Classic-Shell VS Open-Shell-Menu

I'm using Win10 Pro, and I have no ads, no problems with unwanted apps, a sane start menu, and I run almost all non-ms software on top so microsoft's incompetence there is a nonissue. I can also replicate this on win11 but I don't see a reason to upgrade.

The way there is fairly simple, actually:

OOSU Shutup10: this removes pretty much all the annoyances. https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10

Classicshell: Microsoft is never going to make a start menu that doesn't suck again, but others will. http://www.classicshell.net/

Everything search: classicshell comes with a pretty decent windows search replacement, but you should use this instead. It is so, so fast. https://www.voidtools.com/

StartIsBack -> Classic Shell

Check http://www.classicshell.net/ I'm using that since Windows 8.1 till now in Win 10, still works pertfectly even on low end laptops!

There are third party apps for doing so: http://www.classicshell.net/ http://www.classicstartmenu.com/

Let me tell you a secret. There's something called Classic Shell, and you can reskin your GUI of your task bar and start menu to fit your preference. It keeps me sane.

I've been using this since I switched to windows 10.http://www.classicshell.net it actually shows what you have on your drives instead of bing searches XD

IMO, Windows is just fine with Classic Shell. I don't know how people get by without it since Windows 8.

http://www.classicshell.net/

I've been very happy happy with https://github.com/Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu as a Start Menu replacement. If ads have rolled out to my Windows install, I wouldn't even notice.

Whenever I set up a new computer for older family members, despite it being windows 11, I always install open shell[1] and retro bar[2]. Between the two, I've made the operating system look very close to Windows XP visually, and they always appreciate it.

[1] https://github.com/Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu

[2] https://github.com/dremin/RetroBar

There's Open-Shell but it's not exactly a full WM replacement.

Hi yall, I used Open-Shell to change the icon.

There is also Open Shell, a free and open source tool which performs a similar function.

I wish so bad there is a port (a fork) of the Legacy Kickoff start menu for Windows: https://github.com/Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu/issues/1083

Classic Start Menu

I use Open Shell (fork of Classic Shell) as a replacement to original Start Menu. This gives me full control over what appears in start menu - no results from internet, animated tiles, etc (I am on Win 10 though, from what I read the Win 11 is supported, but not yet officially [1]). It could be a solution to the ads appearing in start menu.

[1] https://github.com/Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu/issues/1564

Looks like you're going for an XP theme. May I suggest using open-shell to skin the taskbar, start menu, and start button if you wanna take that extra step? You can also find the taskbar skin and start button here. Also, I would remove the search bar, task view button, and news & interest area of the taskbar just to bring things together. This is all just a suggestion, you don't have to if you don't want to.