By If you want to enjoy the Metro UI and the Windows 7 Start menu functionality in Windows 8, then read on as this post will tell you what you have to do in this matter. In order to use both the Metro UI and the classic Windows 7 Start menu in Windows 8, you’ll need a program that is named 7Stacks.
This program will practically give you the possibility to have “stacks” of icons on your Taskbar. You can group related icons into a single one and thus reduce the icons clutter. This program is needed in order to create a Start menu that is in the Windows 7 style.
So, here are the steps you will have to follow in order to use both Windows 7 start menu and Metro UI in Windows 8:
1. The first thing to do is to make sure that your hidden items are shown. So, open Windows Explorer, select any folder you want and click View Tab. You can click on the arrow that is on the right side to see the rest of the groups.
2. In the Show/Hide group, there’s a Hidden Items check box. Make sure you check it. After you do that, you will have to double-click on the .exe file that you have downloaded in order to run the installation of 7Stacks.
02_turning_on_hidden_items
You then might see the “Windows protected your PC” message. If you do, then click the More Info link and then hit the Run Anyway button.
3. Now when the installation begins, make sure you follow the instructions on each screen of the setup wizard.
7Stacks can be used to create other stacks besides the Start menu stack you’ll see here. If you want to make things easier, then you will have to check the Create a desktop icon box when the Select Additional Tasks screen appears.
4. Before 7Stacks finishes to install, you will have the possibility to choose if you want 7Stacks to start immediately after you exit the setup wizard.
05_select_additional_tasks
5. When the program starts, you will have to click the “…” buton that is on the right sideof the “Folder to use for stack” edit box.
6. The next thing to do is to go to the Browse For Folder dialog box and navigate to the following folder. After that, make sure you select it and then hit OK.
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
7. Now, in the Caption edit box, you will have to enter a title that will appear as the text on the shortcut you create. Once you do that, choose an option from the Stack-Type drop-down list.
8. You will then have to select an icon for the shortcut. To do that, you will have to click the “…” button. You will find it next to the Icon edit box.
9. By doing so, you will get to the Change Icon dialog box. Here, you’ll have the possibility to select one of the multiple icons available in the default selected .dll file. After you select one of them, click OK.
10. You will have to accept the default values for the rest of the options (at least this is what we did). After that click Create Shortcut on Desktop.
11. You will see that the stack has been successfully created at the bottom of Create a new 7stack window.
12. Now you’ll have to drag the shortcut you’ve just created to the Taskbar.
13. A classic style Start menu will appear when you click on the shortcut you’ve put on the Taskbar. Next to this classic style Start menu, you will also find Windows 8 Metro UI-style Start menu.
The downside of this menu is that you won’t be able to use the search functionality. That’s about all! You can now enjoy the classic-style Start menu.
Source: howtogeek
