have a conventional window on the Taskbar giving access to everything, including what may be Start Tiles, w/out ever leaving Desktop. Point is, all is possible w/out adding any 3rd Party things to put unneeded buttons or menus on top of Windows 8.

Interesting; I'm using Start8 at present, but I'm curious to know how the same thing can be done without 3rd party software.

Can you explain?

 

[Drew]

You use things that are native to the OS:
1. The 'Power Users' menu - Rt Clk Bottom-Left Corner
2. Use the Desktop Toolbar - Rt Clk on Taskbar > Toolbars > Desktop
3. Rt Clk on your desktop > New > Shortcut.
Put this in the 'box' %windir%\explorer.exe shell:::{4234d49b-0245-4df3-b780-3893943456e1}
Name it, Applications
(Now) Open the desktop icon, probably you'll want to remove the nav tree, really no need for it in this case, slect the View & Sort desired and Minimize it to the Taskbar... never close it or will have to be reconfigured from the desktop icon.... it has to be reset from that icon following a reboot.
W/ this you have everything in a familiar window & never have to leave desktop (switch screens, like to WinQ or Start) to access anything

The above is all it takes. Also, use Charms. Open, live, active APPs can be controlled via the APP Bar (Switcher Bar) @ the Top-Left Corner.

Cheers,
Drew

 

[dlorde]

I knew about the Power menu and Charms, but that 'Applications' explorer trick is very clever! I'll definitely be using that.

Thanks Drew, I appreciate the help

 

[Drew]

You're very welcome, glad I was able to be some assistance. Yes, having that window is very easy to like; sure makes going to things, fast, easy, simple & centralized, a time-saver... enjoy Too bad it's not there by default but, I try to tell as many people about it as I can. My clients love it, too. Even, folks I deal with within Microsoft think it pretty cool, too.

Cheers,
Drew