New
#1
Start menu
Besides Start10 by Stardock(my Norton av sees this one as malicious) what other options are there?
I just do not like the win 10 start menu look.
Besides Start10 by Stardock(my Norton av sees this one as malicious) what other options are there?
I just do not like the win 10 start menu look.
Classic Shell Menu (free) was the best choice for many years, and works up to build 1803. Unfortunately development has stopped, and CS s.m. has been found incompatible with insider builds after build 1803.
It's not just a matter of the look- but the functionality. Win 10's menu does not support drag 'n drop to move things around like older style menus (in the left pane). It does not offer access to the underlying folders containing the shortcuts.
If you have folders in the start menu nested more than 3 deep ANY Win 10 style menu or emulation strips the shortcuts from the folders and presents them alphabetically - e.g. you might see
Help
Help
Help
....
where each one belongs to a different program. This is unhelpful.
The sort of start menu you want depends on your needs. If you have a simple, small start menu then
IOBIT Start 8
or similar should do.
You've mentioned Start10.
For a fuller approach with an option of expanding columns across the screen like XP my preference is
Start Menu X
(free + paid - you can get a license for under £5)
This isn't quite as good as Classic Shell s.m. but is near enough and does work in current insider builds.
You can drag the border of each area to make it wider, higher, narrower, smaller.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vh9pYldYhAo
Start Menu X review - YouTube
StartisBack also provides an option for expanding columns across the screen like XP, but I found the search a little delayed but good.
All of these provide a dedicated search box, not mixing web results with program shortcuts like Win 10's, but no tiles.
Last edited by dalchina; 23 Jun 2018 at 12:17.
Thanks - 3 good choices.
Heard about classic shell, but thought it 4.3.3 would still be ok.
it is still ok so far, and it is being worked on by GetHub GitHub - coddec/Classic-Shell: Original code of Classic Shell (v4.3.1), original author Ivo Beltchev there is hope
Until post 1803 insider builds. Not so sure it is being worked on - there's some new project called Start 9 there.
Just retried that and noted there is an option to have columns fly out to the right, XP style. The context menus are also good.
However I found
- there's a noticeable delay to get search results
- it took some 6s for the Apps list to be displayed when hovering over Apps
- if there are more search results than can be displayed, clicking on the section title opens an explorer window and the search is done there.
- couldn't see how to separate shortcuts to folders for documents from the start menu list for programs. (There's an apparently relevant option, but it didn't seem effective- I've probably not understood it)
So I wondered how that compares with your experience of it...
Dalchina, you observations are similar to mine. I have found nothing I like as well as Classic Shell Start Menu, but this was the best for me (StartIsBack). Next was Stardock's Start 10 - and then Start Menu X was my last choice, because of it's appearance not being very customizable. I like not only the menu of Classic Start but the custom things one can do with it. For instance, the different looks per attachments:
Odd thing, I can't see a related process, or any 'Exit' option or way to stop it running.
Bug? Searched for Autoruns, found, rt click and "Run as admin" => error failed to find...
This is OK in Classic Shell s.m.