Classic Shell: Forum

I uninstalled Classic Shell 4.0.4 from Windows 8.1 update1 (italian version) but the system was not restored as it was before:

1. The Win-X button do not work. It does nothing.
2. Right-Click the Win button does nothing.
3. Cannot pin nothing to the taskbar.

The problem affects all users both normal and admin, both old and newly created ones.

What to do?

Cybernauta

What happens when you click on the start button?
How are you attempting to pin stuff to the taskbar?

When I click the start button it only toggle the desktop view to the apps view. No other function.

I tried all possible methods to pin programs to taskbar with non success.

Anyway: right click the program icon then "Add this program to the taskbar" (in italian: "Aggiungi questo programma alla barra delle applicazioni")

What to do to restore Windows to it's normal state?

When Classic Shell was installed, a System Restore point gets created.
1. Open C:\Windows\system32\SystemPropertiesProtection.exe and start System Restore. See if that Restore Point is available (when Classic Shell was installed).
2. Restore your system to the time before Classic Shell was installed.

_________________
Links to some general topics:

● Compare Start Menus

● Read the Search box usage guide.

I am a Windows enthusiast and helped a little with Classic Shell's testing and usability/UX feedback.

Interesting suggestion... So I should lose everything done after classic shell installation (software installations, configurations, etc)...

FYI no restore point was created by classic shell installer.

If you do not have any other suggestion it means that classic shell cannot be uninstalled on Windows 8.1.

Regards.

Of course Classic Shell can be uninstalled. However in your case that didn't fix the problem, so we are looking at alternative solutions.
There is nothing in Classic Shell to affect the function of the Win+X menu if the start menu is not running. There is nothing in Classic Shell to affect the ability to pin programs to the taskbar.
Most likely it is some system corruption caused by something else. That's why a system restore has a chance to fix it. Another thing to try is to open an admin command prompt and use the command "sfc /scannow" to check if any system files are corrupted.

I suggested System Restore as an easy way to revert in case you haven't installed other programs. Note that Classic Shell does not do permanent modification or patching of Windows in any way. All its changes can be reversed and are automatically USUALLY reversed by running the uninstaller. In your case something has gone wrong. Follow these instructions to remove Classic Shell (I assume you are running 64-bit Windows 8.1, if you are running 32-bit, then simply omit the 64-bit commands):

1. Open an elevated command prompt and type the following commands:
Regsvr32 /u "C:\Program Files\Classic Shell\ClassicExplorer32.dll"
Regsvr32 /u "C:\Program Files\Classic Shell\ClassicExplorer64.dll"
Regsvr32 /u "C:\Program Files\Classic Shell\ClassicIEDLL_32.dll"
Regsvr32 /u "C:\Program Files\Classic Shell\ClassicIEDLL_64
Regsvr32 /u "C:\Windows\system32\startmenuhelper64.dll"
Regsvr32 /u "C:\Windows\syswow64\startmenuhelper32.dll"

Exit the command prompt.
2. Log out of your system once and log in again.
3. If the Start Menu is running automatically, exit it by this command from the Run dialog:
"C:\Program Files\Classic Shell\ClassicStartMenu.exe" -exit
3. Now delete the folder C:\Program Files\Classic Shell\ and the above Classic Shell related files in C:\Windows\system32, syswow64
4. Open Registry Editor and go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\IvoSoft and delete that IvoSoft registry key. (This step deletes the settings stored in the Registry). Repeat it for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\IvoSoft.

That's it. That will uninstall Classic Shell. This may not remove the Windows Installer entries but if your system is screwed up and it cannot be uninstalled, this will disable all Classic Shell functions.

If your Windows 8.1 is not working correctly despite that, something else broke it because Classic Shell does not modify operating system files on-disk, nor does it touch Windows system/registry settings.

Actually yours is a rare care of uninstall failure. Usually it uninstalls fine for most users.

_________________
Links to some general topics:

● Compare Start Menus

● Read the Search box usage guide.

I am a Windows enthusiast and helped a little with Classic Shell's testing and usability/UX feedback.

1. the suggested admin command "sfc /scannow" was the first thing I've performed when I uninstalled classic shell.
The command do not find any problem in the system, no damaged files found.

2. to try the list of suggested commands I should reinstall classic shell ????

If the above files/folders are not present, then Classic Shell is already uninstalled. Whatever broke in your Windows is caused by something else because Classic Shell does not touch Windows files on the disk or settings. It is like a standalone Windows app, it doesn't hack into Windows. When its files are removed, its effect on Windows will be completely reversed, it can't break Windows functionality because it does not modify it in the first place.

_________________
Links to some general topics:

● Compare Start Menus

● Read the Search box usage guide.

I am a Windows enthusiast and helped a little with Classic Shell's testing and usability/UX feedback.