Windows XP Start Menu

scottishtv · Thu 01 Apr, 2004 20.51

Hi guys. I realise it's a little rude to ask for help in my first post on these forums, but I could use some help with a minor annoyance. Basically, I don't really like the XP 'tellytubby' style, so I switched to Classic Windows for folders etc.

However, I do like the new style Windows XP start menu which I find really useful so have left this option switched on. My menu now looks like this below:

What I find really annoying is the italics that my name is in at the top. Anyone know how I can stop this being in italics? I've already tried Display Properties>Appearance Settings but to no avail.

Oh, and finally... please don't suggest I use another OS...

Any help, much appreciated.

Chris · Thu 01 Apr, 2004 22.43

scottishtv wrote:Hi guys. I realise it's a little rude to ask for help in my first post on these forums, but I could use some help with a minor annoyance. Basically, I don't really like the XP 'tellytubby' style, so I switched to Classic Windows for folders etc.

However, I do like the new style Windows XP start menu which I find really useful so have left this option switched on. My menu now looks like this below:

What I find really annoying is the italics that my name is in at the top. Anyone know how I can stop this being in italics? I've already tried Display Properties>Appearance Settings but to no avail.

Oh, and finally... please don't suggest I use another OS...

Any help, much appreciated.

What I also find annoying is that in Classic mode with the new start menu the shut down and log off buttons have lost their XP style colour and look awfully out of place with the other high colour icons on the start menu.

James Martin · Fri 02 Apr, 2004 10.58

Why do you want to use Classic anyway? The new interface is so much more easier on the eye.

MarkN · Fri 02 Apr, 2004 11.10

Flava wrote:Why do you want to use Classic anyway? The new interface is so much more easier on the eye.

scottishtv wrote:Basically, I don't really like the XP 'tellytubby' style, so I switched to Classic Windows for folders etc.

Does that answer your question?

Dr Lobster* · Fri 02 Apr, 2004 11.32

scottishtv wrote: What I find really annoying is the italics that my name is in at the top. Anyone know how I can stop this being in italics? I've already tried Display Properties>Appearance Settings but to no avail.

Oh, and finally... please don't suggest I use another OS...

Any help, much appreciated.

Hello Scottishtv.

I don't have a way to stop it being italic, but there is a way to hide it althogether.

This is how you do it (this will not work with Windows XP Home):

Start -> Run -> gpedit.msc

Drill down to: User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Start Menu and Task Bar ->Remove User Name from Start Menu. Double click it and select Enable.

If you do have Windows XP Home, you can change this by modifying the registry directly, off hand I don't know where the key is, but i'm sure you can find out by googling.

MarkN · Fri 02 Apr, 2004 12.04

Dr Sigmund Mohammad wrote:If you do have Windows XP Home, you can change this by modifying the registry directly, off hand I don't know where the key is, but i'm sure you can find out by googling.

Is this it?

http://support.microsoft.com/default.as ... US;q292504

cwathen · Fri 02 Apr, 2004 14.57

The reason it looks so crap is that Microsoft have gone out of their way to turn the classic interface into an undesirable option - it's not quite the old interface, more a slightly inferior clone of it. The ugly way the start menu looks without it on (eg there is no earthly reason why the user name has to change to Bold Italic and loose it's picture) is just one example.

They've even started spreading it to other applications now - if you display the task pane on an Office 2003 application, with the 'luna' interface, you get a nice Microsoft Office logo at the top of it to access the online service, with the classic interface you get 'Microsoft Office Online' as a text link - again there is no reason why this should happen other than they are trying to make the old interface unattractive.

Whilst we're discussing the start menu, does anyone know how to change the recent programmes list into a static list? I do quite like having that list there for commonly used programmes, but I'd much rather be able to define a static list rather than have it dynamically generate itself.

Dr Lobster* · Fri 02 Apr, 2004 15.38

cwathen wrote:Whilst we're discussing the start menu, does anyone know how to change the recent programmes list into a static list? I do quite like having that list there for commonly used programmes, but I'd much rather be able to define a static list rather than have it dynamically generate itself.

Right click the task bar. Select Properties.

Click the Start Menu tab.

Click Customize.

Set the number of programs on the start menu to 0.

Pin the applications you desire on the list by right clicking the shortcut on the start menu or desktop and select Pin to Start Menu.

James Martin · Sat 03 Apr, 2004 16.38

Quite frankly, it just looks like Windows 2000 with the Classic interface on - it just seems, well, bland! It's a 9 year old interface for a start and a very bland one at that,

MarkN · Sat 03 Apr, 2004 17.17

Flava wrote:Quite frankly, it just looks like Windows 2000 with the Classic interface on - it just seems, well, bland! It's a 9 year old interface for a start and a very bland one at that,

...but there are some people who still like it (or more likely, who hate the new-look interface).

James Martin · Sun 04 Apr, 2004 17.01

I wonder why they never thought of a "Classic Interface" for Windows 95! Is there actually a Windows 3.1 skin available somewhere? I do believe there is a Powertoy or something like that where you can make Windows ME or 2000 look like XP, though of course, I may be wrong.