Classic Shell: Forum

Hello, the "Classic start menu" works great, except sometime it simply disappear and I need to change the screen resolution and then back to original resolution to see it again.
I'm using Desktops from Microsoft (sysinternals). This is working great with it in general but it might be link to the issue

(So if the bar disappear on one of the virtual screen, I need to go to this virtual screen and change resolution, then back and the bar appear again, if it did disappear on 2 virtual screens, then I need to do this for each screens )
thanks

Which Windows OS are you using Sysinternals Desktops on? On Windows 7, you have to launch C:\Program Files\Classic Shell\ClassicStartMenu.exe manually for every desktop. For Windows 8 and Windows 10, upgrade to the latest Classic Shell, which is version 4.2.1 as of this writing, so the Start menu will launch automatically on newly created Desktops.

_________________
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.

I'm using windows 8.1 and I have been using 4.2.1 (I try to keep it up to date)
Yes it starts automatically for each of the 4 desktops but after few desktop switching sometime "classic shell" just isn't visible anymore, the 4 processes are there but not all the shell are visible anymore.
Sometime when this happen only the first shell (desktop 0) is visible but the 3 others shells (desktop 1 to 3) are not visible (the 4 classicStartMenu.exe processes are there though)
Right now my computer/class shell is doing it!

Are you saying that the start button is not visible?
Check with a tool like Process Explorer if ClassicStartMenuDLL.dll is loaded inside the Explorer process for that desktop.

Yes the start button and the full bar just disappear (but the processes are there for the 4 desktop, even if only 3 are visible)

Note: For info, I have another machine with win 7 and desktop (from sysinternal), I do not have "classic shell" on it and that doesn't happen. Windows bar and start are always there.

Here you go (I attached a picture of the dll loaded and the processes running)

I hope that gives some clues....Sometime the bar + buttons can re-appear but it seems to happen only after I left my computer (so it log off automatically and then when I log in back they might re-appear...)

Also powering on/off a display port monitor make the bar + button coming back (that doesn't work with an hdmi monitor)
The DP (vs HDMI) for to change the screen resolution, I guess this is why.

Have you been able to reproduce the issue?
Let me know if you inf a fix or if you need me to run a test
Sincerely
w

Is it possible that the button is hiding behind the taskbar? Try using a larger custom button that exceeds the size of the taskbar.

Hi Ivo, when this happen, basically the task bar and the button are not visible at all.
I think this never happen to the main desktop (desktop 1) but only on desktop 2, 3 and 4


To work around this I need to either:
1- go to desktop 1 and work from there only (ignore desktop 2 to 4)
2- or change the screen size, this seem to make the bar and button reappear
3- or power on/off a DP (Display Port) screen (that change indirectly the screen size this is why this work)

Note: this do not happen on win 7 with the windows native bar+buttons, but only on windows 8 with the classic shell.....
I tried on 4 different computers, same thing on all of them, after switching few times of desktop, the toolbar+buttons disappear on desktop 2 and or 3 and or 4

I hope this help

Sincerely

w

Oh, if the taskbar disappears, not just the button, then it might not be related to Classic Shell. Try uninstalling Classic Shell and see if the taskbar disappears from secondary desktops.

I have what seems to be a similar thing going on. I use a DisplayPort monitor attached to a KVM switch. When I switch from one system to the other, the Classic Shell Start button doesn't work right until I turn the monitor off and back on. It doesn't completely stop working, but if I click in the extreme lower/left corner, I get the native Start button rather than the CS Start button.

sounds like hot-corners are the problem, Try with a custom button that is large enough to cover the entire bottom corner?

Thanks, but that didn't help.