Skip to content

Latest commit

 

History

History
121 lines (62 loc) · 6.39 KB

quickstart.md

File metadata and controls

121 lines (62 loc) · 6.39 KB
layout title
document
Quick Start Guide to using Classic Theme on Windows 8/8.1 and 10

Quick Start Guide to using Classic Theme on Windows 8/8.1 and 10

This is a quick guide to enable and use Classic theme on your Windows 8/8.1/10 installation. If you have issues or need help, please see the section below or if it’s unique, post it in the “Classic Theme Issues” section of the boards.

Please note: Classic theme is deprecated by Microsoft and is no longer supported by them. Many elements have either become broken over the passage of time (e.g. the taskbar in Windows 10, context menus appearing empty) or issues have arisen such as newer programs not rendering properly. In layman’s terms, Classic theme is old, and Microsoft have broken things over the course of development of Windows.

WinClassic is a small community of people that aims to keep Classic theme alive as much as possible. If you decide to you want to use Classic theme on your system, you do so at your own endeavor.

I also ask you read the site rules: https://winclassic.boards.net/thread/2/rules

Methods to Enabling Classic Theme

  1. Simple Classic Theme

    An installer program that installs and configures your Win8/10 system for using CT.

    Compatible with Windows 8.1/10 (Only tested on Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 builds 1809 and up.)

    Link: https://winclassic.boards.net/thread/456/reversibly-enable-disable-classic-simple

  2. ClassicThemeTray

    An easy to use program that allows you to enable and disable classic theme from the notification area in the taskbar.

    Compatible with Windows 8.1/10.

    Link: https://winclassic.boards.net/thread/510/classicthemetray-quickly-toggle-classic-theme

  3. 6sicsix’s Classic Theme Script

    A batch script that configures your Windows 10 install for Classic theme. The script can be edited in Notepad.

    Compatible with Windows 10 builds 1607 and below only.

    Link: https://winclassic.boards.net/thread/204/automatic-classic-theme-script-windows

  4. Enable Classic theme via PowerShell

    A means to enable Classic theme from a Powershell window.

    Compatible with Windows 8.1/10.

    Link: https://winclassic.boards.net/thread/413/reversibly-enable-disable-classic-powershell

  5. Enable Classic theme via Task Scheduler

    A method to enable classic theme by using the Task Scheduler.

    Compatible with Windows 8.1 (Windows 10 untested). Requires ClassicThemeTray.

    Link: https://winclassic.boards.net/thread/43/windows-classic-theme-task-scheduler

  6. Disable DWM

    Most risky method of enabling classic theme. Should only be used if not on Windows 8.1/10 as it has a lot of negative side effects.

    Only use this on Windows 8 as this will break other versions.

    Link: https://winclassic.boards.net/thread/121/classic-theme-dwm-disabler

Tweaks and Additional Software

Taskbars

  1. Simple Classic Theme Taskbar

    A classic taskbar aimed at replicating the original Windows taskbar in Windows 9x/early NT versions. Feature rich; skin support, as well as a host of customization options. Included as part of SimpleClassicTheme.

  2. RetroBar

    An alternative classic taskbar project. Extremely authentic, but lacks a lot of features SCTT has. Also has the benefit of being standalone.

    Link: https://github.com/dremin/RetroBar

  3. ReactOS Taskbar

    “Port” of the (older) ReactOS Explorer’s taskbar to Windows by Spitfire_x86. Has it’s fair share of issues, and is obsolete nowadays.

    Link: https://winclassic.boards.net/thread/177/reactos-taskbar-win10-desktop-classic

  4. Classic Taskbar Skin for StartisBack

    Highly detailed and authentic replica skin of the Windows 7 classic taskbar, by Spitfire_x86. Skin for the program “StartisBack”, which is commercial.

    Link: https://winclassic.boards.net/thread/280/classic-taskbar-superbar-startisback

Issues and Workarounds:

  1. The right click menu is showing up blank with no text and really small! What do I do to fix it?

  2. The task manager isn’t showing! How do I get to show?

    Modern task manager isn’t compatible. You either need to use a third party one such as Process Explorer, or you can install the older Windows 7 Task Manager.

    Process Explorer: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/process-explorer

    W7 Task Manager: https://winaero.com/get-classic-old-task-manager-in-windows-10/

  3. I can’t change my startup programs anymore!

    The modern Task manager included the feature to customize what Start up programs you have running, and yes, as stated above, that is not working under Classic theme. Workaround is use the old MS Config tool, which is also included with the W7 Task manager by Winaero: https://winaero.com/get-classic-old-task-manager-in-windows-10/

  4. Some Control Panel links show up as “The page failed to load”. Any fix?

    Yes, some Control Panel items fail to work when Classic theme is enabled. To fix them, you need to use a Resource editor (like Resource Hacker) and manually replace the resources themselves. See this thread: https://winclassic.boards.net/thread/459/fixed-control-panel-pages-win8

    Tested to work on Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 1607.

  5. The Windows taskbar is missing text and is all glitched out on Windows 10 sometimes. Why?

    That’s what’s left of the old, original taskbar; the usual one W10 uses places itself over the old one. Microsoft have broken the taskbar when it’s run in classic theme and that’s what you’re seeing when Windows bugs out. Simply put, it’s best to just use an alternative taskbar altogether. See the “Taskbar” portion of the “Tweaks & Additional Software” section of this guide for more information.