(Various) Ways to get back the Start Menu/Button in Win8. . .

The following may be of interest to people who either prefer to or have to use the Desktop UI (not the new Metro or Modern UI) in Windows 8 for their work or play whatever the reason, a growing list can be foundhere on the MSFN Forum:

And presently, as of Nov. 17, 2012, 6:49 PM AST time, for those who'd prefer to have a quick look, the list contains the following:

Tihiy's Windows 7 Explorer for Windows 8

Tihiy's StartIsBack (implements the original Windows 7 Start Menu on Win8)

Classic Shell

Classic Shell skin featuring Windows 7-look Start Menu

Boot directly to desktop

Hack Windows 8 Metro

How to boot to the desktop in Windows 8

Skip Metro Suite

Start8 (now providing a Windows 7-style Start Menu)

Spesoft Windows 8 Start Menu

Start Menu X related toStart Menu 7 (page providing additional information)

Start Button 8 (designed to work with Start Menu X)

ViStart andViStart 8

Start Buttons (designed to work with ViStart)

Power8

Win8StartButton (new link available in English and German)

IObit StartMenu8

Win+X Menu Editor (not exactly a Start Menu, but can be used to easily add functionality to the right-click "Power User" menu)

Win8 Charms Gesture + Start to Desktop (bypasses Metro Start Screen, adjusts mouse action for Charms)

Wentutu Start Menu (pin frequently used programs to Start Menu boot directly to Desktop) -- but seebug report in this thread

Pokki Menu (boot straight to the Desktop and disable the hot corners)

Bypass Modern UI boots natively to the Desktop without pausing on the Start Screen

BringBack (the Windows Start Menu) by Revel (but see the advisoryhere in item 6)

RetroUI provides a Metrofied Start Menu and can bypass the Metro Start Screen, but also provides a Start Button and a taskbar for the Metro screen and allows for running Windows Store apps in a Desktop window

ExtremeTech has published a method using the Task Scheduler to automatically bypass the Metro screen and go to the Desktop upon boot

StartMenuPlus8 features extensive customization choices, including a "Recent Items" button

Boot to Desktop for Windows 8 andStart for Windows 8, both by tech author Steve Sinchak, can work together for a complete button+menu solution (although the menu is Metro-based)

HP Quick Start -- a major PC maker gets in the act of reviving the Start Menu

8StartButton (in free and paid versions)

StartOnDesktop bypasses the Windows 8 Start Screen

Viva Start Menu (includes a custom Start Button)

Will Microsoft return the Start Button/Start Menu to the Windows 8 Desktop UI. . . I wonder.

regards,

Laurence

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