Enable Start Orb and Start Menu in Windows 8 Consumer Preview

27 Replies

One of the biggest changes in the Windows 8 Consumer Preview is the Removal of Start Orb along with the Good o’l Start Menu with it,a move which was said to be necessary to emphasize on the Metro UI and the new Start Screen Page with Tiles making it more touch friendly.

But with many likings for the new Metro UI also come many dislikes as well.So for those who don’t like to use the Metro UI and those who want to bring back the Start Button along with the Start Menu,ViStart is the way to go.It was initially  designed for bring  the Windows Vista’s Start Menu to Windows XP,but it also works for the Windows 8 versions as well,thanks to the recent updates to the software.

Here’s how to do it,

  • First of all download the Vistart app make sure that you skip the additional optional downloads while installing the app).
  • After installing the app you will get the Start button on the taskbar,but it will overlap with the first pinned taskbar icon.

As you can see the Start button overlaps the Internet Explorer icon to fix that issue,you have to create a new toolbar using the following steps,

  • Create a New Folder on Desktop as shown below.

 

  • After Creating the folder  you need to Right Click on the Windows Taskbar >Toolbars >New Toolbar to create new toolbar  from the menu.

 

  • Browse through the  newly created folder and select the folder.

 

  • Now right-click on the  taskbar and uncheck “Lock The Taskbar”option from the menu.

 

  • This will unlock the Taskbar so now you can move the “New Folder” Taskbar element anywhere on the Taskbar,so position the element to the Start Orb.

 

  •  Now right click on the taskbar element “New folder”  which is under the Start orb and uncheck the  “Show Text” and “Show title” in the menu.

Now you have the Start Button and the Start Menu running on your Windows 8 Consumer Preview  :)

Courtesy:[AskVG]

  • Nitutiwari39

    how can i get windows 8 ?

    • Amit

       U see thrs something called “download the software from owner’s site”…U can map the analogy to find Windows 8 on Microsoft site…who knows U may be lucky to get it for free!! :)

    • Chapin516

      If you can’t get Windows 8… count your blessings!  Metro totally S**KS

  • Far

    …or just use the new startscreen. It is better!

    • Fejiosjf

       gtfo.

  • Garyperera

    Hopefuly this will be a standard feature in retail I really don’t like the metro ui

  • Pdw98

    Sagar, you are my hero.

  • Humungus

    Thank you for the tip !

  • http://www.askvg.com/ Vishal Gupta

    Thanks for putting it here and for the credits. Much appreciated. :)

    • Horsedick

      It’s a crapware full of spywares. Shame on you.

  • Koopakiller

    i like the metro ui and use the desktop :(

  • http://www.facebook.com/benred25x6 Ben Laurence Ledesma

    erm. not goin back to that… 

  • Fifique

    Awesome tip. Thx!!

  • Fifique

    Is there a way to use Auto Hide the Taskbar with this? It works well if the Taskbar is always visible but when I use Auto Hide, the Start orb stays on my Desktop.

  • Testest

    Thanks for the guide. Finally all those bitching about metro or not having a start button / menu and shut up.

  • robert

    this is not really enabling the start menu like in the developer preview but adding all that functionality because it is not there normally.

  • gisabun

    Don’t bother with ViStart. Tries to install Babylon. even if you don’t want it, it installs the toolar. Also installs other crapware. Even worse, it installs something called tango.exe. Unsure what it is but if you remove it, ViStart still works. So more crapware/malware.
    The program itself is buggy. Why is OE in the menu?

  • Tmcd6371

    I like the new version but I can’t get my CDROM or sound card to work!

  • http://www.facebook.com/tony.cue Tony Cue

    I can live with metro but not without the traditional start menum thanks for the guide. Worked perfectly for me, only did the first step in the guide, there is no overlap of the start orb for me.

    • Mike Kozdron

      the real problem is metro doesnt truely allow you to multi task, i love having two web pages open at the same time or reading a webpage on one screen while watching movie on the other, or watching movie on one half and reading something on the other half….metro i havent been able to do it.  Metro is a tablet phone os and should be shot dead right now,  only pcs it “works” on is touch.

  • JonM

    I am going to stick with the Start screen as I intend to upgrade to a tablet when the RTM version is released.  However, better customisation would be a bonus.

  • mccay_a

    Wont be using this as it full of crap, but also shame on Microsoft for removing the start menu, just when I was getting used to the new UI.

    Did Microsoft actually test there new UI ( Try using a dual screen genius and attempt to hover over the new hot corners. ) Yip – Epic Fail.

    After all there marketing ” I am A PC….. Blah Blah )  I am not a freaking phone. Stop trying to treat my desktop as one.   If they bring back the start menu then I can live with Metro. You do get used to it. ( After all we went through the same complaining when we moved form classic start menu to Windows Vista, but removing the orb was totally wrong move.

    mccay_a

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  • Akakashkumar15

    It did not ovrlap…..

  • Chapin516

    Unfortunately it’s a watered down version of the start button/menu at best.  The real issue is I shouldn’t have to depend on 3rd party software to make my opsys usable and/or tolerable.

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  • ThemadGuest

    OMG

    Many thanks to you?!???!!