Is it possible to bring back the XP Start Menu in Vista?

[bradavon]

From what I understand you have:

1. Vista Start Menu

2. 9x Start Menu

The latter is woefully old and I've never worked out why people still use it, anyway I like the XP start menu which isn't much different but the All Programs goes to the right, plus folders are put before shortcuts.

Is this possible in Vista?

Cheers

[thollian]

nope, you can't, unfortunately

[RaisinCain]

Yes you can you just need thir party software such as WindowBlinds.

[Slimy]

I don't understand how people use the all programs menu that often. Hell, if it was up to me, I would remove the menu altogether in Vista. A good 90% of the apps I use frequently are all in the startmenu pane on the left. On XP, if the program wasn't there, I would go look for it in the all programs menu. On Vista, I type in a few letters and the search feature finds it for me. Much faster than looking for it manually :)

[RaisinCain]

I am actually surprised that MS didn't do some type of dock (other than the sidebar).

[Slimy]

and get sued into Oblivion? Yeah, I wonder why they didn't do it too :laugh:

[RaisinCain]

LMAO ;) Hell, they copied some of OS X anyway. ;) lol

[:: Lyon ::]

I don't understand why people don't want to change for the better

Once you get used to use the "Search" in Vista start menu, why would you want to go back to the horrifid organisation of folders/menus/programs like in XP??

Want to run word? Type: word and even before you finish, you can already see it in the start menu

run nero? type burn

etc etc

in XP:

want to run word? Click start menu, click on a the folder Microsoft Office (assuming you can find it), click Word

[theyarecomingforyou]

I don't understand why people don't want to change for the better

Becuase the new start menu is NOT "change for the better" - it is a horrible system designed to be different for the sake of it. However, the search bar that is now included means that you don't need to use it often - if it wasn't for that there would be a LOT of people complaining. But the point remains that the new start menu is disgusting and I too would prefer the old XP system, even though I would mainly use the search bar.

[RaisinCain]

Why would I want to type "Word" when I can click on the frickin' shortcut on the desktop?

[Slimy]

Becuase the new start menu is NOT "change for the better" - it is a horrible system designed to be different for the sake of it. However, the search bar that is now included means that you don't need to use it often - if it wasn't for that there would be a LOT of people complaining. But the point remains that the new start menu is disgusting and I too would prefer the old XP system, even though I would mainly use the search bar.

The search bar is part of the start menu. If you mean that the all programs "menu" is not a change for the better, that's a different statement.

Why would I want to type "Word" when I can click on the frickin' shortcut on the desktop?

He was giving an example where your choice is between using the start menu to type word or use the all programs option. Hell, I have a button on my keyboard that calls up anything I want, but that's not the debate here.

[:: Lyon ::]

Why would I want to type "Word" when I can click on the frickin' shortcut on the desktop?

So you have a shortcut for word, excel, powerpoint, nero, winamp, media player, internet explorer, antivirus, games, and whatever you have in your system.

my my, can't imagine what your desktop will look like :)

[Linkinfamous]

I am actually surprised that MS didn't do some type of dock (other than the sidebar).

:x Anything more than the quick launch is too much.

[RaisinCain]

I was generalizing with the desktop shortcuts. I use quicklaunch. :p

[theyarecomingforyou]

The search bar is part of the start menu. If you mean that the all programs "menu" is not a change for the better, that's a different statement.

Yes, that is indeed what I meant - sorry for any confusion.

He was giving an example where your choice is between using the start menu to type word or use the all programs option.

Yes, that's great if you can type well and know what you're looking for. However, most people are hunt-and-peck typers and often don't know the name of the program they are looking for, requiring them to use the All Programs menu. The new All Programs menu is absurd and the fact you can't change it to the XP method is outrageous. I can understand, and agree with, the new Office ribbon interface being required, as people would instinctively go back to the classic view and no-one would use it but the difference is that the ribbon is an obvious improvement - here they don't allow the XP system because that would be admiting the new system is not as good.

[bradavon]

I use All Programs all the time I have loads of apps installed and can't remember what it's called to search it, even if I could typing the name of a program would take like than clicking a few times. I do organise my Start Menu though, it only has about 10 subfolders in it, with folders inside those.

Thanks anyway. I was hoping it could be done internally. I'm keen to add-in third party software.

Once you get used to use the "Search" in Vista start menu, why would you want to go back to the horrifid organisation of folders/menus/programs like in XP??

Tell that to the people who (even in Vista) go back to the 9x Start Menu ;) , that's 12 years old.

sick.gif Anything more than the quick launch is too much.

Any more than half a dozen apps it looks well cluttered.

here they don't allow the XP system because that would be admiting the new system is not as good.

I think it's more that would mean 3 different start menus and as we know the 9x Start Menu is very popular, why I've no idea.

[:: Lyon ::]

Well I used to organise folders/menus in XP:

Window Applications

Development Tools

Internet Applications

Startup

Games

and so on..

I don't care about that anymore once I start using Vista search. But I guess every people can have different opinion, so..

[BlakByte]

Well I used to organise folders/menus in XP:

Window Applications

Development Tools

Internet Applications

Startup

Games

and so on..

I don't care about that anymore once I start using Vista search. But I guess every people can have different opinion, so..

I did once too :p.. Now it's just a big mess.

[ahfunaki]

I wish they did have the option for the xp start menu style, but I just use rocketdock so I don't have to use the start menu very often...

[ls_dragons]

You could always use the "Launcher" gadget in the Sidebar.

[Ghil]

hem...other than the fact that it puts folder last, and that it sorts everything automatically, I don't quite see the difference in usability. Someone could explain to me what is so dreadful about it?

[undergroundforum]

YE i wanted to know this but now thanks alot for this imformation.

Keep it posting people

[DigitalE]

I used to not like the new style, but then I started using search.

It's sooo much faster and easier than the old XP/2K/9x style!

[beanboy89]

Am I the only one who uses the classic Start menu anymore? To me, the Win95 menu is just so much easier to use than the Start panel. One of the first things I do when I install XP or Vista is revert back to the classic Start menu.

[ScottKin]

LMAO ;) Hell, they copied some of OS X anyway. ;) lol

Yeah - here we go again with the "Microsoft Windows Copied Apple Mac OS X" diatribe.

The features - like "Spotlight" - that OS X apologists tout as being copied by Microsoft, and a host of others were actually part of Windows Longhorn development years before they were shown in OS X or Vista/Longhorn.

This little video might help you understand.

--ScottKin