What are you using as a replacement for Classic Shell now?

If you are using a fix to make the start menu in Windows 10 look more like it did in Windows 7, what are you currently using?

Have you chosen a replacement for the Classic Shell addon?

 

Open-Shell (Formerly Classic-Start)

 

I removed all of the Tiles, and the current Win10 start menu gets somewhat closer to being useful. In the start menu settings, I also enabled some of the extra folders on the left side (documents, user folder, etc).

The search/run commands are called just by typing (disable Cortana, though sometimes it still comes up anyways).

Any proper windows run command will invoke the run dialog box anyways, so just use win+R instead.

 

Why? Classic Shell works fine, including the latest spring update of WinX.

 

No it doesn't and often leads to random Explorer.exe Crashes. The latest version of OpenShell is where a new developer took on the project and made it compatible with the latest build of Windows as per the changelog.

 

Mine seems to work perfectly, and I have not seen an Explorer.exe crash at least for the last two months. But, sure, once I see problems I would move on to the Open-Shell that you recommended.

Out of curiosity, are there some specific actions that are known to trigger a crash? Perhaps I'm just not doing it right

 

yes, sometimes installing stuff like the Adobe CC suite 2018 which installs its own file sync component in the background causing an explorer.exe restart, with the old Classic Shell it would crash and I did notice a few crashes here and there. Point is, since there is an update and it is in the changelog that it supports the latest build. I don't see why not use it.

Here's the latest version even though it's in testing still, it's super stable:

Open-Shell v4.4.131

 

I think I have an idea of why my older version of Classic Start has no issues. There is a little known set of additional configuration options for Classic Shell available in the Group Policy Editor (in Administrative Templates). The ones that I found extremely useful are two options to set alternative start menu folder locations (for the global and per-user start menu) for CS. I am using these to have CS rely on its own start menu folders (so that, for example, I don't have to fight Windows to override some of the preconfigured start menu folders). As a consequence I can freely configure what my menu structure looks like, with no interference by Windows or other applications.

Just thought I would share this in case this may be helpful to someone.

 

Start9 by rob55rod/Splitwirez looks pretty promising if anyone's interested. Recent work hasn't been pushed yet.

 

I'm using Start10 from Stardock. I also use their Windowsblinds program to apply a theme to Windows 10. I was willing to pay for a solution to modify windows if I was going to be stuck with a constantly updated Windows 10 software-as-a-service twice a year from Microsoft.

With Windows 10 release schedule (vs. Windows 8 & 8.1) it seemed that the classic shell development schedule might not be able to keep pace with the Redmond Retards (see Phoenix's comments classic shell), and living without a proper start button or desktop themes on Windows 10, for me, for a long period, was a non starter. If I have to live with this OS it will be on my terms. If Open Shell can show that is has its act together, great. I love Free Software. And I'll switch. If not, I have no problems throwing a couple bucks Stardock's way if it makes the Windows 10 experience more tolerable. Life is short.

 

I did nothing but remove the Tiles icons and it looks just like Windows 7. So you don't need those fancy settings to get back to W7 look alike.

How to remove Live Tiles from the Windows 10 Start menu

https://www.pcworld.com/article/305...ive-tiles-from-the-windows-10-start-menu.html

This is the one I close to use....

How to Remove Live Tiles and Get a Smaller Windows 10 Start Menu

https://www.tekrevue.com/tip/small-windows-10-start-menu/

 

Still awful. @Phoenix Can you recognize my old nice picture in the top of start menu? Still in use

 

I am still using my tried and true StartisBack start menu. It is definitely my favorite, and has been since the day I started using it with Windows 8.

 

That link doesn't work, it looks like it's a redirect from passionate coder:

https://appveyorcidata.blob.core.windows.net/passionate-coder-95636/open-shell-menu/4-4-131/20hi7u5fsmas55iv/OpenShellSetup_4_4_131.exe?sv=2015-12-11&sr=c&sig=Om/01qQ3+QhyF3hET8lLGjIrmutq5JdP+XrJw26fOpg=&st=2018-09-08T19:33:21Z&se=2018-09-08T19:39:21Z&sp=r

Here is the Open-Shell github release page + download links:

https://github.com/Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu/releases

ClassicStartSetup_4_4_109:
https://github.com/Open-Shell/Open-...ad/v4.4.109-dev/ClassicStartSetup_4_4_109.exe

Source code(zip)
https://github.com/Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu/archive/v4.4.109-dev.zip

Source code(tar.gz)
https://github.com/Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu/archive/v4.4.109-dev.tar.gz

 

Here's the latest version, they say Beta but are super stable and have a lot of nice improvements:

Latest nightly build

 

Cool.

It looks like MajorGeeks is tracking it too:

Open-Shell (Formerly Classic-Start) 4.4.131
https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/classic_start.html

Author: Passionate Coder
Date: 08/19/2018 01:41 PM
Size: 6.76 MB
License: Open Source
Requires: Win 10 / 8 / 7
Downloads: 33806 times


Download@MajorGeeks
Download@MajorGeeks

Is that your posting there?

 

At least I didn't have to pay to make a simple change to make it work. "awful" is personal perception to one but not to all. I give options that don't cost money or free and still do what they want it to do. I've gotten used to it already and should W10 update all your custom software goes away. How much work does that take into account? So being awful is alot better than spending money to get something that is easy to do. The second link I provided is far quicker to put it under your control faster.