Windows 10 Start Menu - A Working Solution

[Michael]

Hello all,

 

After battling for what seems weeks/months trying to get a redirected Start Menu working, I gave up and instead I'm now using Classic Shell successfully. This took one afternoon to read the notes, make the necessary configurations and test.

 

You can download Classic Shell here. The latest at the time of writing is 4.2.5 and works perfectly on Windows 10240 and 10586 builds.

 

To extract the MSI, run the following from an elevated Command Prompt for 32 or 64 instances:

 

ClassicShellSetup_4_2_5.exe extract32

or

 

ClassicShellSetup_4_2_5.exe extract64

 

Install Classic Shell manually on one domain connected workstation. Then navigate to:

 

C:\Program Files\Classic Shell

and open/extract the contents of the PolicyDefinitions Zip file.

 

Copy/paste this into your Policy Definitions folder on your server, located:

 

C:\Windows\SYSVOL\sysvol\Domain_Name\Policies\PolicyDefinitions

 

Open up Group Policy and you'll see a new option labelled Classic Shell under:

 

User Config > Policies > Admin Templates > Classic Shell

 

Computer Config > Policies > Admin Templates > Classic Shell

 

As a recommendation (in my configuration), I've created two new GPOs - Classic Shell Curric and Classic Shell Admin. As the name suggests, Curric is suitable for Pupils/Teachers and Admin, either Domain Admins and/or MIS Staff.

 

Classic Shell.zip

 

Above I've attached the GPOs I've configured, which you can easily import, then link into your Group Policies. All the GPOs I've configured focus on the user context and not the computer context. It's a Zip file and is 100% free from viruses (I can promise you that)!

 

Most configurations are using the newly imported Classic Shell GPOs. Some settings however cannot be configured by a GPO, so the remainder are done by a GPP regedit to import additional settings. Additional settings for example, included removing the Games option from the Windows 7 Start Menu.

 

To import a GPO, create the GPOs (as per my example above), then under Group Policy Objects, right click Classic Shell Curric (for example), then select Import and follow the on screen prompts. Now link the newly created GPO as required.

 

What to expect?

 

Here's what the Curric Start Menu looks like:

 

 

The Admin Start Menu looks the same, apart from it has Control Panel, PC Settings > Administrative Tools and Run (to name a few)!

[Michael]

Also (I forgot to mention), when Pupils/Teachers right click the Start Menu, they'll see a cut down Classic Shell context menu. When Domain Admins/MIS Staff logon and they right click the Start Menu, they'll see the standard Windows 10 context menu.

 

Hope this helps someone else

[Chuckster]

Thanks @Michael. I will be subscribing to this thread when I get around to testing Windows 10 on our domain.

[Michael]

You're both welcome, happy to help The whole Start Menu issue has been driving me nuts, but pleased to finally have a viable and working alternative.

 

If you still operate Start Menu redirection, (using Folder Redirection), Classic Shell will populate your shortcuts correctly from your distribution share when selecting 'All Programs'.

[timbo343]

Cool, might have to use this rather than the stupid tiles that no one can get to work correctly , plus some users might actually like the classic start menu than the new one.

[Oaktech]

Could somebody please just tell MS to fire their start menu designers and just hire the dude who wrote classic shell?

[cogrady84]

Going to give this a go today, i've spent weeks trying to get the win 10 start layout gpo working correctly, complete waste of time, the philosopy behind edu/ent versions of windows should be to make our lives easier, not harder. Farcical that we should be seeking out 3rd party software to fix such fundamental issues.

[Michael]

Going to give this a go today, i've spent weeks trying to get the win 10 start layout gpo working correctly, complete waste of time, the philosopy behind edu/ent versions of windows should be to make our lives easier, not harder. Farcical that we should be seeking out 3rd party software to fix such fundamental issues.

 

I agree - but at least moving forward, you can use the good bits that Windows 10 offers - faster, better security, and latest components (such as .NET 4.6, out the box), with the added bonus of a functional Start Menu.

 

I guess this is why I also install Google Chrome as standard. As lovely as IE is, it doesn't work with everything. You could argue in 2015 nearly 2016, it should, yet Edge isn't really an improvement as yet.

[Michael]

So how's it all going? I have this deployed and working at multiple schools now

[AJWhite1970]

This is exactly what I have done, Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB with Classic Shell and a redirected start menu (and desktop). Very simple and very clean. We run Classic Shell on Windows 7 as well so by doing it this way we can completely change the base OS and teachers wont even notice. Yes I know the argument is that teachers should be able to cope with a new OS and a new layout, great in theory but in principal...

 

[Michael]

This is exactly what I have done, Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB with Classic Shell and a redirected start menu (and desktop). Very simple and very clean. We run Classic Shell on Windows 7 as well so by doing it this way we can completely change the base OS and teachers wont even notice. Yes I know the argument is that teachers should be able to cope with a new OS and a new layout, great in theory but in principal...

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]33890[/ATTACH]

 

That's cool, but how come you went with the Ultra Classic Start Menu (Windows 95/98/ME/2000), rather than the not so old/classic Windows 7 Start Menu?

[AJWhite1970]

That's cool, but how come you went with the Ultra Classic Start Menu (Windows 95/98/ME/2000), rather than the not so old/classic Windows 7 Start Menu?

 

For the simple reason that our Windows 7 PC's also use the ultra classic start menu as it's so much cleaner and there is less "fancy bits" to have to manage and remove.

[SHimmer45]

quite why microsoft dont give you these options for education / enterprise is frankly a joke, all the unification of GUI for all devices just does fit well.

[Michael]

quite why microsoft dont give you these options for education / enterprise is frankly a joke, all the unification of GUI for all devices just does fit well.

 

I suppose Microsoft did reintroduce the Start Menu to Windows 10, since removing it from Windows 8. Funny things happen, but I guess someone at Microsoft will eventually wake up and realise the XML Start Menu isn't as flexible and manageable as it should be, yet Classic Shell itself also uses XML, so it shows what can be achieved

[Scottyboy99]

Well, I know what i'll be doing on Monday... Thanks for posting

[robjduk]

Well, I know what i'll be doing on Monday... Thanks for posting

Couldnt wait to get this going and am sitting here, 10pm Saturday night getting it going. Just got to stop the first run prompt and I am good to go! So happy.

[Michael]

Couldnt wait to get this going and am sitting here, 10pm Saturday night getting it going. Just got to stop the first run prompt and I am good to go! So happy.

 

If the GPOs are in place first and you specify a set menu type (as I have), it shouldn't prompt the end user to select a Start Menu type.

 

The GPO you're looking for is located in -

 

User Config > Policies > Admin Templates > Classic Shell > Classic Start Menu - Menu Style

[Scottyboy99]

Testing so far has proved very successful!

 

Changed the GPO to assign student's photo as user picture: \\server\share\%username%.jpg

 

Nice.

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

Testing so far has proved very successful!

 

Changed the GPO to assign student's photo as user picture: \\server\share\%username%.jpg

 

Nice.

[Michael]

Great stuff! Just goes to show what you can achieve so easily using Classic Shell.

 

I hope Microsoft are reading this!

[Scottyboy99]

Only problem I have at the moment is some of the GPO settings are not applying.. for instance i've set Control Panel to not be displayed but it isn't budging..

[Michael]

Only problem I have at the moment is some of the GPO settings are not applying.. for instance i've set Control Panel to not be displayed but it isn't budging..

 

Are you using the GPOs I've posted or creating your own?

 

If you're wanting to use the Windows 7 Shell, the Control Panel GPO doesn't work, as it only applies to the Ultra Classic Start Menu. To modify the Windows 7 Shell, you can use a GPP regedit as I have. This is included in the file I've uploaded.

[Scottyboy99]

Are you using the GPOs I've posted or creating your own?

 

If you're wanting to use the Windows 7 Shell, the Control Panel GPO doesn't work, as it only applies to the Ultra Classic Start Menu. To modify the Windows 7 Shell, you can use a GPP regedit as I have. This is included in the file I've uploaded.

 

I started off with the one you posted, now i'm creating my own.. Logged on locally and set up the start menu settings and exported the registry keys. Converted them to XML and imported into the GPO. Going to test shortly

 

Cheers

[Scottyboy99]

Restarted the PC and it updated itself, and killed the classic start menu software..

 

Argh... all part of the testing process I suppose :-(

[Michael]

Restarted the PC and it updated itself, and killed the classic start menu software..

 

Argh... all part of the testing process I suppose :-(

 

Indeed - I did spend plenty of time testing before installing and deploying into a live network.

[Scottyboy99]

Indeed - I did spend plenty of time testing before installing and deploying into a live network.

 

Working well here now.. can I ask how you removed the Cortana/Search bar from the taskbar for end-users?

 

Cheers,