Getting the Start menu back in Windows 8

Published on March 5, 2012 By Draginol In Personal Computing

The lack of a start button and start menu in Windows 8 has made using Microsoft’s new OS a non-starter for me and a lot of other people.

I like Metro, I really do – for tablets. But as a desktop user, I need a consistent work flow that lets me have my windows together on my desktop and don’t want to be jerked out of that environment every time I want to start some new program.

So here’s a free utility we put together that brings the Metro start menu onto the Windows 8 desktop:

https://www.stardock.com/products/start8/

Comments (Page 1)

DrJBHL

on Mar 05, 2012

RedneckDude

on Mar 05, 2012

Sweet!! I'll take it!

IROKONESS

on Mar 05, 2012

This is so great. It's bookmarked. Thank-you

ransagy

on Mar 05, 2012

Very interesting.

I hope i won't have to "have"/"see" the orb though - I kind of like my taskbar cleaner as it is now.

Maybe a configurable option? Otherwise just hook the win key press, or mouse hovering over the bottom left corner (which shows the start screen thumbnail right now).

Jafo

on Mar 05, 2012

quoting post

The lack of a start button and start menu in Windows 8 has made using Microsoft’s new OS a non-starter for me and a lot of other people.
I like Metro, I really do – for tablets. But as a desktop user, I need a consistent work flow that lets me have my windows together on my desktop and don’t want to be jerked out of that environment every time I want to start some new program.
So here’s a free utility we put together that brings the Metro start menu onto the Windows 8 desktop:
https://www.stardock.com/products/start8/

Damn...now no excuse to avoid checking out 8 ....

Island Dog

on Mar 05, 2012

ransagy

reply 4

I hope i won't have to "have"/"see" the orb though - I kind of like my taskbar cleaner as it is now.

I'd like to think it's going to be customizable.

ZubaZ

on Mar 05, 2012

ransagy

reply 4

Very interesting.

I hope i won't have to "have"/"see" the orb though - I kind of like my taskbar cleaner as it is now.

Maybe a configurable option? Otherwise just hook the win key press, or mouse hovering over the bottom left corner (which shows the start screen thumbnail right now).

Start8 has a few buttons pre-installed. Making your own is not a problem.

[Please forgive the resolution, I'm remoted into my Win8 machine through a tablet at the office]

RedneckDude

on Mar 05, 2012

[e digicons]:')[/e]

Uvah

on Mar 05, 2012

Jafo

reply 5

Damn...now no excuse to avoid checking out 8

Since the start menu app came out...nope.

Neilo

on Mar 05, 2012

Uvah

reply 9

Since the start menu app came out...nope.

Yup, downloading iso now. I want to see the goodies under the hood of 8 that i will likely miss out on since i can't see myself ever being able to live with metro....

starkers

on Mar 06, 2012

Uvah

reply 9

Quoting Jafo, reply 5Damn...now no excuse to avoid checking out 8

Since the start menu app came out...nope.

Are you telling me, Uvah, that you're going to install Win 8 now SD has done this app?

Hmmm, dunno whether to call you curious or just soft for toeing the Win 8 line.

Neilo

reply 10

Quoting Uvah, reply 9Since the start menu app came out...nope.
Yup, downloading iso now. I want to see the goodies under the hood of 8 that i will likely miss out on since i can't see myself ever being able to live with metro....

Yeah, this is the way I'm feeling at the moment. I don't think I could ever live with Metro being the default UI, but I sure would like to see the under the hood improvements for myself. Hmmm, will I or won't I????? I do have a spare partition, and I have plenty of quota left, not to mention the speed for a fast download, so it's not like I can't... and the SD app would make it more user friendly, wouldn't it?

Oh heck, I jight must as well give it a whirl... just to see what I'm missing when I decide not to buy it later on.

PS, oh, and Uvah.... you're curious.

martin41

on Mar 06, 2012

The current problem i have with Windows 8 is that the Metro Startmenu is only displayed on 1 monitor. Can Start 8 be setup to work on my second monitor or is it not (yet) compatible with that?) If it works: will it replace Metro completely or is it just a button and sliding your mouse all the way to the bottom-left will still trigger metro?

Uvah

on Mar 06, 2012

Yes I am Mark. I read all the hype and comments and to be honest this may be a waste of time but, even though its temporary, having it to play with and getting to know a little bit more from hands on experience could justify whether or not I recommend it to people. I managed to get some to upgrade to Win 7 and so far they like it. I'm not holding that out for 8 though. With this app to bring the start menu back...methinks when others see it they'll get curious too now that they won't be stuck. Besides if i want to complain some more it'll help to know what I'm talkin' about. lol

BTW - I started downloading the ISO yesterday at 3pm. So far I got all of two gigs downloaded and its 4:36 in the a.m. I had to pause it a couple of times.

Neilo

on Mar 06, 2012

starkers

reply 11

My sentiments exactly. I'll likely merge the partition back in a few days once i have checked 8 out.

martin41

reply 12

Here's a thought for SD, and MS as well. Can you (those of us running duel monitors) Have Metro in mon1 and the desktop in mon2? That might make metro that much easier to live with...

Food for thought?

Uvah

reply 13

Besides if i want to complain some more it'll help to know what I'm talkin' about. lol

hehe...yup, can justify hating metro that much more when i have checked cpu usage on a 1920 x 1080 gadget!!!

(or whatever we are to call them in metro....)

starkers

on Mar 06, 2012

I'm just about to install on a spare partition... took all of 26 minutes to download... so we shall see what we shall see.

I'll have a play with it and get back later with a verdict.

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