How does Metro work?


Recommended Posts

How does metro work? Does it work in the same way as when you press alt+ctrl+delete in Windows to bring up the security screen thing? In other words, how does it operate in technical terms?

Link to comment
https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1141770-how-does-metro-work/
Share on other sites

How does it work in Windows, does it work like the security screen when you press alt ctrl delete? I think my question was very clear and understandable

So, it operates in the same technical manner as the security screen or the lock screen (Win key + L). For an example, when you press win key + lock, the screen appears immediately just like metro, it is always there?

I think he's asking how Metro was written as a whole other interface on top of Windows, and how the Shell instantiates it on startup. I think his analogy is to the Secure Desktop for login, which is a separate user interface handled by a separate (non-Explorer) process that takes over the display when you press Ctrl+Alt+Delete.

I think he's asking how Metro was written as a whole other interface on top of Windows, and how the Shell instantiates it on startup. I think his analogy is to the Secure Desktop for login, which is a separate user interface handled by a separate (non-Explorer) process that takes over the display when you press Ctrl+Alt+Delete.

Oh, I remember that, that was on Windows 2000 and/or Windows NT.

When I was first introduced to windows 8, I wondered how Metro would not eat more memory. So metro is apart of the Windows system. So, does Metro work in the same way as when you hit al ctrl delete in vista and beyond?

When I was first introduced to windows 8, I wondered how Metro would not eat more memory. So metro is apart of the Windows system.

The desktop is there but Metro is like Start Menu... And Metro apps allow you to view app in full screen... but you can not change to windowed version unless you have the desktop apps which can be viewed on your desktop.

I think (don't quote me on this) when Win8 was being announced they made it very clear that Metro wasn't a layer on top of Windows - it is Windows now, basically like replacing the "classic shell," but still keeping the Desktop there, but the desktop code is only loaded when the Desktop app is launched. Again, not completely sure, but I think it's more analogous to like the Windows Desktop and the command prompt or DOSBox, where the "stock Windows" is the Start Screen and the desktop is more there for older applications and applications that take advantage of the specific desktop-based Windows features. not a perfect analogy, but that's the best I could come up with :\

When I was first introduced to windows 8, I wondered how Metro would not eat more memory. So metro is apart of the Windows system. So, does Metro work in the same way as when you hit al ctrl delete in vista and beyond?

While I'm not sure how Metro apps are represented in the system, I can say for certain that Windows is not instantiating a 'new desktop' like the Ctrl+Alt+Del Secure Desktop. You'll notice it doesn't flicker when going in and out of the Start Menu like it does if a UAC prompt (on the Secure Desktop) comes up.

If I were to guess, everything is still tied to explorer.exe and the Desktop Window Manager. You'll notice that if you kill that process, all Charms Bars, start screen, taskbars disappear. So I'm guessing they just rewrote explorer.exe to show the Start 'menu' first and the desktop later, Metro apps are Windows apps that use WinRT (as opposed to Win32) that draws to fullscreen Direct2D surfaces represented inside the Desktop Window Manager, like every other window.

  • Like 1

I see now, Metro and the desktop work almost the same way. Metro is like alternate desktop then. I still like and always will like the start menu though. Metro may be nice and everything, but it makes people a lot less productive. Microsoft really did not need to get rid of the start menu, it worked fantastically. Metro is designed primarily for the tablets!

When was this thread ever a technical discussion, the OP question didn't even make any sense, it took most of the first page to work out what he was saying

It did make sense. You cannot expect someone that is trying to ask a technical question and hence obtain more knowledge to form it coherently if he is trying to learn more about this topic.

Metro is part of explorer.exe so it is not like hitting control alt delete. Try killing the explorer.exe process and see for yourself.

Metro Apps on the other hand run separately.

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Posts

    • This is listed as a preview in WU for me. I usually don't grab them as previews; what's your opinion on it so far?
    • Pale Moon 34.3.1 by Razvan Serea Pale Moon is an Open Source, Goanna-based web browser available for Microsoft Windows, Linux and Android, focusing on efficiency and ease of use. Make sure to get the most out of your browser! Pale Moon offers you a browsing experience in a browser completely built from its own, independently developed source that has been forked off from Firefox/Mozilla code, with carefully selected features and optimizations to improve the browsers speed, resource use, stability and user experience, while offering full customization and a growing collection of extensions and themes to make the browser truly your own. Features: Optimized for modern processors Based on proprietary optimized layout engine (Goanna) Safe: forked from mature Mozilla code and regularly updated Secure: Additional security features and security-aware development Supported by our user community, and fully non-profit Familiar, efficient, fully customizable interface Support for full themes: total freedom over any elements design Support for easily-created lightweight themes (skins) Smooth and speedy page drawing and script processing Increased stability: experience fewer browser crashes Support for many Firefox extensions Support for a growing number of Pale Moon exclusive extensions Extensive and growing support for HTML5 and CSS3 Many customization and configuration options Pale Moon 34.3.1 changelog: Pale Moon will now exclude local resources from CSP checks, aligning it with the rest of CSP handling. Fixed an issue where the devtools JSON viewer would, in some cases, make erroneous requests to remote servers. Updated libpng to 1.6.58+apng. Updated NSS to 3.90.12 (UXP), addressing multiple security issues. Fixed several intermittent and rare crashes. Security issues addressed: CVE-2026-12318 (CWE-125), CVE-2026-12322, CVE-2026-12292 (DiD), and multiple other issues that did not have a CVE designation at the time of patching. Download: Pale Moon (64-bit) | Portable 64-bit | ~40.0 MB (Freeware) Download: Pale Moon (32-bit) | Portable 32-bit Links: Pale Moon Homepage | Add-ons | Themes | Extensions | Screenshot Get alerted to all of our Software updates on Twitter at @NeowinSoftware
    • Onwards to Windows 12 then lol.
  • Recent Achievements

    • Grand Master
      Jaybonaut went up a rank
      Grand Master
    • One Year In
      Philsl earned a badge
      One Year In
    • Dedicated
      Scoobystu earned a badge
      Dedicated
    • First Post
      Tom Schmidt earned a badge
      First Post
    • One Month Later
      D0nn13 earned a badge
      One Month Later
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      424
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      177
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      124
    4. 4
      Michael Scrip
      77
    5. 5
      Xenon
      76
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!