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I don't mind seeing the Start Screen once a day, but I know there are more than a few who would prefer to boot straight to the desktop in Windows 8. Greg has described a way to do that without paying for a third-party application. Is this a solution you will consider?
Mark, I'm tied up in an SCCM class this week or I would have already tried it!
Thanks, Greg! It ain't a Start Menu, but it does bypass a screen that I don't anticipate using on a desktop.
Thanks, Greg! It ain't a Start Menu, but it does bypass a screen that I don't anticipate using on a desktop.
I implemented this in mid-November when it was widely covered in tech blogs and now run my system >99% from the desktop using a few easy "tricks". I used four of the five in W7 and have written them across to 8, where they work well.
1. Pin all key program launchers on the taskbar, also Shutdown and Restart buttons. Pin key data files to the program icons
2. Add a new toolbar to the taskbar linking to the desktop, then remove unwanted programs and reorganize it (I use alphabetic) to run all other programs. However, it is then undesirable to save files to the desktop as they clutter the toolbar.
3. Add a Quick Launch toolbar to the taskbar and place all of your apps and management shortcuts on it
4. Launch all of the W7 right pane start button items and more by right clicking the little start window icon at the extreme left of the taskbar, including useful things like launching an administrator command prompt.
5. A few other useful apps like Pure Text install themselves by default in the "hidden notification icons" area of the taskbar as they used to in W7.
With these 5 steps, 8 becomes entirely usable. Every program and function can be launched from the desktop with one or two clicks. Search in a working machine is much better from Explorer than Start, so with this approach there is almost no need to use Start or Charms which seem to offer nothing useful (to me) on a working non-touch notebook.
1. Pin all key program launchers on the taskbar, also Shutdown and Restart buttons. Pin key data files to the program icons
2. Add a new toolbar to the taskbar linking to the desktop, then remove unwanted programs and reorganize it (I use alphabetic) to run all other programs. However, it is then undesirable to save files to the desktop as they clutter the toolbar.
3. Add a Quick Launch toolbar to the taskbar and place all of your apps and management shortcuts on it
4. Launch all of the W7 right pane start button items and more by right clicking the little start window icon at the extreme left of the taskbar, including useful things like launching an administrator command prompt.
5. A few other useful apps like Pure Text install themselves by default in the "hidden notification icons" area of the taskbar as they used to in W7.
With these 5 steps, 8 becomes entirely usable. Every program and function can be launched from the desktop with one or two clicks. Search in a working machine is much better from Explorer than Start, so with this approach there is almost no need to use Start or Charms which seem to offer nothing useful (to me) on a working non-touch notebook.
.......It beggars belief that the humble start menu, a feature which adorned the good old Windows computer since Windows 95 could ever garnish sooo many blog pages, a user navigation feature which has never been copied ..... because, it is the most utterly useless, decrepit, tiresome user interface to grace a computer screen, and the more you use your computer the worse this interface became, do you know how a user interacts with the start menu? - they don't! - 95% of the time people are launching programs from the desktop or opening files from folders (probably on the desktop) - ye know what the metro interface reminds me of - a F%#king desktop -
yes that's right - you can pin your programs there (you won't see a million menus when you want to launch a program).
you can press windows key + D to go to the desktop - you know- when you ever need to.....launch a program I suppose, that's right! you can press Windows key + D for the last 10 years on a windows computer to go to the desktop, cryptic I know, what with the D and the Windows key and all.,...... the keys are like -right next to each other too, you can literally do this anytime you want and WHAM desktop time!!
did you notice how the author open the scheduled tasks manager above? he typed the word scheduled - surely this is a sane way of opening programs, type the first couple of letters, windows 8 displays the matches- open the program.
thankfully now the start menu is finished, all we have to do now is listen to peopling pissing and moaning about a horrible feature they want returned and spewing out on and on about how Windows 7 is better than Windows 8, it's not, Windows 8 IS Windows 7 with many good improvements and an absent start menu that many people have neurosis about
yes that's right - you can pin your programs there (you won't see a million menus when you want to launch a program).
you can press windows key + D to go to the desktop - you know- when you ever need to.....launch a program I suppose, that's right! you can press Windows key + D for the last 10 years on a windows computer to go to the desktop, cryptic I know, what with the D and the Windows key and all.,...... the keys are like -right next to each other too, you can literally do this anytime you want and WHAM desktop time!!
did you notice how the author open the scheduled tasks manager above? he typed the word scheduled - surely this is a sane way of opening programs, type the first couple of letters, windows 8 displays the matches- open the program.
thankfully now the start menu is finished, all we have to do now is listen to peopling pissing and moaning about a horrible feature they want returned and spewing out on and on about how Windows 7 is better than Windows 8, it's not, Windows 8 IS Windows 7 with many good improvements and an absent start menu that many people have neurosis about
Just go to download.com and look up "Classic Shell." It adds a start button back (in a clamshell shape instead of a circle) and boots to the desktop. Free little program that works great, and does all that behind-the-scenes work for you.
While you are on Download.com, You might also take a look at StartW8. I did and found this FREE start button program to work for me. One feature I really like is the way he upgraded Control Panel to have all the controls listed on one menu window.
I was playing with it in a shop. With alt-tab from the tilescreen I got in the desktop.
don't know if this is normal behavior.
don't know if this is normal behavior.
Years ago when I worked at Microsoft all the geeks were lamenting the death of the client server model. The users however where cheering the fact that they didn't have to kow tow to some admin and could control their own digital destiny.
How things have changed. Now microsoft wants to play me too with the smart (stupid) phones and tablets. With typical big corp group think they want to foist a one size fits all OS on all their users. Microsoft wants to jump on the pay for play, passive TV type, cud chewing "viewer". This GUI (graphic user interface) is stupid, vapid and clumsy. It seems to be that it has become a new geek game to twist the head of each one of these new "chickens" that microsoft makes and stitch back the old GUI. That should tell the idiots at MS that people don't want this junkware. Any thing for a buck, lets dance for the gum chewing, mouth breather, honey bo bo types. I think I will take a pass on Win 8 thank you, Win 7 will last long enough for me to move on and train on another OS.
It seems that we are back to the client server model (by any other name), but at least the users can go to Mac X, BSD or Linux to avoid the crapware.
How things have changed. Now microsoft wants to play me too with the smart (stupid) phones and tablets. With typical big corp group think they want to foist a one size fits all OS on all their users. Microsoft wants to jump on the pay for play, passive TV type, cud chewing "viewer". This GUI (graphic user interface) is stupid, vapid and clumsy. It seems to be that it has become a new geek game to twist the head of each one of these new "chickens" that microsoft makes and stitch back the old GUI. That should tell the idiots at MS that people don't want this junkware. Any thing for a buck, lets dance for the gum chewing, mouth breather, honey bo bo types. I think I will take a pass on Win 8 thank you, Win 7 will last long enough for me to move on and train on another OS.
It seems that we are back to the client server model (by any other name), but at least the users can go to Mac X, BSD or Linux to avoid the crapware.
most of what you just said could apply just as easily to Apple/iOS and all their products.
examples please. I have been a Windows user for years. Seems to me to be quite the opposite.
I'm a big fan of Windows 8 and am really enjoying it on my non-touch desktop PC. However, on reflection, I think this is the correct default configuration for a non-touch Windows 8 PC.
unless there's a way to ensure that Windows doesn't revert back to that butt-ugly start screen, we don't care at all about apps-it's not a smart phone, and reinstate the start button to alleviate icon clutter Windows 8 will remain, deservedly, blocked from consideration. We're interested in getting work done in as streamlined way as possible both internally and for our clients. Windows 8 does nothing to help business as presently constrained. And we're betting that MS won't have the wisdom to relent with respect to the features we and many others require. MS will likely do okay with business given the downgrade rights to Open Licenses (that they will trumpet as Win8 sales), but as presented it's largely a business no-go.
Are you aware of the MASSIVE list of other improvements to Windows 8? Its ridiculous to not consider it just because of the start screen/start button.
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/
The link you posted lead me here:
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2012/05/18/creating-the-windows-8-user-experience.aspx
While I still don't know that I like Metro any better after reading it, or whether I think the benefits of W8 are outweighed by the new GUI, now I know what MS was thinking when they developed it.
http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-397765-3723311
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2012/05/18/creating-the-windows-8-user-experience.aspx
While I still don't know that I like Metro any better after reading it, or whether I think the benefits of W8 are outweighed by the new GUI, now I know what MS was thinking when they developed it.
http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-397765-3723311
DId anyone else get the sense that this article was written in a very condescendingly apologetic manner? As in, look we're sorry, but this is the way it is and here is why we feel it is better for you. I suppose it could be interpreted in a number of different ways, but clearly, the author had a distinct distaste for many of the changes having been made recently in the Windows GUI. I cite the "cheesy and dated" reference to Aero for one.
In the past I have sarcastically made many references to what I perceived Microsofts manner of developing their OS. Specifically, I have stated that judging from results, it would appear that they assembled a group of people, -those who after being polled with regard to their previous experience with computers were believed to have virtually none- gave them a specific task to accomplish and then observed their path in trying to complete it and used that as a model to build their next OS. Again, while I made the remarks in a sarcastic manner, this article virtually proves that is exactly what they do. sigh
Moving on over to my Mac, refamiliarizing myself with Linux and leaving Redmond behind. Though not easier to use than Windows 7, I find them far easier to use than Windows 8. As for the capabilities and shortcomings of the different operating systems when compared with each other, one only need observe a user with a familiar understanding of the Unix command line to see how far Windows falls short in a vast universe of possibilities.
In the past I have sarcastically made many references to what I perceived Microsofts manner of developing their OS. Specifically, I have stated that judging from results, it would appear that they assembled a group of people, -those who after being polled with regard to their previous experience with computers were believed to have virtually none- gave them a specific task to accomplish and then observed their path in trying to complete it and used that as a model to build their next OS. Again, while I made the remarks in a sarcastic manner, this article virtually proves that is exactly what they do. sigh
Moving on over to my Mac, refamiliarizing myself with Linux and leaving Redmond behind. Though not easier to use than Windows 7, I find them far easier to use than Windows 8. As for the capabilities and shortcomings of the different operating systems when compared with each other, one only need observe a user with a familiar understanding of the Unix command line to see how far Windows falls short in a vast universe of possibilities.
I too was confused by the 'cheesy' reference to Aero, but I usually disable it on V and W7. I appreciated the honesty that touch in W7 was subordinate to keyboard and mouse, even though I don't use touch and don't anticipate using it anytime soon. What i liked was that it provided something I've been looking for: an explanation for why MS decided Metro was necessary, especially why the didn't make it an 'either / or' interface. I don't agree with some of it, but I didn't expect to. I just wanted to know their reasons.
It's good that other operating systems can meet your requirement. I can't say the same, personally or professionally.
It's good that other operating systems can meet your requirement. I can't say the same, personally or professionally.
There are improvements but nothing that blows my hair back. The reality of typical business computing is that it's not that elaborate and retraining to do the same thing less efficiently just sucks. There's nothing that Win8 offers that is sufficiently compelling to drive an upgrade from Win7 but the UI issue, that they screwed around moving functionality even beyond Win7 and the fact that it's just plain ugly to boot conspires significantly against it. If it suits one's style then go for it but otherwise the rest of us will be busy getting real work done.
I am always amused when I read that one can't get "real work" done on a Windows 8 computer.
I would appreciate a definition of "real work".
I would appreciate a definition of "real work".
...to make the explorer window be minimized, but it isn't possible as far as I can tell.
In the time it takes to click the red "X" to close the explorer window, you could have already just clicked the Desktop tile on the Start Screen. I don't understand why people act like their eyes will bleed if they even briefly see the Start Screen. It's one click away!
Write the following batch file in Notepad and save as CloseExp.bat . Then run the batch file in the task scheduler to follow the "Start Desktop @ Log-In" task. I called the task "Restart Explorer" and ran it with a delay of a few seconds. You will start with a fresh windows 8 desktop.
CloseExp.bat
echo.
TASKKILL /f /im explorer.exe
echo.
echo.
start c:\windows\explorer.exe
echo.
echo.
exit
I also put my most used programs on the taskbar with an added launch bar with folders for utilities, multimedia, games, internet, etc. . Who needs a start button?
The other users on my system do not have access to the administrator password (they could potentially cause real problems). In the Task Scheduler I had to change the setting under the "General" tab: when running the task, use the following user account: from my account to the "Users" account in order for your technique or my addition to work with their log-ins. This seems to have worked quite well with no instabilities or side effects now with multiple log-ins for all of us over the last day and a half.
CloseExp.bat
echo.
TASKKILL /f /im explorer.exe
echo.
echo.
start c:\windows\explorer.exe
echo.
echo.
exit
I also put my most used programs on the taskbar with an added launch bar with folders for utilities, multimedia, games, internet, etc. . Who needs a start button?
The other users on my system do not have access to the administrator password (they could potentially cause real problems). In the Task Scheduler I had to change the setting under the "General" tab: when running the task, use the following user account: from my account to the "Users" account in order for your technique or my addition to work with their log-ins. This seems to have worked quite well with no instabilities or side effects now with multiple log-ins for all of us over the last day and a half.
Using the mentioned Start8 from Stardock is so much easier and I would think more long lived. not only does it remove the "Metro" start screen but used in conjunction with windows own "netplwiz" can remove the need to sign in as well (although you will need to sign in following any sleep or instances where the screen-saver comes into action - so safe there then). As the author states - Microsoft may alter the code in the future to eliminate the Explorer.exe scheduled event but I'm pretty sure that Stardock will keep Start8 up and running in the future!
...a much easier and long lived solution would be to just embrace the Windows 8 Start screen and learn to use it.
I don't know why, but that word always brings up my deflector shields. I can accept 'Accept'.
Just me.
Just me.
...to me, accept connotes to tolerate and that is not what I mean. When I say embrace, I mean to "Embrace," to welcome, to avail oneself of.
Which is exactly what I am working toward at this very moment and those to come. AVAILING myself -and those of whom my influence matters- of Microsoft products.
Would of been easier if Microsoft left the choice between the "Modern" interface and the "Classic" interface to the user like they way they did it for Windows XP.
Prior to Windows 8, there was maybe a half dozen key shortcuts that people knew. Now there is a few dozen [yes you can use the mouse to play around but it ain';t that simple.
On a non-touch screen just give the user the choice.
Prior to Windows 8, there was maybe a half dozen key shortcuts that people knew. Now there is a few dozen [yes you can use the mouse to play around but it ain';t that simple.
On a non-touch screen just give the user the choice.
Accepting the Win8 UI as the only way to use Windows, or at least Windows as conceived by Redmond, is not like accepting things that are truly unavoidable like aging. And frankly acquiescing to something that's distasteful or ridiculous is not a sound mode of operation for a good life, at least without making a strong effort towards change. Easier isn't always a good path to take.
I don't work for Microsoft, Microsoft works for me. I pay them to produce products that help me do my work. So, when their design is inferior and a hindrance, there is no reason I should do things the Redmond way.
The marketplace will decide the issue. If sales are below expectations, there will be enormous pressure within Microsoft to remove, or make optional, all the interface changes that are hurting sales.
The marketplace will decide the issue. If sales are below expectations, there will be enormous pressure within Microsoft to remove, or make optional, all the interface changes that are hurting sales.
But somehow tapping the enter key seems easy to me. /sarcasm
...but this technique is designed for those who can't stand to even SEE the Start screen.
then how will I know where the Enter key is? 
But here's a related dumb question. I have a half-dozen programs in my W7 Startup folder. Is there an equivalent in W8, and what happens if that folder contains classic programs like Outlook or Excel? Does starting them at login shift focus to them on the desktop?
While I'm at it, is it possible to create tiles that point to files, not executables?
But here's a related dumb question. I have a half-dozen programs in my W7 Startup folder. Is there an equivalent in W8, and what happens if that folder contains classic programs like Outlook or Excel? Does starting them at login shift focus to them on the desktop?
While I'm at it, is it possible to create tiles that point to files, not executables?
It's the one under your finger after you used it to complete your password. Press it again
I don't know if you can put Programs in a StartUp folder. I doubt it.
It does not look like you can pin a file as a tile either.
Press it againI don't know if you can put Programs in a StartUp folder. I doubt it.
It does not look like you can pin a file as a tile either.
Ouch. So I'll have to manually start those half a dozen programs that W7 starts for me automatically when I log in, or create scheduled tasks for each of them?
...the Startup folder in Windows 8 seems to be a serious oversight on Microsoft's part. Can't understand that one at all...
However, there is a workaround: Access the Run command ([Windows ]+R) then type Shell:Startup and click OK. This will instantly open the Startup folder into which you can copy shortcuts of those application that you want to have automatically launch when you start Windows 8.
However, there is a workaround: Access the Run command ([Windows ]+R) then type Shell:Startup and click OK. This will instantly open the Startup folder into which you can copy shortcuts of those application that you want to have automatically launch when you start Windows 8.
Greg, I was wondering if the simple windows + R shortcut could not be sent from a scheduled batch file, since it does just this, open the desktop
Anyway, I am so used to key this in that I am not sure I would bother to automate it
Fact is that when I open a session on the desktop sometimes I stay for a while looking at the tiles, the live ones showing traffic alerts, wheather reports, headlines on the news, you know...
Sometimes in 3 or 5 seconds I see something important there. And Win+R key sequence takes less than a second. Maybe I am buying the tiles idea after all
Anyway, I am so used to key this in that I am not sure I would bother to automate it
Fact is that when I open a session on the desktop sometimes I stay for a while looking at the tiles, the live ones showing traffic alerts, wheather reports, headlines on the news, you know...
Sometimes in 3 or 5 seconds I see something important there. And Win+R key sequence takes less than a second. Maybe I am buying the tiles idea after all
...neither batch files, shortcuts, nor minor executables are powerful enough to displace the Start screen. The only thing that I found that was capable of doing so was explorer.exe.
if you store enough on your desktop that this is preferable you still have to minimize the explorer window to see most of it. why is it any harder than to click the desktop tile on the start menu? i pin many items to the taskbar, but some of my shortcuts on the desktop i dont want in the taskbar, so they're on the desktop. most if the users i support have so much crap on their desktop that this is fairly pointless, and trying to get them to change is so much harder than showing/ telling them to simply click the desktop tile...
when we began deploying W7, I made a point of NOT preloading a bunch of desktop shortcuts for users. I explained that I often installed shortcuts people wound up not using, that users were losing time minimizing all their apps to get to the desktop (despite repeated explanations of the 'Show Desktop' feature; users are driven by habit), and that I was tired of people who complained they didn't have a program because they couldn't find a desktop shortcut (like there's a reason to have Acrobat Reader or Visio Viewer on the desktop). I showed them how to pin apps to the Start Menu, accessible with a single click or keystroke; or to the Taskbar; or, if they insisted, to the desktop. Now MS has removed the Start Menu, but most of them opted to create desktop shortcuts anyway; apparently habits die harder than even I thought.
Man, that's a bunch of run-on sentences.
Man, that's a bunch of run-on sentences.
Thank you for the posting this step by step guide to boot straight into the desktop on Windows 8. Why Microsoft did not build an option into to Windows 8, with out such a procedure is beyond me. As smart as Steve Ballmer is, being a Harvard Graduate, does he visit with the average consumer and ask their opinion prior to releasing a new Operating System? The Ipad operating system and a Mac computer has a different desktop, why doesn't Windows 8? The key word here, is giving Microsoft customers a choice on what they want.
Jose F. Medeiros, San Jose, Cal.
MCP+I, Former MCSE and Microsoft Certified Trainer
http://www.linkedin.com/in/josemedeiros
Jose F. Medeiros, San Jose, Cal.
MCP+I, Former MCSE and Microsoft Certified Trainer
http://www.linkedin.com/in/josemedeiros
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