Have computer technical problems? Get FREE help from Raymond.CC FORUM

25 Comments to “Looking for the Best Windows 7 Classic Start Menu”

1. hamilton

   December 15th, 2009 at 5:01 pm 1

   It’s Great and very Useful.
   Thanks Dear Raymond.
2. Willem

   December 15th, 2009 at 5:06 pm 2

   Classic Shell is what I’ve been using on my 64-bit Windows 7 Pro. It looks and behaves like my preferred XP Classic Start … well, not quite, but considering it’s only new and there’s plenty of room for development.

   I’ll try to see what others have to offer. I didn’t know there’s so many of them already.

   Thank you for such extensive coverage, Raymond.
3. incredible

   December 15th, 2009 at 6:58 pm 3

   It’s annoying to ask if they see one or two columns when they press start? c’mon.
4. iNfeRnO

   December 15th, 2009 at 8:34 pm 4

   I’d rather simply teach myself to to become familiar with the new menu, but it is always great to have options for those who don’t want to. Thank you once again for all your quality time you put into this blog. I read it everytime you post, and it’s always valuable information.
5. Ali

   December 15th, 2009 at 9:14 pm 5

   Thanx Ray.
6. anon

   December 16th, 2009 at 12:38 am 6

   “Classic Shell” – the first one appears to be near perfect. Shame on Microsoft for removing decades old functionality.
7. Mystique

   December 16th, 2009 at 12:56 am 7

   On a side note I am boggled as to why Microsoft has not added the XP style of start menu as some sort of option.

   Here is a mod that looks pretty sweet and is actually very functional, its called ‘Vista Start Menu’, its available in both a free and Pro version, the flash demo will give you an idea of what to expect.

   http://www.vistastartmenu.com/flashplayer.html

   I have been told that the pro versions aero skin has problems but I cannot confirm this having not used it before.
8. Chris

   December 16th, 2009 at 1:03 am 8

   Thx for the tip, Ray !

   BTW
   You sad: “It’s annoying to me and confusing to them when I ask them to go to Start then select Run but they can’t find it in Start Menu!”

   You forgot about Windows key + R ? :)
9. Ali Qayyum

   December 16th, 2009 at 4:36 am 9

   nice sharing ray
10. Karthik

    December 16th, 2009 at 4:48 am 10

    Windows 7 start menu is the best start menu windows have ever made. Because one can also search his libraries for related files which XP cannot do. Why use old crappy shit even in the new, I don’t know why people stick to old, when the new is such good.
11. kanwal

    December 16th, 2009 at 7:42 am 11

    is there a program that can change the theme of Windows 7 or Vista to Windows XP?

    i never liked Vista and im for some reason not liking Windows 7! T^T

    i prefer Windows XP its the only one i like its simple to work with…
12. mujaddad

    December 16th, 2009 at 3:39 pm 12

    hi raymond i am in trouble
    my pc shutdown while i play youtube i also uninstall the flash player then reinstall it but nothing i also reinstall my graphics driver but again it will shut down but my plays videos of other websites
    why my pc shutdown while i play youtube
    plz reply me as soon as posible
    i forgot i also scan it kaspersky internet security no virus plz help waiting for your reply help me
13. Dick White

    December 16th, 2009 at 10:10 pm 13

    Very nice article. Thanks.

    By the way, you can configure Classic Shell to use a different hotkey, so pressing Win still brings up the Windows 7 start menu. Handy for searching, which is the only advantage (IMHO) that the Windows 7 start menu has, to begin with.
14. lunaticg

    December 19th, 2009 at 4:10 pm 14

    Hi.
    Thank you for sharing about the classic menu. I still like classic menu better then windows 7. Will be trying the 1st one according to your suggestion.
    See you around.
15. Michael Aulia

    December 21st, 2009 at 8:34 am 15

    I still don’t understand why people want to go back to the horrible classic start menu :D
16. V

    December 23rd, 2009 at 7:52 pm 16

    @Michael Aulia:

    That’s your biased opinion… better keep it to yourself ;)
17. zewdu chane

    December 23rd, 2009 at 7:56 pm 17

    Merry X-mas and a a Happy New year. Please add me in your list to get IDM serial key . Thank You .
    zewdu
18. Radar Martin

    December 27th, 2009 at 1:08 pm 18

    I have used the Windows Classic Start Menu forever. When Windows 7 was released I expected the “option” to be there and was shocked to find it isn’t. Then I searched the internet only to find idiots blogging about how great W7menu is, how people should grow up, should move on, etc. etc. Since I was not able to configure the menu the way I have always used it, I was disappointed with Microsoft,.. until I found 3rd party menu makers out there and on Merry Christmas Day I found the Classic Shell gift on the internet! What a relief! I can have the best of both worlds now, Windows 7 and my precious Classic Start Menu. Thanks Ray for this article. All you people who insist on telling the rest of us to -move on-, YOU -move on- and leave the rest of us alone, we don’t care about your comments on W7menu vs. the people who don’t want it. We the people want our Classic Start Menu and we want Microsoft to provide the option with the release of Windows 7 Service Pack 1.
19. Cefaloid

    December 30th, 2009 at 11:32 am 19

    What’s wrong with you people?
    New start menu is so configurable so i’m really not sure why you need additional software to have needed features…

    - “Run” can be added easily using properties
    - “Classic” start menu as well. See my tutorial at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fvz4_aCnfrc
20. Peter with new Win 7 notebook(s)

    December 30th, 2009 at 2:18 pm 20

    While I agree with “Radar Martin” about … “We the people want our Classic Start Menu …” is Radar the first person in Raymond’s Blogs to have mentioned a Service Pack 1. (LOL).

    Why the Hell did M$ ever move away from the Classic Start Menu in the first place because it worked just like a flow chart does. If people are unable to follow something step by step which sadly is probably the majority of the world then let them eat cake and use the poxy new start menu.

    But for those of us who prefer to think logically in logical steps: MICROSOFT GIVE US BACK OUR CLASSIC START MENU (a.s.a.p thank you)

    —– —– —– —–

    OH yes 1 final matter:

    As we are nearing Years End I’d like to say thanks to Raymond for all his continued excellent work and devotion to educating or enlightening some of us.
21. club penguin

    January 2nd, 2010 at 3:45 am 21

    Thank you so much for your siteI love everything about it.
22. NormanF

    January 10th, 2010 at 2:47 am 22

    “New” is not necessarily better. Its hard to change people’s habits and if you try, they’ll go back to worked for them. While Windows 7 has been well received, Microsoft’s dropping the classic menu was a move akin to Coke’s dropping Classic Coke. Bringing it back through a third party utility has made a lot of people much happier. Let’s hope Redmond learned a lesson here.
23. Steve

    January 11th, 2010 at 12:23 am 23

    I debated this with Steven Sinofsky (windows team lead) on email several times during the Win7 beta process but they refused to listen. Already there were hundreds of posts across the web upset about the loss of classic menus in Win7 but they were ignoring them all. I doubt now that Win7 has launched they care any more than they did then. They class it as a success (which it is in general) and really could care less about those of use upset over loosing our preferred interfaces.
24. Rizwan Rashid Arnob

    January 27th, 2010 at 3:15 pm 24

    Its Rockin!!
25. Kai

    February 27th, 2010 at 6:57 am 25

    I still prefer the default start menu in Win7, but this might help me out in the future when I get bored of it and looking for something new, thanks! (haven’t commented here in awhile >_<)