Classic Shell: Forum

The last 2 Windows 8.1 updates tried to update but couldn't. I removed Classic Shell, tried again with no problem.

This has happened to the most recently installed version of Classic Shell as well as the last version I had installed.

The system is a desktop Dell XPS that is about 4 months old.

After the Windows system update I re install Classic Shell and it performs fine as before.

Anyone know if this might be fixed?

Another update this morning. I tried right clicking and exiting but that didn't help. Windows 8.1 will not update with Classic Shell running.

Which components of Classic Shell do you have installed?

This is indeed strange because in 6 years, no one has reported this. Classic Shell does not even touch operating system files on the disk or interfere in any way with the updating mechanism of Windows. It is like a regular app. It does not depend on Windows Start menu code and the Explorer addons do not modify any system files. If you think a particular component of Classic Shell is preventing updates e.g. Start Menu or Explorer, try disabling it. For the Start Menu, you can right click the Start button and exit it. For Explorer addons, you can disable them from Internet Options Control Panel -> Programs tab -> Manage Addons. Then try the updates.

You may discover that it was just a coincidence that your updates failed to install when Classic Shell was installed. You can 100% sure that there is nothing in Classic Shell to prevent Windows updates from failing.

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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.

How does it fail? Do you see an error message?

What happens is I get the Windows notification of an update. I select restart and Windows goes through the motions of updating. It seems to me it tries it twice.

Then I get the message that Windows could not update and will go back to previous state.

I reinstalled for the third time and again another failed update. Removing and updating was fine.

I continue to install Classic Shell after the update. Outside of this issue it works fine.

Jim T

Just did another Windows 8.1 update. This time Windows updated fine........with Classic Shell still installed!!!

I have been trying to upgrade to 8.1 ever since it was released. I get the message "Couldn't install Windows 8.1. We couldn't update the system reserved partition."
Is this a result of having Classic Shell installed?

No. Classic Shell doesn't do anything with partitions.
If you suspect Classic Shell is the problem, you can of course uninstall it and try again.