How to start Windows 8 in classic desktop

[Dos_Box]

I got this tip from a magazine we purchased in the US last week, and not having a W8 VM to hand was wondering whether one of you would like to try it out. This little hack is advertised as being able to make W8 boot into the classic desktop rather than Metro.

1. Start Windows Explorer and navigate to your Windows directory
2. Search for 'shows desktop'
3. Copy the shortcut you find to c:\users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Wind ows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
4. Reboot and et voila (hopefully)

If it works please let the rest of us know as I think it would be a very helpful to many of us

[themightymrp]

Just tried it - didn't work Still got the metro screen up first

[Oaktech]

I'm just downloading the consumer preview version. it doesn't work on developer preview.

[themightymrp]

Nor does it work if you place it here:

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp

[themightymrp]

This was Consumer preview

[Oaktech]

This was Consumer preview

dammit

[LeMarchand]

There's a (somewhat long-winded) way to do it here, along with a link to their DP method.

Not tried either as although I have been using the DP myself for a while (must get around to upgrading), I only see the Metro interface infrequently: most often after log on (I press "Desktop", but sometimes don't need to do that as W8 doesn't like my sound controller and asks permission to run it, which drops into desktop) and then if I need to start a program - press the Windows flag, start typing, press Enter. Whilst it will be a PITA if Metro is forced on corporate desktops, I really don't find it that annoying for my own use.

[Dos_Box]

Thanks for trying everyone. It was about the only useful thing in that magazine! We brought 4 between us for the return journey and swapped at JFK airport in New York. Our comments about the ones each of us brought were identical. Trust me, you'll never have a bad word to say about a UK IT magazine ever again.
In fact, one US visitor to the stand told me he gets several UK IT magazines shipped over monthly (mainly programming/developer ones) because the quality of the US ones now is simply appalling. I can see why.

[themightymrp]

Not tried this method yet but seems a bit long winded:

How to Boot to the Desktop & Skip Metro in Windows 8 - How-To Geek

[gshaw]

I'll need to check on my Win8 machine at home but what does it have in the registry here...

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon\Shell

Back in the days of Windows 95 you used to be able to set custom shells by changing that key, I wonder if it now says metro (or something similar) instead of explorer.exe? If it is different then a very quick change would flick it back the other way...

[Oaktech]

I'll need to check on my Win8 machine at home but what does it have in the registry here...

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon\Shell

Back in the days of Windows 95 you used to be able to set custom shells by changing that key, I wonder if it now says metro (or something similar) instead of explorer.exe? If it is different then a very quick change would flick it back the other way...

I can confirm it says explorer, and changing it breaks stuff! My win8 VM now boots to a black screen with a cursor on it!

[Domino]

Thanks for trying everyone. It was about the only useful thing in that magazine! We brought 4 between us for the return journey and swapped at JFK airport in New York. Our comments about the ones each of us brought were identical. Trust me, you'll never have a bad word to say about a UK IT magazine ever again.
In fact, one US visitor to the stand told me he gets several UK IT magazines shipped over monthly (mainly programming/developer ones) because the quality of the US ones now is simply appalling. I can see why.

That's what you get for still reading magazines!

..stop living in the past maaaaan

[sted]

I can confirm it says explorer, and changing it breaks stuff! My win8 VM now boots to a black screen with a cursor on it!

better or worse than metro lol

[Oaktech]

better or worse than metro lol

I can't do anything... so yeah, its only slightly less productive than metro.

[themightymrp]

Can you do Ctrl+Alt+del and start task manager? If so you may be able to launch regedit and put the setting back in