Classic Shell: Forum

How can I achieve this "look" with Classic Explorer or other tools? Classic Explorer provides all the toolbars and functionality, but the look is still broken for me - the File menu isn't at the top etc.

I found the original Windows 98 Explorer on the Microsoft site here in this CAB but it doesn't run on Windows 7.

Ideally I would love Windows 7's shell and explorer to work exactly like Windows 98. Simple, clean and efficient.

The menu bar can't be on top in Explorer. You can use an application like Microangelo On Display (Trial) or some other freeware icon changer to change the folder and My Computer icons back to 98 era. Quick launch can still be turned on. The toolbar icons of Explorer aren't icons, they're bitmaps. You will have to extract them from Shell32.dll using Resource Hacker and make them into icons (or get them somewhere on the web if someone already made them as icons) and then specify them in Classic Explorer's toolbar. Look on Deviantart for classic or Windows 98 visual styles for modern Windows. To use a visual style, you will need UxStyle installed. Finally, for the 98-style Start button, set Classic Shell to use the classic button and use the icon from Windows 98's Winver.exe.

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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.

Qjimbo I really 100% agree with you and wish classicshell had a "98 clone" option. XP classic shell is what classicshell should strive for, and it cloned 98 look and feel. The square start, file at the top, etc. is what I'd also need before donating. (Alternatively I'd offer a bounty to get those features.) Of couse, one could just run xp, but support for xp is dying off.

In response to the request to put the file menu at the top, GauravK claims,

"The menu bar can't be on top in Explorer."

GauravK, do you work at the pto? They similarly said in denying a patent for the airplane, "The construction is regarded as inoperative for the purpose intended and therefore not useful within the meaning of the patent law. No successful attempt has yet been made to rise from the earth’s surface by means of an aerial vessel unprovided with a balloon." (In re Mattullath, quoting a US patent examiner’s rejection dated March 10, 1900.)

Jason Taylor

It is also said that with sufficient thrust pigs fly just fine, however it is not a commercially viable mode of transportation.
Meaning, sure, with sufficient effort you can put anything anywhere, however that effort borders on implementing Explorer clone from scratch. I choose to spend my time on other projects.

"I choose"

Fair enough, but I'd argue you should have ideally written something like, "I won't put the menu bar on top in Explorer," instead of something that you now agree was incorrect.


Regarding replacing explorer with a version written from scratch, like xplorer2 (http://www.zabkat.com/x2lite.htm), or an older version of explorer.exe from XP, I think it is a pretty fertile area to consider exploring. In some ways I guess xplorer2 is a competitor to classicshell. Does anyone know of a page that discusses options like these?

Jason Taylor

Note that I am not the person who stated that it was impossible.

It is that there are enough technical problems that make it improbable. For example if the menu bar is above the address bar that puts it on the glass area of the window. Menu bars don't work on glass without considerable persuasion.

There is nothing incorrect about my statement. In Windows Explorer, there isn't a way to put the menu bar on top. Explorer's source code is under Microsoft's control and it's not easy to modify every behavior of it. I didn't say there was no way to put the menu bar on top of a custom third party file manager. So it's not a matter of "won't" but "can't". Unless an entire File Explorer clone is written from scratch, which will be a massive undertaking.

_________________
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.

Sorry for the delay here, but thanks for the replies and explanation why this isn't possible - for now at least. I might look into that XP Explorer idea you mentioned jasontaylor7 - I wonder if that would work, since that is closer to the Win98 look.