Arthur Posted December 4, 2017 Posted December 4, 2017 Source: Classic Shell Forum (3rd December 2017) Sad news, everyone. After months of deliberation, I have decided to stop the development of Classic Shell. It was a great adventure for me that lasted 8 fun and exciting years. It started back in 2009 as a simple weekend project and over time grew to be a hugely popular software brand with many millions of downloads. It was in large part due to all of you, the active Classic Shell community, that reported issues, suggested features, provided translations, developed new skins and participated in forum discussions. My thanks go to you for your continued support and encouragement. And of course, special thanks to Gaurav Kale, who stuck with me from the early days to the end. His passion for all things Windows was instrumental to the Classic Shell success. There were few factors that led to my decision: Lack of free time. I have other hobbies that demand my time, some related to software and some not. It requires a lot of effort to add new major features to Classic Shell and keep it relevant. Even keeping it running on newer version of Windows is a lot of work. That leads me to point #2 Windows 10 is being updated way too frequently (twice a year) and each new version changes something that breaks Classic Shell. Each new version of Windows moves further away from the classic Win32 programming model, which allowed room for a lot of tinkering. The new ways things are done make it very difficult to achieve the same customizations So, moving forward, I am making the latest version of Classic Shell open-source and adding it back to SourceForge (https://sourceforge.net/projects/classicshell/), where it all began. I encourage other people to fork it and go with it. I will keep the MediaFire download mirror for another 6 months. The forum on http://www.classicshell.net/forum/ will stay open until the end of 2018, however I will not frequently participate in the discussions.
kennysarmy Posted December 4, 2017 Posted December 4, 2017 Nooooooo!!!! Was always the risk.... Glad we did n't carry on with it...but then we did find it quite buggy.
Michael Posted December 4, 2017 Posted December 4, 2017 It's a sad day, but there are alternatives and of course Microsoft have fixed 'some' issues with the Start Menu in latter versions of Windows 10.
Sheridan Posted December 4, 2017 Posted December 4, 2017 It's a sad day, but there are alternatives and of course Microsoft have fixed 'some' issues with the Start Menu in latter versions of Windows 10. I started trying the XML start menu again with 1703 - same old problems for me, some icons appear, others don't Plus the crap you can't get rid of on the start menu like Xbox, Alarms and Clock etc that CSM dealt with so well.
Michael Posted December 4, 2017 Posted December 4, 2017 As mentioned in previous discussions, I now deploy LTSB (1607) and these kind of issues simply do not exist. The only issue I've had to write a workaround for was picture associations working with Windows Photo Viewer; everything else works as expected. I also deploy a file associations file for Acrobat Reader DC, Internet Explorer and (as above) for the most common picture file formats and all works as expected without the bloat. It's good practice anyway to deploy this type of file regardless of Windows 10 flavour.
Sheridan Posted December 4, 2017 Posted December 4, 2017 Looks like I'll have to give our users a crappy W10 layout then. I've tried this so many times in the past and come to the conclusion that you can't add shortcuts to folders on the start layout, nor can you remove the default apps (xbox,calendar etc) apps from the Start menu whether its redirected or not. I wouldn't mind having the empty start tiles, but its the rubbish it adds in that I can't remove.
Arthur Posted December 4, 2017 Author Posted December 4, 2017 I started trying the XML start menu again with 1703 - same old problems for me, some icons appear, others don't The Start menu works fine for me in 1703. I think the key to getting it working reliably is not to use roaming/mandatory profiles or redirect the Start Menu using folder redirection. Plus the crap you can't get rid of on the start menu like Xbox, Alarms and Clock etc that CSM dealt with so well. Remove them from the .wim before or during deployment.
Sheridan Posted December 4, 2017 Posted December 4, 2017 The Start menu works fine for me in 1703. I think the key to getting it working reliably is not to use roaming/mandatory profiles or redirect the Start Menu using folder redirection. Remove them from the .wim before or during deployment. We still use Start Menu and Desktop redirection and that seems to work - but as we use WDS whats the best way to remove the apps? Problem is all of the W10's we've installed using CSM as it worked fine - would need re-imaging again.
Michael Posted December 4, 2017 Posted December 4, 2017 The only issue with not using roaming profiles, is the likes of users who hot-desk and who use cookies to save passwords, or custom printer settings (rather than a centrally managed solution, with no driver configuration). For this you do need roaming profiles.
XiJ Posted December 4, 2017 Posted December 4, 2017 Used it in win 8 and 2012. But in win10 / 2016 I don’t find the need. Brilliant software and massively helpful though. Good on the author to open source
sted Posted December 4, 2017 Posted December 4, 2017 (edited) We still use Start Menu and Desktop redirection and that seems to work - but as we use WDS whats the best way to remove the apps? Problem is all of the W10's we've installed using CSM as it worked fine - would need re-imaging again. script at install time/1st startup BUT if you have roaming profiles/app data they may appear anyway if the profile knows say xbox exists heres mine for 1709 Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.GetHelp_10.1706.1811.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.Getstarted_5.11.1641.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.Messaging_2017.815.2052.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.MicrosoftOfficeHub_2017.715.118.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.MicrosoftSolitaireCollection_3.17.8162.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.Office.OneNote_2015.8366.57611.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.OneConnect_3.1708.2224.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.People_2017.823.2207.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.SkypeApp_11.18.596.0_neutral_~_kzf8qxf38zg5c Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_2015.8241.41275.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.WindowsFeedbackHub_1.1705.2121.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.Xbox.TCUI_1.8.24001.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.XboxApp_31.32.16002.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.XboxGameOverlay_1.20.25002.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.XboxIdentityProvider_2017.605.1240.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.XboxSpeechToTextOverlay_1.17.29001.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.ZuneMusic_2019.17063.24021.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.ZuneVideo_2019.17063.24021.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwepause Edited December 4, 2017 by sted 1
Sheridan Posted December 4, 2017 Posted December 4, 2017 script at install time/1st startup BUT if you have roaming profiles/app data they may appear anyway if the profile knows say xbox exists heres mine for 1709 Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.GetHelp_10.1706.1811.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.Getstarted_5.11.1641.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.Messaging_2017.815.2052.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.MicrosoftOfficeHub_2017.715.118.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.MicrosoftSolitaireCollection_3.17.8162.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.Office.OneNote_2015.8366.57611.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.OneConnect_3.1708.2224.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.People_2017.823.2207.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.SkypeApp_11.18.596.0_neutral_~_kzf8qxf38zg5c Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_2015.8241.41275.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.WindowsFeedbackHub_1.1705.2121.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.Xbox.TCUI_1.8.24001.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.XboxApp_31.32.16002.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.XboxGameOverlay_1.20.25002.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.XboxIdentityProvider_2017.605.1240.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.XboxSpeechToTextOverlay_1.17.29001.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.ZuneMusic_2019.17063.24021.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe Dism /online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.ZuneVideo_2019.17063.24021.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwepause I think that's the ways I'll deal with it on our current builds - of course the app names change every build which doesn't help!
sted Posted December 4, 2017 Posted December 4, 2017 I think that's the ways I'll deal with it on our current builds - of course the app names change every build which doesn't help! true but they also add and remove some as well so you may as well assume you need to do this every 6 months or so for what its worth heres how i find em after installing w10 to a test vm Get-AppXProvisionedPackage -Online | Select PackageName >c:\appx.txt
Sheridan Posted December 4, 2017 Posted December 4, 2017 I'm guessing the GetHelp one isn't an appx package, as that doesn't appear and I can't remove it!
sted Posted December 4, 2017 Posted December 4, 2017 I'm guessing the GetHelp one isn't an appx package, as that doesn't appear and I can't remove it! i dont think so i think i did manage to remove it one but decided its was more work that it was worth
sparkeh Posted December 4, 2017 Posted December 4, 2017 (edited) The native start menu has worked flawlessly for us in 1703 http://www.edugeek.net/forums/windows-10/187278-successfully-deploying-start-menus-windows-10-v1703.html The missing tile problem was solved for us by using the DesktopApplicationID attribute in the xml. Edited December 4, 2017 by sparkeh
Sheridan Posted December 4, 2017 Posted December 4, 2017 The native start menu has worked flawlessly for us in 1703 http://www.edugeek.net/forums/windows-10/187278-successfully-deploying-start-menus-windows-10-v1703.html The missing tile problem was solved for us by using the DesktopApplicationID attribute in the xml. I gave that a go for a couple of tiles that pointed to mapped drives, but they still didn't appear. I've just got Office on there now, the whole tile thing has been a farce so as long as I can keep it like this it will do.
mulderite Posted December 5, 2017 Posted December 5, 2017 I for one am glad to see the back of Classic Shell. I tried it with various versions of Windows 10 and kept experiencing sporadic freezing & crashing of the Taskbar/File Explorer. Since taking the time to ditch CS and get the .xml method working with redirected Start Menus I've not had a single issue on any of our test machines - so it was DEFINITELY CS that was the cause before.
Sheridan Posted December 5, 2017 Posted December 5, 2017 We did suspect CS initially but we had the same explorer hangs on non CS machines as well. Don’t forget that the start menu hanging goes way back to the first version of 10, which is one of the reasons we held back for a good while as MS rushed it out unfinished.
mulderite Posted December 5, 2017 Posted December 5, 2017 Very true, but I can only report my own findings and for us and our config we've not had any issues since ditching CS (touch wood) - and that's been nearly six weeks ago now. Before we had freezing & crashing daily - perhaps two or three times a day sometimes. I would recommend to anyone using CS to broom it fast! I wish you the best of luck in getting your own issues sorted.
Sheridan Posted December 5, 2017 Posted December 5, 2017 Very true, but I can only report my own findings and for us and our config we've not had any issues since ditching CS (touch wood) - and that's been nearly six weeks ago now. Before we had freezing & crashing daily - perhaps two or three times a day sometimes. I would recommend to anyone using CS to broom it fast! I wish you the best of luck in getting your own issues sorted. It looks like we'll have to bite the bullet and remove CSM in the next build. Shame as despite all the pro/con arguments for whether we should use it or not, it was a superbly supported bit of software and the admx templates were a lesson to MS in how to provide configuration tools to admins!
JollyRogerr Posted December 8, 2017 Posted December 8, 2017 That's kinda sad, I've been using the classic shell with every Windows starting from Windows 8. I hope we will get to see new versions/branches with the source code released. Regards, Mark
Arthur Posted July 8, 2018 Author Posted July 8, 2018 (edited) The first pre-release version of Classic Start (a fork of Classic Shell) is downloadable from the link below. https://github.com/passionate-coder/Classic-Start Edited July 8, 2018 by Arthur 2
Blue_Cookeh Posted July 8, 2018 Posted July 8, 2018 Are people really still clinging to this old style? The start menu isn't coming back! 1
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