winutil VS Open-Shell-Menu

This was the debloater tool I used on my Surface Go 3 - runs well, only minor side-effect was I needed to use an automatic fix to get defender working correctly: https://github.com/ChrisTitusTech/winutil

Back to WinUtil, the link above goes to Chris's most recent YouTube video on the script. Here's a link to the project on GitHub as well, if you want to inspect the code or ask the devs and contributors questions before running it. I recommend this script to everyone who I hear complaining about Windows being bloated and slow. It fixes almost everything that I hate about Windows, to the point that after using it I actually consider Windows to be an acceptable operating system to be running full time on one of my laptops.

Stuff has been uninstalled from Settings and Control Panel and CTT's Utility (to enable some settings I would've enabled through Terminal commands already) and Sycnex's Debloater (to uninstall some apps) have been used. It's nothing major as I only uninstalled apps I could download from the store if necessary and made sure not to delete any major system components except Edge maybe. I have read through every menu and setting any of these utilities has brought up thoroughly to ensure I didn't do so. I believe I did my research before enabling/disabling a setting.

Chris's Github: https://github.com/ChrisTitusTech/winutil

You can use Chris Titus Tech's Windows Utility: https://github.com/ChrisTitusTech/winutil

The Tweaks section has a checkbox for removing Edge. I removed mine using that.

Humbly submitting Chris Titus' Debloat tool as well for comparison. I've enjoyed using Chris' tool, as the GUI design makes it easy to a-la-carte select which you want removed and not, along with recommendations. Makes it very clear to see what's being removed.

https://github.com/ChrisTitusTech/winutil

The only thing different here are some inbox apps are removed and Steam + assorted drivers are installed out of the box, all of which you can do with a community installer script and community tweaking tools.

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.