Removing the Desktop from Windows 8?

[CentralDogma]

Well I might purchase one of these upgrade licenses if I can get one of these 40? deals but for now I'm not interested in Windows 8 :) As for the clock, all I did was hiding the normal Windows clock and place a Rainmeter clock set as "Always on Top" in its place^^

Now for the tweak, keep in mind I only tested this in the Release Preview so I have no idea how or if that even still works in the RTM especially since it was already buggy in the RP so you are doing this on your own risk and don't blame me if you Windows stops working, your PC blows up or if you turn into a vampire as a result of this :p

1: Install ResHacker: http://www.angusj.com/resourcehacker/

2: Go to C:\Windows\System32 and take ownership of Imageres.dll

3: Right-click said file and click "Open in Resource Hacker" or something like that

4: In the ResHacker window go into the PNG folder and locate the background you are currently using and extract it to your Desktop (in there are many files depending on your resolution and color so you have to try around a bit till you find the right one)

5: After you found your background use GIMP or any other imaging program to create a empty/transparent .png in exact the same size

6: Replace the original image with your empty image in ResHacker

7: Save the file as imageres.dll on your Desktop!!!

8: Close ResHacker and go to your System32 folder, rename imageres.dll to imageresbackup.dll

9: Copy the imageres.dll from your Desktop to System32

10: Log-off and back on and go to your Desktop and then open the Start-Screen afterwards to see the magic or catastrophe :p

Note: Should anything go horribly wrong in the RTM, open up a CMD with administrative rights somehow (Start-Screen search, Task Manager etc.) and write the following:

1: cd C:\Windows\System32

2: del imageres.dll

3: ren imagesresbackup.dll imageres.dll

4: shutdown.exe -r -t 00

That should restore everything we did if my DOS knowledge didn't get rusty :pinch:

Thanks (Y)

[SkyDX]

WOW!! Now that actually looks useful!

Teehee I like it myself that way so I hope someone finds a way to properly implant it into the RTM along with Aero Glass and a non-fullscreen mode for Metro applications and Win8 would most likely be my perfect OS personally :p

Thanks (Y)

You are welcome :)

[contextfree]

I haven't tried it, but based on my understanding of how immersive windows and the Start screen work in Win8, wouldn't it only show the desktop underneath when you bring it up from the desktop? And if you bring it up while an immersive app is open it'll show that app underneath?

[Brandon Live Veteran]

He said how in his post. He created a transparent .png file for use as the background for the start screen. When doing that the desktop shows through since the start screen is just an overlay.

It doesn't change any functionality. It just makes the background invisible so you can see the desktop through it.

Start is shown over *whatever* you were looking at first. If you don't launch the desktop first, or you had opened Start over an app, you wouldn't see that.

Not true. The desktop is always loaded beneath metro regardless.

No, it absolutely is not.

I haven't tried it, but based on my understanding of how immersive windows and the Start screen work in Win8, wouldn't it only show the desktop underneath when you bring it up from the desktop? And if you bring it up while an immersive app is open it'll show that app underneath?

Correct.

[argonite]

So basically, the image he's seeing underneath is just a snapshot taken of the current activity, used to animate the Start Screen over it.

[SkyDX]

Well it never showed any apps underneath even if I pulled it up from somewhere else and when I had a video running on the desktop it would continue to visibly run in realtime below the start-screen :pinch:

[Calum Veteran]

I had wondered about this since you can't exit the desktop once you go into it. I would also like to know how you did this.

You can exit Desktop after you've opened it; you just drag it down, in the same manner one closes any "Metro" app. When you drag it down, Desktop is closed and it is no longer accessible from the list of running tasks :)

[Brandon Live Veteran]

You can exit Desktop after you've opened it; you just drag it down, in the same manner one closes any "Metro" app. When you drag it down, Desktop is closed and it is no longer accessible from the list of running tasks :)

Note that while this does remove it from the recent apps list, it does not actually unload the desktop (once that's loaded, it sticks around until the next log off). The resource savings of unloading it isn't worthwhile, but the start-up cost of initializing it on log-in was worth eliminating.

Also, I mentioned earlier that the desktop is always loaded on multi-mon machines (because secondary monitors default to showing the desktop).

[Calum Veteran]

Note that while this does remove it from the recent apps list, it does not actually unload the desktop (once that's loaded, it sticks around until the next log off). The resource savings of unloading it isn't worthwhile, but the start-up cost of initializing it on log-in was worth eliminating.

Also, I mentioned earlier that the desktop is always loaded on multi-mon machines (because secondary monitors default to showing the desktop).

Thanks for the clarification. I wondered if it was still running in some form, which is why I was careful to say it is removed from the lists people see (I was specifically thinking of the list that appears down the left hand side). Microsoft's decision regarding not unloading it certainly makes sense to me. I dislike how the Desktop is evident on the second screen, when I use a second monitor (although that's only because I'm going to aim to use the Desktop as less as possible), but I understand why Microsoft have implemented it that way (at least for this release).

[Dashel]

I agree, its absurdly stupid that we can't disable the Desktop 'app' space for n00bs.

I'll bet there is no improved way to mange the 'pinned' items either.

[Saif Iddin]

Well I might purchase one of these upgrade licenses if I can get one of these 40? deals but for now I'm not interested in Windows 8 :) As for the clock, all I did was hiding the normal Windows clock and place a Rainmeter clock set as "Always on Top" in its place^^

Now for the tweak, keep in mind I only tested this in the Release Preview so I have no idea how or if that even still works in the RTM especially since it was already buggy in the RP so you are doing this on your own risk and don't blame me if you Windows stops working, your PC blows up or if you turn into a vampire as a result of this :p

1: Install ResHacker: http://www.angusj.com/resourcehacker/

2: Go to C:\Windows\System32 and take ownership of Imageres.dll

3: Right-click said file and click "Open in Resource Hacker" or something like that

4: In the ResHacker window go into the PNG folder and locate the background you are currently using and extract it to your Desktop (in there are many files depending on your resolution and color so you have to try around a bit till you find the right one)

5: After you found your background use GIMP or any other imaging program to create a empty/transparent .png in exact the same size

6: Replace the original image with your empty image in ResHacker

7: Save the file as imageres.dll on your Desktop!!!

8: Close ResHacker and go to your System32 folder, rename imageres.dll to imageresbackup.dll

9: Copy the imageres.dll from your Desktop to System32

10: Log-off and back on and go to your Desktop and then open the Start-Screen afterwards to see the magic or catastrophe :p

Note: Should anything go horribly wrong in the RTM, open up a CMD with administrative rights somehow (Start-Screen search, Task Manager etc.) and write the following:

1: cd C:\Windows\System32

2: del imageres.dll

3: ren imagesresbackup.dll imageres.dll

4: shutdown.exe -r -t 00

That should restore everything we did if my DOS knowledge didn't get rusty :pinch:

it did not work with me

it say's access Denied

what to do ?

[Michael Scrip]

I'm actually surprised that you CAN'T disable the desktop at this point... I mean, they've essentially reduced the desktop to a relatively un-necessary APP... Which makes it something almost entirely user initiated, like WMP, or other 3rd party apps... In fact, I'm not a fan of the desktop anymore, simply because using the start screen and metro apps, bouncing back and forth between metro and win7 style desktop totally takes away from the metro experience, whether or not I truly like it...

I hardly even have to USE metro.... but I can't get rid of it completely, just the same as I can't get rid of the desktop app. Its really detrimental both to die-hard "desktop" fans and "metro ui" fans as well.

There are rumors that the desktop will be completely gone in a future version of Windows.  Well... I hope it will be a loooong time before the desktop and the ability to run desktop programs goes away.

 

First... there would have to be "Metro" versions of nearly every program... or at least suitable replacements.  Second... you'll have to get everybody to stop relying on traditional desktop program. (of course if desktop programs won't work anymore... they'd be forced to use Metro apps.)

 

I'm still using Windows 7 at the moment. So needless to say... I'm using traditional desktop programs. 

 

And I've never once said:  "I wish I could stop using all this software... and start using completely new Metro apps..."

 

For casual users... they might only need to run a web browser to surf the web.  Metro/non-desktop apps can handle that just fine.  They wouldn't notice the desktop being absent.

 

But I sure would. I use dozens of desktop programs... from full blown applications to tiny little utilities... all the time.

 

I know there are some people who say the Desktop is an outdated archaic relic left over from the old days of computing. 

 

Well I obviously don't agree with that :)

[Shiranui]

I question what those who claim to not need the desktop actually do on their computers.

[notuptome2004]

I question what those who claim to not need the desktop actually do on their computers.

 

 

that is a good question cause i am on windows 8.1 and only use a few  apps  in Modern UI  but do use it to launch  other stuff  but still use the desktop allot  

[MS Bob 11]

There isn't but there IS a way to kill Metro. Just use FxxkMetro.exe. Still works with Windows 8.1 Update 1.

[Michael Scrip]

I question what those who claim to not need the desktop actually do on their computers.

 

that is a good question cause i am on windows 8.1 and only use a few  apps  in Modern UI  but do use it to launch  other stuff  but still use the desktop allot  

Exactly.

 

Prior to Windows 8... all software was written for the desktop. And me personally... I'm not looking to ditch all of my desktop software yet.

[zhangm Supervisor]

Please try to address the original question rather than turn this into yet another Metro vs Desktop environment argument.

[+Anarkii Subscriber²]

99% sure currently you cannot remove the desktop environment from Windows 8.1.

Im also 99% sure that come Windows 9, you will have the choice whether you want a Metro or a desktop only interface, so I would wait and put up with the desktop for now, maybe just delete the desktop tile as others suggested.

They're maybe a 3rd party application that will keep you in the Metro environment only, but a quick google search found nothing. Id suggest asking Dot Matrix, if anyone would have such a application, it would be him.

[shawnsdada]

What ever happened to Kiosk mode? Wouldn't that be exactly what the OP would have wanted a couple years ago...lol

[Xerxes]

I don't think Windows 9 will be a Metro only OS, for the same reason we don't have a 64bit only Windows client OS yet, too many programs still need classic ui, too many programs are 32bit only

 

It won't be. MS aren't going to bring back the Start Menu only to nuke it (and the whole desktop) in the next release, that is a sure fire way to get a mass revolt from users! MS have gone on record to say the desktop is here to stay, they are however, promising better integration between the desktop and modern UI though. 

 

 

99% sure currently you cannot remove the desktop environment from Windows 8.1.

Im also 99% sure that come Windows 9, you will have the choice whether you want a Metro or a desktop only interface, so I would wait and put up with the desktop for now, maybe just delete the desktop tile as others suggested.

They're maybe a 3rd party application that will keep you in the Metro environment only, but a quick google search found nothing. Id suggest asking Dot Matrix, if anyone would have such a application, it would be him.

 

 

That is more wishful thinking than anything else, I highly doubt MS would do that! MS have been promising better integration between the desktop and modern UI. The whole thing with people thinking of them as two separate entities is the problem MS are trying to solve. I don't know how successful they'll be but it surely will be a massive challenge. Considering many users only see modern UI as a blight that should be removed from their precious Windows.

[sinis]

What I want is to be able to run non metro apps without the desktop,

they will run each on their own just like metro apps.

[thechronic]

The Classic Explorer is still an integral part of Windows 8. As for disabling features - if you're operating a network just use your group policy settings to disable unwanted features and functionality.

[Co-ords]

LOL everyone wants the desktop back, and you want to get rid of it!! Different strokes...

[duddit2]

makes the kids account.......a childs account and then they cant install anything on the PC, no more cleaning of anyones mess.