There is no need to create any scheduled task or startup entry. Classic Shell installs a service on Windows 8 which loads early at startup before logon and shows the desktop as early as possible. Which is show it manages to show the desktop so quickly without delayed loading of the startup items that happens for other startup programs on Windows 8.
This version--and the last one, for that matter--start via a service. Just look in Services to see. It may have been like that for quite a long time, I don't know, since I only started using it as of W8CP.
Ah, I'm blind! Thanks. But still, evidently the service has nothing to do specifically with what bypasses Metro, since it works no matter what way you start Classic Shell (if you don't install it and just run it from Startup or a scheduled task). Just an interesting note.
It is the service that starts it early at startup. The problem of it not starting up reliably was fixed with 3.5.1. Believe me because I'm on the Classic Shell team. Of course if putting it in the startup folder will also make the desktop show although much slower because Windows 8 artificially delays startup items by about 5-10 seconds. The service is running even before you login so that's how it slaps Metro hard and takes you to the desktop.
Previously, with v3.5.0, which was the first version I used, I didn't actually install Classic Shell, so I was used to having a shortcut to it in the Startup folder, so I think that's why I never had a problem with it not starting reliably, although that wasn't why I did it. I didn't see the service because most of my tests were in VMWare Workstation, and after I actually installed it on my physical PC, I forgot that I never rebooted so the service wasn't running of course. Once I rebooted and looked again, of course, it was there. Thanks for your work on Classic Shell!
I have tried ViStart as well. Looks fantastic but lacks the ability to suppress the Metro screen at the moment. The great thing about Classic Shell is the fact that you can configure it to your own liking and of course you only see the Metro screen for a second on start up, then it goes straight into desktop. Have opted for a menu based on the Metro theme and a Win 7 start button.
@Morrisman, though the thing for me about Classic is its independent search system. Instead of using the great one built in to Win7/Win8, it has some kind of less-capable one that's not really sufficient. Also, while I understand that you can make Classic actually look like the Win7 one (like ViStart does automatically), it doesn't happen merely by choosing Win7 in its prefs. You have to find and install a particular skin apparently, and I'm not sure where that is, are you?
Yes, the skin from ASKVG.com will give you a sort of Win 7 look. I use the start button file from this skin
I just use Metro's search system if I need the indexed search, and I don't think under Classic Shell v3.51 that you need an externally supplied skin anymore, although you could still use it if you want. I use the built-in "Windows 7 Aero" skin and the built-in Metro button. I used to use a separately supplied Start button which looked like Windows 7's, but now that the RTM's here I don't mind being reminded that I'm not using actual Windows 7, so I want the Start button to look different, but you can get or make your own if you want.
Question Please does that option (in Classic Shell v3-5-1) "Skip Start Menu" work without the option "Enable Start Button" checked? It seems to me, that it doesn't... You said, you are from developer team, so... ...could you please fix that? ...or (even better), could you make the standalone component from "Skip Metro" option...? ...this option doesn't have any logical connection with start menu button...
Hello This tool is great and works really well, I found all the necessary features of a machine pc, because Metro is totally unfit for work on a PC. Even with a touch screen, imagine the sore arm after 2 hours! A big thank you to the author
works very well but right click doesn't work too well and I cannot delete or rename like how i do in Windows 7 probably because of its limitations in Windows 8. But good software nevertheless.