So, can I entirely avoid metro in 8.1?

[pmv]

My last chance to decide whether to go 7 or 8!

I've just about come to terms with never seeing the wonders of Aero eye candy (having been on XP all this time!)!

And the advantage of 8 seems to be 3 years more use before EOS, and ability to use more than 16GB with the home version. Plus a few security improvments. The first two of those do make me think I'll get more use out of it, as it seems it might be a bit late in the day to finally adopt 7.

Couple of things I am wondering...if I install a start menu replacement...
(a) does Start8 or classicshell or the others truly replicate the win7 start menu, or do they still lack some features?
(b) will I still get metro crap popping up when, for example, plugging in USB devices or getting the 'new media found' pop-up, or when adjusting wifi settings (as I read somewhere)?

I get the impression that MS regards metro as being part of the fundamental OS, with the desktop being an 'app' on top of it, which makes me worry its going to be a bit of a pain trying to eradicate every last intrusion of metro into the desktop experience.

 

[Savatar]

I've not used Start8 or ClassicShell, so I am not sure about whether they replace everything... however, Metro does still pop up from time to time when some of the 'default' applications to open files may be the metro equivalent. After switching those (Internet Explorer, Photo Viewer, etc) to use the regular applications, I very rarely have to use the full-screen 'Modern UI' anymore.

The new media found / choose what to do pop-up doesn't exactly come up in the full-screen 'Modern UI' view, but it is a bit different in Windows 8 / 8.1. It looks like this: http://techingiteasy.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/image23.png

As far as I know, there's no way to get the old popup window back. The 'x' in this case is just clicking anywhere off of the popup (I would prefer there to be an 'x' or 'dismiss/close' button).

If you ever want to use any 'Modern UI' applications (as there ARE some good ones), as of now you'll be forced to do so in full-screen (unless you install something like ModernMix). Future versions of Windows may let you run these in a seamless desktop window, but they're not there yet. That said, there are more advantages to Windows 8 under the hood, though, like security features. Check this out for a list of security improvements: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/jj983723.aspx and here for some other miscellaneous improvements: http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57478350-75/microsoft-explains-how-windows-8-smokes-windows-7/. Additionally, I know from my experience that booting up is much faster.

I hope this helps!

 

[Mem]

My last chance to decide whether to go 7 or 8!

I've just about come to terms with never seeing the wonders of Aero eye candy (having been on XP all this time!)!

And the advantage of 8 seems to be 3 years more use before EOS, and ability to use more than 16GB with the home version. Plus a few security improvments. The first two of those do make me think I'll get more use out of it, as it seems it might be a bit late in the day to finally adopt 7.

Couple of things I am wondering...if I install a start menu replacement...
(a) does Start8 or classicshell or the others truly replicate the win7 start menu, or do they still lack some features?
(b) will I still get metro crap popping up when, for example, plugging in USB devices or getting the 'new media found' pop-up, or when adjusting wifi settings (as I read somewhere)?

I get the impression that MS regards metro as being part of the fundamental OS, with the desktop being an 'app' on top of it, which makes me worry its going to be a bit of a pain trying to eradicate every last intrusion of metro into the desktop experience.

Adding a third party button mod menu is just like Win7 or Vista etc....

As to the last part you can avoid Metro for the most part and even boot straight to old desktop UI with 8.1,here is a pic of my old desktop with Control panel open and as you see no Metro even if I select network.

Btw I don't use any third party mod,Metro does not bother me and I've the old desktop UI to my liking anyway.

 

[pmv]

I've not used Start8 or ClassicShell, so I am not sure about whether they replace everything... however, Metro does still pop up from time to time when some of the 'default' applications to open files may be the metro equivalent. After switching those (Internet Explorer, Photo Viewer, etc) to use the regular applications, I very rarely have to use the full-screen 'Modern UI' anymore.

The new media found / choose what to do pop-up doesn't exactly come up in the full-screen 'Modern UI' view, but it is a bit different in Windows 8 / 8.1. It looks like this: http://techingiteasy.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/image23.png

As far as I know, there's no way to get the old popup window back. The 'x' in this case is just clicking anywhere off of the popup (I would prefer there to be an 'x' or 'dismiss/close' button).

If you ever want to use any 'Modern UI' applications (as there ARE some good ones), as of now you'll be forced to do so in full-screen (unless you install something like ModernMix). Future versions of Windows may let you run these in a seamless desktop window, but they're not there yet.

I hope this helps!

Thanks. That pop up looks ugly, but at least its not full screen, and I don't usually do anything with the found-new-media popups but dismiss them immediately anyway.

 

[Mem]

StartisBack screenshot,

 

[pmv]

Adding a third party button mod menu is just like Win7 or Vista etc....

Well, I vaguely remember reading that certain things still aren't present in any of the start menu replacements, but can't recall which (dragging and dropping onto the menu? Right clicking on entries?). That might be out-of-date info though.

For some reason I've started leaning to 8, I think mostly because I think I want to stick with it for as long as possible and I don't like the EOS breathing down my neck (and a 16gb memory limit starts to look a bit tight at this point - does that include the 2-4gb of a graphics card as well, by the way?)

 

[Mem]

Well, I vaguely remember reading that certain things still aren't present in any of the start menu replacements, but can't recall which (dragging and dropping onto the menu? Right clicking on entries?). That might be out-of-date info though.

For some reason I've started leaning to 8, I think mostly because I think I want to stick with it for as long as possible and I don't like the EOS breathing down my neck (and a 16gb memory limit starts to look a bit tight at this point - does that include the 2-4gb of a graphics card as well, by the way?)

You mean video card ram like on Nvidia 760 card,no is the answer since video ram is not part of the limit so its independent of the OS ram limit.


Third party mod menu wise you have plenty of choices out there both free and purchase versions,I'm sure you will find one you like.

 

[Mem]

Pmv don't forget to look at this thread http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2283053


It has a good list of third party start menus for Win8.


http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2283053

 

[Griffinhart]

Start8 ($5 from stardock) is almost exactly like the Win7 start button. It offers a bit more flexibility when it comes to configuring what/how you access metro if you want to. It's not missing anything that I can see.

Classic shell is good as well and free. The only reason I like Start8 better is that I can eliminate the hot corners when I mouse over them.

For me, the most important thing is that they don't feel like hacks. It feels like I am just using windows.

 

[Underclocked]

Classic Shell can also eliminate the hot corners. I never see any Metro or app unless I specifically and deliberately choose to do so (might as well leave it at never).

 

[Magic Carpet]

Start8 ($5 from stardock) is almost exactly like the Win7 start button. It offers a bit more flexibility when it comes to configuring what/how you access metro if you want to. It's not missing anything that I can see.

Wouldn't you lose all the Start button right-click goodies with Start8 on the 8.1?

 

[jkauff]

Wouldn't you lose all the Start button right-click goodies with Start8 on the 8.1?

I've used Start8 as long as I've used 8.1, so I never saw these "right-click goodies". What am I missing?

 

[Kerry56]

If you want to avoid Metro in day to day activity, you'll also have to set default programs for a lot of things, for example, which programs open pictures, video files, music, etc.

I use StartisBack in Win 8.1 and like it every bit as much as Win 7.

 

[PliotronX]

If you install one of the start menu replacements (my favorite paid version is StartIsBack, Classic Shell being my favorite freeware) and run this command in powershell: Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers | Remove-AppxPackage to remove all useless Metro apps, theoretically you would only see it if you really wanted to. Unfortunately MS decided to make Photos and Camera apps integral to explorer.exe in 8.1 so they cannot be removed as they could be in 8.0 so the best you can do is re-associate every image file to the classic photoviewer which is a laborious process.

edit- nevermind about reassigning defaults from the superfluous Photos app, it's easy:

 

[PliotronX]

Wouldn't you lose all the Start button right-click goodies with Start8 on the 8.1?

I've used Start8 as long as I've used 8.1, so I never saw these "right-click goodies". What am I missing?

He's referring to the power user context menu in the extreme lower left of the screen:

IDK about Classic Shell or Start8, but StartIsBack has the option to keep this as right-click action so we get the best of both worlds.

 

[Maximilian]

My last chance to decide whether to go 7 or 8!

I've just about come to terms with never seeing the wonders of Aero eye candy (having been on XP all this time!)!

And the advantage of 8 seems to be 3 years more use before EOS, and ability to use more than 16GB with the home version. Plus a few security improvments. The first two of those do make me think I'll get more use out of it, as it seems it might be a bit late in the day to finally adopt 7.

Couple of things I am wondering...if I install a start menu replacement...
(a) does Start8 or classicshell or the others truly replicate the win7 start menu, or do they still lack some features?
(b) will I still get metro crap popping up when, for example, plugging in USB devices or getting the 'new media found' pop-up, or when adjusting wifi settings (as I read somewhere)?

I get the impression that MS regards metro as being part of the fundamental OS, with the desktop being an 'app' on top of it, which makes me worry its going to be a bit of a pain trying to eradicate every last intrusion of metro into the desktop experience.

Now you've seen aero :awe: nothing worth writing home about IMO but hey ho.

(a) They almost truly replicate it, only tiny things are different. Im using classic shell and right clicking a program shortcut on the desktop for example and then clicking "pin to start" will not pin it to the start menu (it pins it to the metro start screen) theres a different option called "pin to start menu (classic shell)". So tiny differences, for the most part they arent a big deal.

(b) Kind of. Theres an orange box that pops up at the top right of the screen, ill be honest it looks like crap but its not all that intrusive.

The start menu replacements can boot you to desktop, get rid of the hot corners, get rid of the charms bar (thing on the right of the screen). So you never have to see metro. Give windows media player and windows photo viewer all their defaults and you will never have to look at metro. Unless you want to change your user account picture, for some reason that option is missing now and you have to go to metro for it... Weird.

 

[notposting]

I went with the $8 Start8/ModernMix combo. If you do use any Metro apps, they can be windowed. Disable hot corners, start menu, basically this thing is just a Win7 SP at this point.

 

[jkauff]

He's referring to the power user context menu in the extreme lower left of the screen:

IDK about Classic Shell or Start8, but StartIsBack has the option to keep this as right-click action so we get the best of both worlds.

That's it? I can get that using the Win + X keys, so I guess I'm not missing anything.

 

[accguy9009]

If you want to avoid Metro in day to day activity, you'll also have to set default programs for a lot of things, for example, which programs open pictures, video files, music, etc.

I use StartisBack in Win 8.1 and like it every bit as much as Win 7.

I never used the default apps for pics,video, mail, music etc. in Win 8.1 before installing the OS on my laptop. I took the 2 minutes or so and made my go to apps the default ones and I don't spend much time dealing with Metro. I do really like the new Search capabilities very much in Win 8.1. I pinned my fav apps to the taskbar along with Word,Excel etc. and I don't sweat Metro none. Get the desktop versions of Skype etc and you are good to go.

 

[corkyg]

When I upgraded 8 to 8.1, there was also a Start8 upgrade to 1.31. My 8.1 works exactyly like 8 - but with more capability. Right clicks work just fine. All programs work as in Win 7. And, even my Aerotune gives me an Aeroglass taskbar. I never see the Metro screen - which to me is simply an added layer between me and my programs.

When I boot, this is my desktop screen:

 

[Morbus]

I never see the Metro screen - which to me is simply an added layer between me and my programs.

It's not just to you, it actually IS an added layer. On slow machines (or on fast machines and Windows 8 slows to a crawl for whatever reason, like it sometimes does), you can see the desktop BEFORE the start screen appears, when you turn on your computer. And this was in Windows 8.0, with no boot to desktop option or anything.

The Start Screen IS just an added layers that complicates and slows things down.

 

[Mem]

It's not just to you, it actually IS an added layer. On slow machines (or on fast machines and Windows 8 slows to a crawl for whatever reason, like it sometimes does), you can see the desktop BEFORE the start screen appears, when you turn on your computer. And this was in Windows 8.0, with no boot to desktop option or anything.

The Start Screen IS just an added layers that complicates and slows things down.

I must be doing something wrong then since I use both Metro and the old desktop UI,no issues with speed or production,I 'll say I like a clean desktop and hate shortcuts all over the desktop screen(unless its on taskbar) that's where Metro comes in since I can have them organised neatly to keep my old desktop clean.

 

[flexy]

That's it? I can get that using the Win + X keys, so I guess I'm not missing anything.

Wow.thanks for that tip!

 

[Mem]

Wow.thanks for that tip!

I have added a few extras on mine ,you can get Win+X Menu editor from here http://winaero.com/comment.php?comment.news.30 nice free program for fine tuning Win+X menu .

 

[PliotronX]

I have added a few extras on mine ,you can get Win+X Menu editor from here http://winaero.com/comment.php?comment.news.30 nice free program for fine tuning Win+X menu .

Dude, post of the week!