[SOLVED] Back to windows after 14-15 years confused

[Gaogier]

Hello

so, after xp, I stopped using windows after a short stay with vista. Anyway I went to macOS and found it a dream until my MacBook Pro died (logic board issue) I decided instead of buying the new Xbox, I would build my self a simple gaming pc to upgrade as time goes instead of buying a new system (console) every few years.

I have got myself an iPad for many things but I can’t really play halo and battlefield on it, so I built a pc. I decided to spend a little more on the spec and not get windows 10 yet else I would be paying for more hardware sooner (advised by many).

I got windows a few months ago, downloaded halo and other games, but have a few problems, one is my mouse and the other is windows 10.

main Problem with windows 10 is that it’s very different to what I am used to, from the start button to finding new hard drives, I am sure windows so was a dream to use, and I could personalise it easier. Anyway is there away I can make my pc more like windows xp, have no tile type things, have “my computer” in the start up menu and easier to personalise as before?

 

[Colif]

you might want to use Classic shell - http://www.classicshell.net/downloads/

 

[kerberos_20]

tiles u can hide, just righ click them to unpin it from start menu, u can do single tile or whole group of tiles
do that untill theres no tile, then once u reopen start menu, its all gone 😛

as for going to your drives from start menu...lets see
open start menu, on left side there are icons for documents, pictures etc, right click on any of them and select "Personalise this list" and turn on File Explorer, u can turn on/off other locations if u donw like them there
then go to File explorer, in top select File -> Change Folder and Search options, in that General tab which just opened, change Quick access to "This PC", then click OK

 

[gardenman]

Classic Shell is no longer updated or supported. Another author took over for it and has released Open Shell. I recommend using it instead. Download from here: https://github.com/Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu/releases

It has a WinXP Styled Start Menu called "Classic Style" which should help you out.

 

[Colif]

That is why I showed you the link, I wasn't sure about shells as I don't use them.

 

[gardenman]

Open-Shell also allows you to modify the Task Bar. You can set it to any color, or use a custom image. You can use a custom Start Button.

Here's how mine looks:

You can find a bunch of custom taskbar images on the old Classic Shell website (it's forums) that Colif linked to above.

Another trick that I use to make my system "more XP like" is a program called T-Clock. It allows you to modify the clock on the taskbar to pretty much anyway you want. You can bold things, use different types of times/dates, different colors, etc.
https://github.com/White-Tiger/T-Clock/releases/tag/v2.4.4#492-rc
(Why does GitHub have to be so difficult to navigate? It always takes a ten minute search to find a download link.)

 

[Math Geek]

+1 more for classic/open shell. quick and easy to make it look like win xp or 7 with the click of a button.

of course every time windows updates it puts back the win 10 one and you have to open the program and reselect the older look. annoying but not impossible to deal with.

 

[USAFRet]

Or, just like learning a basic Linux GUI, or moving from Win98 to XP to Win 7....learn the slightly different ways Win 10 looks and works.

 

[Gaogier]

Thank you, it’s been easier to use, but can I somehow get control panel link up on the start menu? I don’t remember seeing it.

also, how do I get windows to “fit” better on my tv screen, everything else (bios and Linux) seem to align perfectly.

 

[kerberos_20]

Thank you, it’s been easier to use, but can I somehow get control panel link up on the start menu? I don’t remember seeing it.

not really? control panel has been replaced with settings, there isnt much in control panel left, most of it has been ported, u can create shortcut i guess to it, but u can access those old unported features which still remains in control panel through various settings

also, how do I get windows to “fit” better on my tv screen, everything else (bios and Linux) seem to align perfectly.

gpu driver settings or tv settings - overscan/resolution amd and nvidia have both tv support for fitting screen
which can be configured differently...so which gpu u have?

 

[USAFRet]

Thank you, it’s been easier to use, but can I somehow get control panel link up on the start menu? I don’t remember seeing it.

I have mine pinned to the taskbar. Right click and you get all the Control Panel applets.
But most of its functionality has been subsumed into Settings.

 

[Gaogier]

I have, XFX Radeon RX 580 8GB Video Card

 

[Math Geek]

another option to get to all those settings is what is called god mode.

How to use God Mode in Windows 10 | TechRepublic

God Mode is a handy way to access multiple Windows commands in one single window. Here's how to use it.

www.techrepublic.com

this puts everything in one folder in one place so you can see it all. they keep moving everything around to the point you can't find anything. i've been using windows since version 1 literally!! and i have to constantly google where stuff is for win 10 cause they keep hiding it and moving it around.

at least god mode makes it easier to find some of those "common" settings that can be hard to find now.

 

[Gaogier]

another option to get to all those settings is what is called god mode.

How to use God Mode in Windows 10 | TechRepublic

God Mode is a handy way to access multiple Windows commands in one single window. Here's how to use it.

www.techrepublic.com

this puts everything in one folder in one place so you can see it all. they keep moving everything around to the point you can't find anything. i've been using windows since version 1 literally!! and i have to constantly google where stuff is for win 10 cause they keep hiding it and moving it around.

at least god mode makes it easier to find some of those "common" settings that can be hard to find now.

I know, thats what I keep having to do, where is this or that... so confusing but I should get used to it more I use windows as said in a previous post.

 

[kerberos_20]

I know, thats what I keep having to do, where is this or that... so confusing but I should get used to it more I use windows as said in a previous post.

most things u looking for u can just search inside, its user friendly

 

[mdd1963]

Ten minutes of putting the things you want/commonly use in the task bar, or, on desktop shortcuts, then 30 minutes of getting used to using the search bar, where the first few characters of a lesser used apps/setting pull it up in the shortcut list, and, Win10 will be second nature...

 

[Gaogier]

is it possible to keep certain apps running in the background, like twiiter, facebook etc I close the window and it closes the application, which is not what I am after to be honest, I want to know things without having to check my ipad or iphone for things like new messages coming though,

 

[kerberos_20]

is it possible to keep certain apps running in the background, like twiiter, facebook etc I close the window and it closes the application, which is not what I am after to be honest, I want to know things without having to check my ipad or iphone for things like new messages coming though,

chech that app settings if they offer minimize to tray when closing

 

[Gaogier]

I am finding windows easier now thank you.

on macOS, ios there is an option to save passwords and usernames/emails. Does windows have something similar?

 

[USAFRet]

I am finding windows easier now thank you.

on macOS, ios there is an option to save passwords and usernames/emails. Does windows have something similar?

Browsers have an Export feature. Generally, the whole user profile the browser knows about, incl whatever passwords it has saved.

 

[Gaogier]

Hello, I have noticed that chrome does save te passwords in the browser and shares them with my iPads chrome but I use safari on my ipad I am thinking that if windows saves passwords wouldn’t it be better as I can switch browsers easier saving me to export passwords between browsers?

 

[USAFRet]

Hello, I have noticed that chrome does save te passwords in the browser and shares them with my iPads chrome but I use safari on my ipad I am thinking that if windows saves passwords wouldn’t it be better as I can switch browsers easier saving me to export passwords between browsers?

Chrome syncs between Chrome.

Edge does not sync with Chrome does not sync with Firefox does not sync with Safari.

Windows doesn't save the passwords, the browsers do, in their own ecosystem.

 

[Math Geek]

you're best bet is to use the same browser between all the devices so you can carry over your data between them. i use firefox and with it's buklt in syc feature all devices have the same info. bookemarks, passwords and so on.

if you like safari use it everywhere or whatever browser you like.

 

[Gaogier]

I have just read that Apple have added keychain to chrome as an extension.

 

[Math Geek]

i actually use lastpass for my password manager. i only sync bookmarks and such through firefox.

that's available on all the platforms as well. it's nice to have all my passwords in one place so i can get to them from any device.