Dos_Box Posted July 2, 2012 Posted July 2, 2012 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. Start Windows Explorer and navigate to your Windows directory Search for 'shows desktop' Copy the shortcut you find to c:\users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup 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 Posted July 2, 2012 Posted July 2, 2012 Just tried it - didn't work Still got the metro screen up first
Oaktech Posted July 2, 2012 Posted July 2, 2012 I'm just downloading the consumer preview version. it doesn't work on developer preview.
themightymrp Posted July 2, 2012 Posted July 2, 2012 Nor does it work if you place it here: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp
LeMarchand Posted July 2, 2012 Posted July 2, 2012 (edited) 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. Edited July 2, 2012 by LeMarchand Forgot to close bracket
Dos_Box Posted July 2, 2012 Author Posted July 2, 2012 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 Posted July 2, 2012 Posted July 2, 2012 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 Posted July 2, 2012 Posted July 2, 2012 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 Posted July 5, 2012 Posted July 5, 2012 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 Posted July 5, 2012 Posted July 5, 2012 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 Posted July 5, 2012 Posted July 5, 2012 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 Posted July 5, 2012 Posted July 5, 2012 better or worse than metro lol I can't do anything... so yeah, its only slightly less productive than metro.
themightymrp Posted July 5, 2012 Posted July 5, 2012 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
Oaktech Posted July 5, 2012 Posted July 5, 2012 (edited) 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 Dunno, give me a minute... Yes... I'm trying something else. The something else doesn't work. I'm returning to original... Ok... I've installed this: http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/ and reset the exlorer.exe in regedit, I now get a flash of metro and then my desktop looks like windows 7. Edited July 5, 2012 by Oaktech
Oaktech Posted July 5, 2012 Posted July 5, 2012 my desktop now looks like this... which i can live with.
X-13 Posted July 5, 2012 Posted July 5, 2012 my desktop now looks like this... [ATTACH=CONFIG]14521[/ATTACH] which i can live with. Eww. I'm waiting for Windows 9. Or a nice Linux distro, that things work with.
Oaktech Posted July 5, 2012 Posted July 5, 2012 Eww. I'm waiting for Windows 9. Or a nice Linux distro, that things work with. Whats wrong with that? It looks like win 7? (or is that part of the problem)
X-13 Posted July 5, 2012 Posted July 5, 2012 Whats wrong with that? It looks like win 7? (or is that part of the problem) It sort of looks like Win7... but like a twisted imitation. It's that start button, it looks like the inbred lovechild of XP and 7. I, personally, prefer my desktop to look clean. But, the real reason I'm waiting or switching is due to the fact this needs [or looks like it needs] quite a bit of faffing around and external programs just to get the desktop sort of useable.
Oaktech Posted July 5, 2012 Posted July 5, 2012 It sort of looks like Win7... but like a twisted imitation. It's that start button, it looks like the inbred lovechild of XP and 7. I, personally, prefer my desktop to look clean. But, the real reason I'm waiting or switching is due to the fact this needs [or looks like it needs] quite a bit of faffing around and external programs just to get the desktop sort of useable. the start button can be different... this is the classic button, there are round aero style ones. I use it because I'm a luddite/dinosaur and like the win2k start menu experience! It is not a massive faff, we are making a mountain out of it!
X-13 Posted July 5, 2012 Posted July 5, 2012 the start button can be different... this is the classic button, there are round aero style ones. I use it because I'm a luddite/dinosaur and like the win2k start menu experience! It is not a massive faff, we are making a mountain out of it! TBH, it wouldn't actually bother me. I set my taskbar to auto-hide and pop it up with the Windows key. But, IIRC, windows key in 8 just triggers metro. Which I dislike with a passion. [side note, I just touch typed this entire reply... Woo!]
Oaktech Posted July 5, 2012 Posted July 5, 2012 TBH, it wouldn't actually bother me. I set my taskbar to auto-hide and pop it up with the Windows key. But, IIRC, windows key in 8 just triggers metro. Which I dislike with a passion. [side note, I just touch typed this entire reply... Woo!] Classic shell overrides it, start means start! On other notes... Woo.
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