Desperately seeking the classic start menu in Windows 7
Post date: May 18, 2011 11:25:28 AM
I recently saw this in the archives of the Microsoft TechNet Forums, post date January 2009
I´m very very sad, that Windows 7 has no more classic start menu. If I can kindly ask, does anyone know if there is any tweaks, etc. regarding the Classic Start Menu on Windows 7?
Yes!
Fortunately, there exists a (mostly) Windows volunteer and enthusiast website, Seven Forums, devoted to bug fixing and user-run user support for Windpws 7. And from MS TechNet, there was a link to this Seven Forums #Post 41112 customization of classic start menu,
Being bi - using the best of two worlds
Windows 7 start menu with "last opened programs" and "jump lists" AND
"Classic menu emulation"
"Excuse me for my bad English" [German language-speaker, see his long version at his own *.de website]
Right mouse click on taskbar -> Toolbars -> New toolbar
Point to: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Startmenu\Programs
Right mouse click on taskbar -> unlock taskbar
Right mouse click in taskbar on dotted delimiter -> disable "Show text" and disable "Show title", enable "Big symbols"
Right mouse click in taskbar on dotted delimiter -> Open folder
Choose a link and change icon; e.g. change "Send feedback" link into green symbol out ofc:\windows\ehome\ehres.dll
Drag dotted delimiter to the left till changed icon appears
Drag changed icon to the most left position
Drag dotted delimiter to the right till only one icon remains
Drag left dotted delimiter beside the start button to the right site till new symbol bar suddenly jumps to the left.
Drag dotted delimiter to the left till only one icon remains
Right mouse click on taskbar -> lock taskbar
Open Windows Explorer. Move all links and folders from
C:\User\[Name]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Startmenu\Programs
to
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Startmeni\Programs
Because the first folder includes the "User menu" links while the second folder includes "All user menu" links.
For more details about this "back-modification", see the illustrated step-by-step instructions on the original poster's (German language) website.
From Windows Vista Classic, on a Medien PC in 2008 or early 2009, converto
to Windows 7, now with Classic menu!