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21 comments

Restore the Windows 7 Interface in Windows 8

Restore the Windows 7 Interface in Windows 8
By
Metro to Retro

The release of Windows 8 was jarring for some users as they were forced to learn a new interface that abandoned or set aside several Windows staples including the Start Menu and the Desktop. While some users have adapted to the new Metro UI, demand for features like the Start Menu has given rise to the development of software designed to bring features of the Windows 7 interface to Windows 8. What follows are a few apps for restoring the Start Menu and tweaking the Windows 8 interface for a more classic feel.

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  • 8
    n700a_g1 , February 13, 2013 12:33 AM
    blackmagnumIf you are not ready for the change, please stay with the 'good enough' Windows 7.


    ... how about those who are being FORCED to use Win8?
    (Those who purchased their PC with Win8 installed already)
  • 5
    anonymous@guest , February 14, 2013 6:05 AM
    Why pay for a OS upgrade and then play around with third-party tools to get back at what you already had with Windows 7. Seems a little pointless to me. Why not just stick to Windows 7 and hope Microsoft will get it right next time around. Just as many people skipped Windows ME and Windows Vista and the following OSs Windows XP and Windows 7 respectively where simply great, Microsoft just misses the target sometimes.
  • 3
    bobzter , February 15, 2013 12:12 PM
    Tried them all. RetroUi has unique features like the Start Menu toolbar in Metro and windowed apps. But besides the cost, it takes a huge amount of memory, in fact more than all other windows services and process combined also including the antivirus/firewall and video/mouse drivers. It's bad programming, resources hogging and margin for buggy design.

    ViStart is just awful. Tried to install a couple of crapware, takes about 5 secs for it to load and then discard the Metro screen and, uninstalling it did not revert the changes to the UI.

    To cut it short, Classic Shell is the most reliable, smallest, full featured, no bullshit and yes, it does skip Metro - no need for extra software. I only missed an option to disable the silly lock screen on all of them.
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