a less 'pretty' theme

[Lewis]

I finally moved my home theatre PC to windows 7 and I am looking for a
theme that is very basic, has folders oriented the right way, and looks
quite basic. The only screen is a projector, and all the built-in
themes look like crap on it, even after turning off the translucent
effects and setting the background to solid black.

Really, the close I can get it looking to my plainb-vanilla
stripped-down Window XP (which was running, I think they call it the
'classic' theme) the better.

Also, even at 'small icon' size the icons are about twice the size they
were in XP. Anything I can do about that?

 

[Jeff Layman]

I finally moved my home theatre PC to windows 7 and I am looking for a
theme that is very basic, has folders oriented the right way, and looks
quite basic. The only screen is a projector, and all the built-in
themes look like crap on it, even after turning off the translucent
effects and setting the background to solid black.

Really, the close I can get it looking to my plainb-vanilla
stripped-down Window XP (which was running, I think they call it the
'classic' theme) the better.

Also, even at 'small icon' size the icons are about twice the size they
were in XP. Anything I can do about that?

Right click on a clear area of the desktop. Select "Personalize". This
will bring up the Control Panel.

Scroll down to "Basic and high contrast themes" and select "Windows
Classic" (you will have to scroll down to see this on a laptop).

Or choose bottom left option "Desktop background solid color".

Make any other changes you want.

 

[Dave \Crash\ Dummy]

Right click on a clear area of the desktop. Select "Personalize". This
will bring up the Control Panel.

Scroll down to "Basic and high contrast themes" and select "Windows
Classic" (you will have to scroll down to see this on a laptop).

Or choose bottom left option "Desktop background solid color".

Make any other changes you want.

And you can carry that a step further by installing Windows Classic Shell:
http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/

 

[Jeff Layman]

And you can carry that a step further by installing Windows Classic Shell:
http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/

It says "Fully customizable in both looks and functionality" on the
"Features" page for WCS. Do you happen to know if it is possible to
change the appearance so that "Programs" is at the top (and not "Default
Programs" and "Windows Update")?

There's a new beta (4.01) out for Classic Windows Start Menu (web page
with some missing graphics at
http://coreaffinity.megabyet.net/classicwinstartmenu.htm). I haven't
tried it yet, but it seems to include the only useful thing in the Win7
Start Menu - the Search box.

 

[Dave \Crash\ Dummy]

It says "Fully customizable in both looks and functionality" on the
"Features" page for WCS. Do you happen to know if it is possible to
change the appearance so that "Programs" is at the top (and not
"Default Programs" and "Windows Update")?

I don't understand the question. I use the Classic Windows Menu, and I
don't see what you describe. "Default Programs" and "Windows Update" are
on a submenu of "Programs." They are in alphabetical order by default,
but they can be dragged into any order you want. See snapshot:
http://crash.thedatalist.com/temp/menu.png.htm

It has been awhile since I set Classic Shell up, so I don't remember
everything I did, but I was pretty ruthless about "unpinning" stuff.

There's a new beta (4.01) out for Classic Windows Start Menu (web
page with some missing graphics at
http://coreaffinity.megabyet.net/classicwinstartmenu.htm). I haven't
tried it yet, but it seems to include the only useful thing in the
Win7 Start Menu - the Search box.

I don't do betas, and I use Agent Ransack for searching, so I don't know
how much use a search box on the start menu would be. I'll wait for the
Final Release.

 

[Dave \Crash\ Dummy]

Ah, I did not see that category.


I already did that. Background is solid black (the only reasonable
choice on a projector, I think).

Depends on the audience. Animated paisley was always a big hit in my
crowd.

 

[Jeff Layman]

I don't understand the question. I use the Classic Windows Menu, and I
don't see what you describe. "Default Programs" and "Windows Update" are
on a submenu of "Programs." They are in alphabetical order by default,
but they can be dragged into any order you want. See snapshot:
http://crash.thedatalist.com/temp/menu.png.htm

You have "Scripts" and "Portables" above "Programs" (see
http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/features.html for a similar setup
with "Default Programs" and "Windows Update" above "Programs"). My
preference is to have "Programs" at the top of any "Classic" menu when
it first appears after clicking on Start.

It has been awhile since I set Classic Shell up, so I don't remember
everything I did, but I was pretty ruthless about "unpinning" stuff.

I've just tried the 4.01 beta, and I can't get "Programs" at the top in
the way that I can with the 3.2 final! The Search box doesn't seem to
work properly either. I'll try to report back to the author tomorrow.

 

[Dave \Crash\ Dummy]

You have "Scripts" and "Portables" above "Programs" (see
http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/features.html for a similar setup
with "Default Programs" and "Windows Update" above "Programs"). My
preference is to have "Programs" at the top of any "Classic" menu
when it first appears after clicking on Start.

Ah. Now I understand. I don't think it is possible. "Programs" is a
special folder like "Settings." I think they are hard wired into the
lower section of the menu. Where there's a will, there's a hack, but I
am not brave enough or driven enough to look for it.