Good
news to all PC users who have upgraded to the recently released Windows
8.1 update and looking to customize the look of the desktop by
installing third-party visual styles. The developer of popular UXStyle software has updated the software and the latest version of UXStyle is fully compatible with Windows 8.1 RTM build.
As some of you might know, UXStyle for Windows 8.1 was first released about three weeks back and then pulled-back to investigate some critical issues.
As
with case of its earlier versions, UXStyle for Windows 8.1 also doesn’t
replace or modify system files and is much safer than other tools out
there to enable third-party visualization support in Windows.
According
the developer, UXStyle consists of a system service and a kernel and
load them into the memory to enable third-party themes support in
Windows without having to replace or edit system files.
The main
advantage of this tool is that unlike other tools out there UXStyle
doesn’t break your Windows when Microsoft releases new updates for the
operating system.
Those
of you have previously used UXStyle would know that it doesn’t come
with a user interface. That is, once you install the program, you won’t
see options to enable or disable third-party themes support. Simply
install the software and then reboot your PC to add third-party themes
support.
In addition to Windows 8.1, UXStyle Core is also
available for Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Server 2003,
Server 2008, Server 2008 R2, Server 2012 and Server 2012 R2 operating
systems.
Visit the below mentioned link to download UXStyle for
Windows 8.1. The current version (0.2.3) is fully compatible with both
x86 and x64 versions of Windows 8.1. Note that the download page offers a
version of UXStyle for Windows 7 and earlier versions. Be sure to
download UXStyle 0.2.3 or later version designed to run on Windows 8 and
Windows 8.1 versions.
PC lovers rejoice! Windows 8.1 is here, and it’s chock full of refinements and fresh new features
that make Microsoft’s finger-friendly, Live-Tile-spattered vision of
the future more appealing—or at least less annoying—than ever before.
But as helpful as those tweaks to Windows 8’s modern interface are, they
won’t matter a lick to devout desktop diehards, who are no doubt
muttering something about lipstick and pigs this very second.
Fear not! I said PC lovers rejoice, not just touchscreen lovers.
Windows 8.1 packs some new settings that make it a snap to spend the
majority of your time in the traditional desktop. With a few more tweaks
and an extra program or two, you’ll be able to shun the modern UI
almost completely, while still basking in the glow of Windows 8’s faster
boot times, overhauled Task Manager, and other under-the-hood
improvements.
Desktop nirvana, here we come, step by glorious step.
Meet your new favorite menu
Let’s start with the latest additions.
Microsoft naturally wants you to spend time in its touch-tastic app
land, and as such, Windows 8.1’s new desktop-centric options are buried
deep in a submenu, where few would venture in their everyday computing.
To find the treasure trove, you’ll need to right-click the desktop
Taskbar, select Properties, and then open the Navigation tab in the window that appears.
Gaze upon the wonderful bounty. Go ahead—shed a tear of joy if you need to. I won’t judge.
Unchecking the options in the “Corner navigation” portion of the tab
disables the “hot corner” functionality for the upper edges of your
screen. Note that you’ll want to leave the upper-left hot corner enabled
if you plan to use Windows 8.1’s App Switcher to fast-switch between
modern-style apps—though if you’re reading this, there’s a good chance
you’ll be sticking to desktop software anyway.
The real meat, however, is in the “Start screen” options. “When I
sign in or close all apps on a screen, go to the desktop instead of
Start” is the option we’ve all been clamoring for: the ability to boot
straight to the desktop. Check it now!
Now you have a decision to make.
Start me up
Windows 8’s exiled Start button returns in Windows 8.1, but it’s missing a crucial component: The Start menu. Instead, clicking it dumps you on the modern UI Start screen. That isn’t going to cut it in our quest for desktop purity.
If you’re the no-compromises sort of desktop user, you’ll want to
install a so-called Start button replacement program. PCWorld recently rounded up the best options available, and some (like Stardock’s $5 Start8) even let you disable all charms—something Windows 8.1 doesn’t allow.
You can have the All Apps view list desktop programs first. (Click to enlarge.)
That’s not your only option, however. If you check the “Show the apps
view automatically when I go to Start” option in the Taskbar
Properties’ new (and awesome) Navigation tab, clicking Windows 8.1’s
Start button will bring up a full-screen list of all the apps installed
on your PC, rather than the modern Start screen. Even better, enabling
the “List desktop apps first in the Apps view when it’s sorted by
category” option will do just that.
It works well enough, but unlike Start button replacements, the All
Apps view doesn’t let you search for individual files or folders.
Fortunately, there’s always the trusty F3 button for that.
Fleshing out desktop functionality
Windows 8.1 includes software to meet virtually all of the average
user’s everyday needs… but all of those baked-in goodies are
modern-style apps, not proper desktop software.
You’ll need to install some desktop programs to replace those apps if you want to cut the modern UI cord completely.
Rather than rattle off a giant list of suggestions, consider checking out PCWorld’s guide to essential free software, our tutorial on building the ultimate free security suite, and—for the more adventurous— 20 obscure, yet supremely useful PC programs. (You just have
to give WizMouse a whirl.) Remember: Windows 8.1 can’t play DVDs out of
the box, so consider picking up the free, yet excellent VLC media player if that’s important to you. You’ll also want to snag a desktop PDF reader like Sumatra PDF.
Don’t forget Windows Media Player while you’re setting desktop-friendly defaults!
Once that’s done, you’ll need to set all those desktop programs as the defaults for the file types they support.
Right-click the returned Start button and select Control Panel if you’ve opted to stick with the Windows 8.1 version, or open the Start menu and select Control Panel if you’ve installed a Start button replacement like Classic Shell. From there, select Programs > Default programs > Set your default programs
and go through the list, giving your desktop software the default
reins. Don’t forget about Windows Media Player if you’ve skipped VLC!
A modern-styled block in a desktop-shaped hole
Metro apps running on the desktop courtesy of ModernMix’s might.
If you don’t like the idea of replacing all of Windows 8.1 native
apps with desktop alternatives—only modern-style apps receive system
notifications, for one thing—you can compromise by installing Stardock’s
simply sublime $5 ModernMix program,
which lets you run Metro apps in desktop windows. It’s not the same as
banishing the modern UI completely, but hey, Microsoft’s modern apps
actually handle pretty well with a keyboard and mouse, if you don’t mind all their wasted space.
Shutting the whole thing down
There’s just one niggling problem: The desktop doesn’t have any
obvious way to shut down your PC, unless you’ve installed a Start menu
replacement program with the option. You still have to swipe open the
modern UI charms bar, then select Settings > Power > Shutdown—at least at first glance.
It would be nice if this option was a bit more obvious.
But good news! Unlike Windows 8, Windows 8.1 indeed has a desktop
shutdown option. Like the new boot-to-desktop option, you have to dig
for it.
Right-clicking the returned Start button reveals a power menu of
sorts, with a scad of shortcuts to advanced system options. Way down at
the bottom you’ll see a “Shut down or sign out” option with various
shutdown options. Alternatively, you could just press Alt-F4 on the
desktop to bring up a list of shutdown options.
How I learned to quit worrying and shun the Live Tiles
Boom! We’re already done, and with none of the complicated task
scheduling, shortcut creations, or otherwise complicated tweaks that
were needed to banish the modern UI from Windows 8. All in all, Windows 8.1 is truly better
than its predecessor, largely because of the compromises Microsoft made
both on the desktop and in the modern environment—not that the latter
matters if you’ve been going along with this guide.
Enjoy those lickety-split boot times and the revamped File Explorer without
the modern UI hassles. Now, if only it were possible to eliminate the
networking charm that appears when you click the Internet access button
in your desktop system tray…
In a world exploding with tablets and touchscreens, Microsoft's
decision to saddle Windows 8 with the finger-friendly Modern interface
formerly known as Metro makes a lot of sense—for Microsoft. But if
you're among the majority of Windows users who aren't using a tablet or a
touchscreen, the focus on Live Tiles and mobile-centric apps is more of
a frustration than a feature. Vexingly, Windows 8 is riddled with
sneaky ways to drag you out of the desktop and dump you on that
shifting, shiny Start screen.
Windows 8 and its controversial interface will come preinstalled on
practically every computer sold over the next few years, but fear not!
Die-hard desktop jockeys don't have to learn to stop worrying and love
the Live Tiles.
Here's a step-by-step guide to banishing the Modern interface from
your Windows 8 life. Once it's gone, you might just come to appreciate
Windows 8 even more than you do Windows 7. I have.
Set the stage
The Google Chrome icon.
Given the Modern interface's deep hooks in Windows 8, it's hardly
surprising that cutting the cord isn't an instantaneous one-snip
process. Every major program you might need for everyday use—from Mail
to Messaging to Video—shows up in Modern app form, rather than as a
proper piece of desktop software. So before you can excise Modern, you
have to find some desktop alternatives for the default apps.
Your critical mix will undoubtedly differ, but I found that I could satisfy my basic needs with Thunderbird, a free email client that blows the pants off the Windows 8 Mail app; Digsby,
a versatile IM client that works with a cornucopia of chatting services
(unlike the Windows 8 Messaging app); the Spotify desktop app, to replace the sultry streaming tunes of the Windows 8 Music app;
the SkyDrive desktop app, which is far more flexible than its Modern
app counterpart; and Google Chrome. (Sure, Windows 8 includes a desktop
version of Internet Explorer, but I prefer Google's browser.) If you
want to be able to play DVDs on your Windows 8 machine—something that
Windows Media Player doesn't do by default—I recommend picking up VLC along with the other things you're busily downloading.
Once you've compiled a hefty stash of desktop programs, you'll want
to make the most-used ones readily accessible, since Windows 8 lacks a
Start button. Cluttering up your desktop with shortcuts is one approach,
but I prefer to pin icons for my most-used programs to the taskbar.
Right-click a program and select Pin to Taskbar to do just that. I use the same trick to pin a Control Panel icon to the taskbar.
Diddling with defaults
Changing your default programs is an important step in exorcising the Metro interface.
Next, you'll want to make those programs the defaults for opening
their associated file types—to prevent Windows 8 from opening files with
the Modern apps that ship with the system. When you launch them for the
first time, many programs will ask whether you'd like to make them the
default; just say yes!
Now either search for 'Default programs' on the Modern Start screen (we haven't banished it yet!) or select to Control Panel > Programs > Default Programs > Set your default programs.
(That's why I like to have access to Control Panel from the taskbar.)
You'll see a list of all of your PC's programs. Click each of your new
desktop programs in turn, enabling it as the default option for its
associated file types. If you didn't download VLC, be sure to enable
Windows Media Player as the default for video and audio files, or you'll
be dumped into one or the other of the Modern interface's slick, vapid
Video and Music apps, whenever you open a media file.
Searches and Start button replacements
Here's where things get interesting. Just how much do you hate the
Modern Windows 8 interface? The answer makes a crucial difference in how
you should arrange to sift through your apps and search your system.
If you absolutely, positively, soul-searingly loathe the new look of
Microsoft's operating system, you'll want to download a program that
restores the traditional Start button to the Windows 8 desktop. That
way, you'll never have to return to the Windows 8 Start screen to search
for specific software or files that aren't already pinned to your
Taskbar or otherwise present on your desktop. Start8 and Classic Shell are excellent options for doing just that—and they give you the option of booting directly to the desktop. Win-win!
After months of using Windows 8, day-in and day-out—both with and
without Start button Band-Aids—I recommend that you swallow your Modern
misgivings in this solitary circumstance. Windows 8 has powerful search
capabilities that rock, and I've come to appreciate them much more than the staid ol' Start button.
Unlike the rest of the Metro interface, the All Apps screen is surprisingly handy even on a PC.
Biting this bitter bullet doesn't mean swimming in Live Tiles,
though. Instead, you can create a desktop shortcut that rockets you
straight to the Modern All Apps screen (or as I call it, my new and more
efficient Start menu).
To do so, right-click on your desktop and select New > Shortcut. Copy and paste the following text into the Location box, and then click Next:
%windir%\explorer.exe shell:::{2559a1f8-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}
Give the shortcut a name—I went with the straightforward "All Apps"—and then click Finish.
At once, a shortcut to the All Apps screen appears on your desktop,
which you can pin to your taskbar if you so desire. The All Apps screen
includes a full-screen list of all the programs on your computer, or you
can start typing the name of a file to initiate a search.
Boot straight to the desktop
After you've set up your desktop programs as defaults and sorted out
your Start button dilemma, you need to configure your PC to boot
straight to the desktop, bypassing the Windows 8 Start screen.
Using Windows 8's own built-in Task Scheduler to bypass the Metro Start screen is a delicious irony.
First, open the Task Scheduler by typing Schedule task in the Settings search on the All Apps screen, or by deep-diving to Control Panel > System and Security > Administrative Tools > Schedule Tasks.
Once the Task Scheduler is open, click Create Task under Task Scheduler Library in the Actions pane. Name your task "Boot to desktop" or something similar. Open the Triggers tab, select New, and choose At log on in the 'Begin the task' drop-down menu at top. Click OK, and then open the Actions tab, select New once again, and enter explorer in the Program/script field.
Save the action and the task, and you're done! From now on, every
time you log in to Windows, you'll automatically jump to the desktop,
where an open Libraries folder will greet you.
Setting up to shut down
Can you taste your future Metro-free life? We're almost there. The
final step involves creating a custom Shutdown button for your desktop,
so that you won't have to "Swipe the charm bar"—the teenager in me just
giggled—ever again.
Right-click any empty space on your desktop, and choose New > Shortcut. Copy and paste the following text into the Location field, and then press Next:
shutdown /s /t 0
On the next screen, name the shortcut "Shutdown" and click Finish.
The shortcut will appear on your desktop, sporting a generic icon. Swap
the icon out by right-clicking the shortcut and choosing Properties. Open the Shortcut tab and click the Change icon button at the bottom. A big list of available icons will appear—I recommend using the Power button icon.
I also recommend placing the Shutdown shortcut far away from any
other files on your desktop. The shortcut shuts your computer down
immediately, without any warning or additional prompts, and it's a major
pain if you click it by accident.
Behold the desktop of a Windows 8 PC well fortified to withstand Metro.
That's it: You've banished the Modern interface from your Windows 8
life! If you've followed all of the instructions above—and opted to go
the All Apps route rather than installing third-party Start button
software—your desktop should look something like the one showwn in the
screenshot. (The folder with the green arrow in the taskbar is the All
Apps shortcut.) Enjoy Windows 8's lightning-fast boot times and
extensive improvements under the hood, without the annoying new
interface.
Extra credit: Buh-bye, lock screen
Still feeling frisky? Technically, the Windows 8 lock screen doesn't
have anything to do with the Modern interface; but it's superfluous on a
nontouchscreen computer, and frankly its default inclusion simply
serves as a reminder of Windows 8's tablet-first design. Terminate it
with extreme prejudice (or at least with some quick configuration
tinkering).
Search for "Run" or press Windows + R on your keyboard to open the Run command. Type gpedit.msc and press Enter. Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Control Panel > Personalization in the Local Group Policy Editor's left-hand menu pane. Click the Do Not Display the Lock Screen option that appears in the main pane, select the Enabled option in the new window, and click OK to save your changes and never see the silly lock screen again.
Microsoft has discontinued Desktop Gadgets feature in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 releases due to some serious vulnerably in Windows desktop sidebar
platform. In Windows 8 and 8.1 versions, gadgets like Calendar and
Weather have been replaced with built-in apps that show information on
the Start screen in real-time.
Users who aren’t very serious about
the security and users who’re not aware of the reason for this move,
have been complaining about the lack of desktop gadgets in Windows 8 and
Windows 8.1.
The
good news is that users who are missing the desktop gadgets feature in
Windows 8/8.1 can now download a free software called Desktop Gadgets Reviver.
It’s
taken a little longer than we were expecting, but finally a good
software is now available to get desktop gadgets feature in Windows 8
and Windows 8.1 versions. Unlike other gadget packs out there for
Windows 8/8.1, Desktop Gadgets Reviver not only adds gadgets to your
desktop but also adds Gadgets entry to desktop context menu and Control
Panel, just like in Windows 7.
Once Desktop Gadgets pack is
installed, it will automatically open Gadgets window that we’re familiar
with. By default, just like in Windows 7, Gadgets window includes a
total of eight gadgets: Calendar, Clock, CPU Meter, Currency, Feed
Headlines, Picture Puzzle, Slide Show, and Weather.
You can drag
one gadget at a time from this window onto the desktop area to add it to
your desktop. The beauty of this gadgets pack is that you can download
close to 1000 gadgets by clicking on Get more gadgets online link.
According
to the developer of Desktop Gadgets Reviver, all gadgets in the gallery
have been tested to work on Windows 8 and Windows 8.1.
As we
mentioned earlier, Desktop Gadgets Reviver pack integrates into the
desktop context menu and Control Panel. That is, you can quickly access
Gadgets window by right-clicking on the desktop, and clicking Gadgets.
The other cool feature is that you can also hide all gadgets on the
desktop by right-clicking on desktop, clicking View, and then clicking
Show desktop gadgets.
Installing
Desktop Gadgets pack is fairly simple. Download the installer (link
available at the end of this article), run the setup file, and then
follow the on-screen instructions to install the pack.
All in all,
if you’re missing desktop gadgets in Windows 8 or Windows 8.1, this is
the best software you can install to get Windows 7-style desktop gadgets
in Windows 8 and 8.1. Desktop Gadgets Reviver pack is fully compatible
with both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 systems.
MetroSidebar is another beautiful sidebar designed for Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 versions.
Change the Windows 8 Start Menu with one of these free apps
Windows 8 delivered a number of major design changes, but none has been quite as controversial as the removal of the Start menu.
Microsoft
claims this was in part because people just weren't using it very much,
but the sheer volume of complaints from users says otherwise, and
there's now a host of tools you can use to get your Start button back.
Some of these are commercial products, and if you're interested in this area, we would recommend you take them for a spin (try RetroUI and Start8) .
You'll
use the Start menu so much that it's absolutely vital to find a program
which is right for you, and spending three or four pounds for a faster,
more comfortable desktop could be a very good deal.
If you're
looking for a free Windows 8 Start Menu replacement, though, there are
some very interesting contenders to choose from - and restoring the
Start button is just part of what they can do. Read on for the best free
Windows 8 Start Menu replacements.
1. Classic Shell
Classic Shell
does an excellent job of restoring the Start Menu to Windows 8. In many
ways it looks and feels just like previous editions, with Search and
Run boxes, a Recent Items menu, a familiar shutdown menu, and more.
You
also get useful extras, like a menu of your Windows 8 apps - so you can
launch them directly from the desktop - and the ability to switch to
the Start screen with a click.
The
menu is just the start, though. Classic Shell will by default skip the
Start Screen almost entirely, so you boot to the desktop.
The
package also provides enhanced toolbars and status bars for both
Explorer and Internet Explorer. And it's highly configurable, so just
about every feature can be turned on or off at will.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. StartW8
Installing StartW8
gives you a Windows 8-style button rather than the usual orb, but click
it and everything else looks very familiar: search box, All Programs
and Shutdown menu, recently launched programs, common system folders
(Computer, Control Panel) and so on.
There are some useful
optional extras, too, including the ability to automatically switch to
the desktop after signing in, and ignore the lower-level hot button
corner.
StartW8
doesn't provide a way to disable the other hot corners, or launch your
Windows 8 apps, though. It looks good and works well, but for real power
you should look elsewhere.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Start Menu 8
As you'll guess from the name, Start Menu 8 is mostly about bringing back the Start menu to Windows 8. And it mostly does this very well.
The menu looked and behaved just as we expected, and you can even choose your preferred Start Button from one of six options.
This
isn't the only tweak on offer, though. The program can also help you
bypass the Start screen and boot to the desktop, and you can even turn
off Windows 8's "hot corners" with a click.
Start Menu 8 still
doesn't have the features of some of the competition - there's no menu
to launch your Windows 8 apps, for instance - but it's still a solid
tool which delivers the basics well.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. ViStart
ViStart
gains major black marks immediately by the way it tries to force
toolbars and browser tweaks on you as a part of the setup process.
It is possible to bypass these "extras", though, and if you manage that then the program works quite well.
ViStart
can skip the Start Screen, booting you to the desktop; you're able to
disable selected Windows 8 hot corners; and the interface is very
configurable (you can choose your Start button, the menu style, decide
which links go where, and more).
The
Start menu itself looks a little different, but it works well enough,
has a fast search tool, and has buttons to display the Start Screen and
your Windows 8 apps (though there's no menu to launch them
individually).
It's a good mid-range menu replacement tool - just be careful during installation.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. Power8
Power8
doesn't add a regular Start orb by default (the button you get is much
smaller), and its Start menu also looks a little different.
The
power options are displayed one above the other, rather than hidden in a
menu, for instance (good for faster access, bad for their heavy use of
screen real estate), and the developers themselves say the "All
Programs" menu is intended to reproduce the "XP & 98" look than
Windows 7.
The
end result is a Start menu which doesn't look quite as good as some of
the competition, and is lacking some Windows 8-specific features
(there's no option to view or launch your installed apps, for instance).
Power8 is reasonably good at the basics, though, and if you like the older Start menu style then it might appeal.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. Pokki
Most Start Menu replacements aim only to reproduce what has gone before, but Pokki is more ambitious - it tries to make something better.
There's
a big smartphone-like area for your favourite apps, for instance. And
it's easy to pin programs there, just by clicking a star icon to their
right.
The Search box is faster, too - start typing and matching apps, files and folders appear immediately.
There's a cascading Start menu; a shutdown button with all the old options, and a button to switch to the Start Screen.
And Pokki even provides a framework to download and install its own apps. Lots of big names are available - Twitter, Facebook, Angry Birds, YouTube and more - and many apps deliver far more functionality than we'd expected. Give it a try.
I’ve already declared my love for Windows 8.1,
and got used to the fact that the Start menu, as we’ve always known it,
is no more. I find the Apps screen pretty much fine to work with
(certainly better than the Start screen), but there are still times when
I miss the ease and speed of launching programs from a Start menu on
the desktop.
If you can’t get on with the Start screen in Windows 8, and the Apps
screen in 8.1 doesn’t really appeal, there are plenty of alternative
Start buttons and menus available to download, either for free or a
nominal amount. One of the most popular free choices is the freshly
updated Classic Shell.
The new release candidate officially supports Windows 8.1 RTM so if
you’ve downloaded and installed this -- either from Microsoft or through
another means -- Classic Shell will work just fine with it.
Other changes in the 3.9.5 release candidate include:
Added animated menu transitions for the Windows 7 style.
Added status bar for Explorer in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 to show the total size of the selected files and the free disk space.
Improved hovering functionality for the Start button.
New feature allows administrators to modify the default settings without locking them.
When you install Classic Shell you’ll be presented with the option to
install four features -- Classic Explorer, Classic Start Menu, Classic
IE and Classic Shell Update. You can choose which elements to include,
depending on your views on Windows 8 or 8.1. For ease, you could just
install them all, and remove any unwanted items later.
Once installed, clicking the Windows 8.1 Start button will open the
Classic Start Menu settings. From here you can choose a style for the
Start Menu -- Classic, Classic With Two Columns or Windows 7 style. This
last one is automatically selected for you.
You can replace the default Start button with alternative options and
make lots of configuration choices. There are 13 settings tabs to
explore, including Controls, Main Menu, General Behavior, Search Box,
Menu Look, Skin, and Windows 8.1 Settings.
Once set up, clicking the Start button will
open a menu just like in earlier versions of Windows, and you need
never see the Modern UI again (although there’s an option to launch the
Start screen at the top of the new Start menu).
If you want to revert back to the 8.1 Start screen at any point, you
can just right-click the Start button and exit Classic Shell.
Windows Explorer — known as File Explorer on Windows 8
— is an application that you probably spend a good amount of time in.
Even Windows geeks that avoid using any other Microsoft program tend to
use Windows Explorer instead of a third-party file manager. But, while
we spend time customizing our browser with extensions, we often don’t
think about hacking our file manager. There are a lot of ways you can
customize Windows Explorer to make your file management experience
faster and more efficient.
We won’t dwell on Windows Explorer’s built-in options here — just the most interesting ways you can go off the beaten track and do things that aren’t obvious.
Add Copy to Folder and Move to Folder
With a quick registry hack,
you can add “Copy to Folder” and “Move to Folder” entries to your
Windows Explorer context menu. You’ll be able to right-click on files or
folders and select the Copy To Folder or Move To Folder options.
Selecting either option will open a window where you can choose your
preferred destination folder, simplifying the file copying and moving
process.
To do this, simply download the .reg file for your preferred option from the Seven Forums website
— either Add_Copy_To_Folder.reg or Add_Move_To_Folder.reg — and
double-click it. Windows will add the information to your registry and
display the options in your context menu.
Edit Your Send To Menu
The
Send To menu allows you to right-click files or folders and easily
perform an operation on them. By default, you can send a document to
your desktop, compress it, email it to someone, and more. But you aren’t
just limited to the options hat appear here by default. Your Send To
menu is actually just a folder, and you can open it to easily add your
own custom shortcuts and delete the shortcuts that already exist there.
To
open the Send To folder on Windows 7 or 8, press Windows Key + R to
open the Run dialog, type shell:sendto, and press Enter. After you’ve
opened the folder, copy shortcuts you want to use to the folder. If you
want to remove shortcuts from the Send To menu, just delete them from
the folder.
Customize Your Context Menu
Windows
Explorer’s context menu, or right-click menu, becomes cluttered over
time as you install more and more software. You can normally uninstall
the associated programs to get rid of their right-click menu entries,
but what if you’d prefer to leave them installed? You can use a tool
like CCleaner to remove options you don’t use from your right-click menu, making it more minimal and less cluttered.
CCleaner doesn’t list all context menu entries — check out our list of ways to remove context menu entries for more information.
On Windows 7, Windows Explorer opens to your Libraries folder whenever you open it. But maybe you don’t use libraries, or perhaps you just use a different folder more often instead.
Microsoft doesn’t make this option obvious, but you can easily change the default Windows Explorer folder to your preferred folder
by editing your taskbar’s Windows Explorer shortcut. Whenever you
launch Windows Explorer, you’ll see the folder you chose. We like making
the Downloads folder the default folder, giving you easy access to your
recently downloaded files, but you should choose whatever folder you
use most.
To do this, right-click the Windows Explorer (or File
Explorer) shortcut on your taskbar, right-click Windows Explorer in the
jump list that appears, and select Properties. Add the path of your
preferred folder to the end of the Shortcut box.
Add Tabs
Apple’s Finder is getting tabs in OS X Mavericks,
and Linux file managers have had tabs for a long time. But Windows
Explorer is still without tabs, even on Windows 8. Internet Explorer was
the last big browser to get tabs, and it seems that Windows Explorer
will be the last big file manager to get tabs — if it ever does.
While you can replace Windows Explorer with tabbed file managers, you don’t have to switch to a new file manager just for this small feature. Third-party tools like QTTabBar can add tabs to Windows Explorer, giving you the ability to have several folders open in the same file browsing window.
Improve File Copying
The
file-copy dialog on Windows 7 and previous versions of Windows isn’t
very good. It’s slow, has trouble dealing with file conflicts, and
doesn’t allow you to pause file operations. If there’s a file conflict
or another problem, the file-copy dialog will stop in its tracks and
wait for your input rather than continuing and dealing with conflicts
later. Windows 8 improved on this, but you don’t have to upgrade to
Windows 8 just to get a better file-copying experience.
To get an improved file-copy dialog, just install TeraCopy
and enable its Explorer integration options. Whenever you copy or move
files in Windows Explorer — either with drag and drop or copy and paste —
TeraCopy will leap into action and perform the file-copying instead.
This effectively rips out Windows’ poor file-copy dialog and gives you a
much better one. You can disable the integration in the future if you’d
like to use the standard file-copy dialog.
TeraCopy also adds
itself to your context menu as an option, so you can launch it only when
you want it and use the standard file-copy dialog most of the time, if
you prefer.
Do you have any other useful tips for hacking away at Windows Explorer? Leave a comment and share them!
I've been using the Edge Theme for some while and find it a nice change from the standard Win8 theme, and more Win7 like. It has a simple grey OSX-like look. I'm using the free StartMenu8 launcher by IObit.com. See my results and a link where you can get the theme.
Shrinking the partition did not work for me, but is an option.
It did work when I created a new partition and installed there at the time of Win8 install.
See my latest post 03-27-13 for this info.
Are you interested in Windows 8, but don’t want to abandon Windows 7
just yet? Well, why not dual-boot Windows 8 and Windows 7, selecting
the operating system you want to use each time you turn on your
computer? This allows you to test Windows 8 while keeping Windows 7
around as an escape hatch if you want out.
This process will
install Windows 8 on its own separate partition, leaving your Windows 7
system intact. All you’ll lose is a bit of space from your Windows 7
partition – just enough to make room for Windows 8. Each Windows
installation will have its own programs and settings, although you can
access each operating system’s files from the other version of Windows.
A Note About Windows Licensing
If you have an Upgrade edition of Windows 8,
installing the upgrade edition in a dual-boot configuration is
technically against the license agreement. Microsoft’s Windows 8 Upgrade
license agreement states that:
The software
covered by this agreement is an upgrade to your existing operating
system software, so the upgrade replaces the original software that you
are upgrading. You do not retain any rights to the original software
after you have upgraded and you may not continue to use it or transfer
it in any way.
If you have a non-upgrade edition
of Windows 8, Microsoft’s Windows license agreement allows you to have
both installed side-by-side.
Prepare Windows 7
Before you
continue, you should ensure you have all your important data backed up.
While this process shouldn’t erase any of your data, it’s always
possible for something to go wrong when resizing partitions and
installing operating systems – better safe than sorry! Download our free guide to backing up and restoring your PC for more information.
You’ll
need to create a new partition for Windows 8. You can do this by
resizing your existing Windows 7 partition to make room. (Alternately,
if you have a second hard drive in your computer, you can install
Windows 8 on that hard drive without shrinking your existing partition.)
To make room for Windows 8, press the Windows key, type Disk management, and press Enter. Right-click your Windows 7 C: partition in the Disk Management window and select Shrink Volume.
Windows
8 will need a partition of at least 20 GB in size, and more is better.
Shrink the Windows 7 partition to make room for the new Windows 8
partition – for example, if you want about 30 GB of space for your
Windows 8 partition, you’d shrink the Windows 7 partition by about 30000
MB.
You’ll
see an amount of Unallocated Space when you’re done. This is the space
where Windows 8 will be installed – leave it be for now.
Start Windows 8’s Installer
Next,
insert the Windows 8 installation disc into your computer’s disc drive
and restart your computer to start the installation process. If you
don’t have a disc drive in your computer, you can put Windows 8’s installer on a USB stick and boot from that.
Note
that you must boot your computer from the installation media to install
Windows 8 in a dual-boot configuration – you can’t start installing it
from within Windows 7.
Your computer should automatically boot
from the Windows 8 installation media when you restart it. If it
doesn’t, press the appropriate key to access your computer’s boot menu
and select the installation media or enter the computer’s BIOS (often by
pressing Delete or F2 during the boot-up process) and change its boot
order. (The required keys are often displayed on-screen during boot. If
you don’t see them, consult your computer’s manual.)
Install Windows 8
When
the Windows 8 installer screen appears after restarting your computer,
go through the installation process as normal. When you see the “Which type of installation do you want?” screen, select Custom – do not select Upgrade or Windows 8 will replace Windows 7 on your system.
On the next screen, select the Unallocated Space we created earlier and click Next.
Windows 8 will now install normally. You can step away from your computer while this process completes.
Dual-Booting
Once Windows 8 is installed, you’ll see the Choose an operating system
screen at boot. Every time you boot your computer, you can choose to
use Windows 8 or Windows 7. To switch from one Windows installation to
another, simply reboot your computer and select the other version of
Windows.
By default, Windows 8 will boot automatically after a few
seconds. If you want to change the default operating system or
configure the timer, click the Change defaults or choose other options option at the bottom of this screen.
You’re now able to try out Windows 8 without giving up Windows 7. For more information about Windows 8, download our free guide to getting started with Windows 8. You may also want to print out our cheat sheets to Windows 8’s mouse gestures and keyboard shortcuts, which you’ll need to get around Windows 8.
Have you installed Windows 8 in a dual-boot configuration
to try it out, or did you go all-in and replaced Windows 7 with it? If
so, what do you think? Do you prefer Windows 8, or do you find yourself
using Windows 7 more often?
