I searched the topic but didn't find any reference to the arstechnica review of this product which brought me here.

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/158666-start-is-back-133/page__view__findpost__p__1026879

Thanks, Tihiy!

Yeah, I would guess that people who change the default behavior of DEP to be in the minority - not that it shouldn't have been corrected but it's no surprise that it didn't get noticed sooner.

Thanks for the suggestions, I've looked into DisplayFusion and UltraMon in the past, when Windows had even less multi-monitor support. They're great, but I've realized that my normal day-to-day workflow doesn't require most of their functionality, especially now that Windows has added taskbars to each monitor.

At this point, I simply am looking for a good start-menu replacement that will also replicate itself on each taskbar. I used ClassicShell for a while (which can do this), but, again, it has more than I need along with the fact that it isn't near as native a solution as StartIsBack. StartIsBack is perfect for my needs so far, and having it on every monitor would be icing on the cake.

Ah, thanks for the clarification. You make me want SiB to do this even more than I thought!

Thanks for this! It's the best Start Menu replacement/enabler on Win8 I've tried. Any plans to add the start button to all taskbars in a multi-monitor setup? I've got three monitors, but it only shows up on the primary display. Which is expected as that is what Windows7 and previous do. But it sure would be convenient to have it on all displays.

Not at all to discourage Tihiy from going down that road, as Microsoft seems to always be about five to ten years behind in some of the bells and whistles that really smooth over the computing experience, like tabbed browsing and built-in download managers, and of course multi-monitor taskbars and Start Menus. I've been using multiple monitors for at least eight or so years, and with Windows 8, they've finally added some more support for multi-monitors.

In the meantime, there are at several if not many commercial programs for doing what you want. Maybe you already know this but are looking for SiB to do this, too, anyway. IMHO, the creme de la creme is DisplayFusion by Binary Fortress Software. It can be intimidating, but you don't have to dive into any features you don't want to, while at least taking advantage of it's basic function(s) immediately, but it's got a LOT of function and it does it well.

I've heard/read good things about Actual Multiple Monitors but haven't tried it.

UltraMon is another touted one, but the last time I tested it a couple years ago, I still preferred DisplayFusion. YMMV.

I don't know if there exists any free solutions right now.

I think I had found a WIKI list of multiple monitor support programs which had a matrix of features they have, and could help you decide which ones to try. Or maybe that was software KV(M) switches I found the matrix of features?

Also, as a plug and technically OT for something I thought looked interesting but haven't tried yet. http://mizage.com/windivvy/

Some of this capability *might* be built into DisplayFusion, but I haven't really used that so far if it does, and I'm on my laptop right now elsewhere and don't have DF installed at the moment.

Windows 8 Pro x64 - no problem. DEP on and it works fine.

Windows 8 Pro x86 - With DEP on, after the install of SiB and I logon I get nothing but a black screen.

I had just did multiple tests but didn't have time to report yet; in VMWare Workstation under Windows 8 Pro x86, every time I turned DEP to "all programs and services", and rebooted (I already had SiB installed), I got a black screen after automatic logon set in VMWare's settings. I'm sure it'd be the same without automatic logon, as well, but haven't tested it yet.

Have you confirmed that before SiB is installed on x86 with DEP fully on that it doesn't give a black screen already?

StartIsBackCfg.exe doesn't play nicely with DEP unfortunately, it crashes.

If you have DEP selected for "all programs and services" (not the default), then you might have to exclude StartIsBackCfg.exe from it. I believe this was mentioned early in the development, but as users have to manually change from the default DEP setting to this, it would probably be considered "normal" behavior to have to exclude it from DEP if DEP isn't set to the default "for essential Windows programs and services only".

Attached is my shortcut zipped up.

I can't see any attached zip.

Sorry, forgot to hit a button.

Windows Update.zip

Hi i wrote an email to your Tihiy, but i dont know if you seen it anyways here goes look the picture for tweaks and bugs fixed i want to see in startisback which will make it feel like win7 100% !

For Windows Update, I just have a shortcut which I drag to my All Programs folder (I might've had to put it on my Desktop first because of rights, and then drag it from there).

You might be able to make the shortcut yourself, pointing to

%windir%\system32\wuapp.exe startmenu

with

%windir%\system32

as the starting folder. Attached is my shortcut zipped up. Or you can search for it in the Start Menu, right-click it, make a shortcut from it, then put it where you want.

It would also be nice to be able to save the settings for all users at once (all the same), as an option.

That's probably impossible (settings are stored in Registry, and you don't normally have access to other user's hives - Windows doesn't even load them until they log in), while changing the defaults should be possible.

Ah. Then maybe save the settings to the common hive everyone has access to, and any new user accounts made / or current user accounts without customized Start Menus (no settings in their own hive) default to the common hive?

It would also be nice to be able to save the settings for all users at once (all the same), as an option.

Does anyone else have problems with renaming icons that have been pinned to the start menu? I right click the icon, go to properties and then change the name of the icon on the General tab. After doing this the name of the icon changes but clicking the icon no longer runs the program.

I *think* (someone correct me if I'm wrong) that you have to create a shortcut file to the program in question, rename that, and then pin the shortcut?

I should also mention I run all 3 pc's with the Windows Search service disabled (UAC disabled, too). Maybe this has something to do with the blank page icon issue?

Only trying would tell for sure. I don't turn any of those things off anymore (I used to under Windows XP and Vista). Obviously not UAC under XP.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Stay tuned for 2013. Version 1.4 will bring some Modern UI integration.

Improvements for enterprise and individual users are also planned.

Merry Christmas!!! Happy and safe New Year to you and your loved ones!

Thanks for the update, and I'll buy a business license sometime soon.

1. I have checked the option to keep only modern apps in start screen. This has mainly worked. But tiles for Google Chrome and Internet Explorer remain in the Start Screen.

IE and Chrome both have Metro/Modern UI versions as well as Desktop. I think that's normal behavior. As far as I know, only the browser that's set to default can be used in the Modern UI.

I downloaded the StartIsBack V 1.3 RC1, and install it, but unfortunately the problem still there

File is definitely fixed on server, try downloading with another browser.

I hate to say that but I downloaded it using firefox and then using internet explorer and that makes no difference.

I don't know if any body else facing the same issue ?

I am very sure that issue will be solved soon

Cheers

I just updated to v1.3 RC1 (#2) and all three options when right-clicking the "All Programs" lead to different results for me exactly like they're supposed to. Try creating a new temporary user account, install it fresh under that account, and see if it has the same problem, then report back here.

I thought so too, but that does not happen when selecting the added icon and pressing 'Apply'.

The only thing happening is that the icon is applied; no message about resizing to fit the taskbar.

Actually I was thinking it would ask when you add it to the list, not when actually applying it, but guess not either way. Do a search of this thread because I know this has come up before; someone might've even posted their blank Start Orb, and I would guess someone said how to select not to resize. Maybe it's not to resize when creating the Start Orb???

If you add 1x3 empty png without 'resize to fit the taskbar' option checked, you will get no space for orb. I'll look into adding this option in future versions.

Sorry, but where (and how) can this option be changed?

Right-click Start Menu Orb, choose "Properties". Choose "Appearance", then "Add" the start button you created. I'm just guessing that when you go to add such a small start orb, it asks if you want to resize to fit the taskbar.

I also can't reproduce this. I first added the Address tool bar, then rebooted, it was still there, so I added the Desktop and Links toolbars as well, rebooted and it was still there. I tested with v1.2.1 in VMWare Workstation since that's what you were running when you had the problem.

No I didn't know that, Man thanks!. That's pretty nice to know.

You're welcome!

Well, I've been using this. and I have to say I love it!. I want to say thanks for this great piece of software!

Anyways Enough of the praise you already receive enough

Well I have a most likely dumb question. Is there anyway I can like temporally turn the start menu off and bring back the hot corner for the start screen?

I'm just curios that's all.

You can't turn it off but did you know that if you middle-click (click the scroll-wheel) the Start Orb, it'll open the Start Screen? Only if you don't change the default behavior of the scroll-wheel click, though.

Using it for 10 days and loving it. The only (minor) problem I have is that most of the time, when using the search box, the search results will not have their icon but a 'blank page' icon. The proper icons will only show if I move or hover the mouse pointer over them, or move the selection with the keyboard arrows. Problem remains in 1.3RC0.

I haven't seen this issue yet and can't reproduce it.

Thanks for the update. The new installer caused most tray icons of running applications (security software, Yahoo Messenger etc.) to disappear. Sign out/in was necessary to get everything back. Tested on Win 8 x86.

Not duplicated here, everything came back to my surprise. Windows 8 Enterprise x64

Thanks Tihiy for the update!

Edit: FYI this was an upgrade from v1.2 RC 2.

Tiihy, someone taking a shot at Start Is Back here.

Tobin's statement *might*, technically, be true. Whether MS would consider it worth it to do anything about it, however, who knows. It's his opinion, everyone has their right to have one. At least he didn't express his negative opinion in the SiB thread.

Not sure if it has been reported already, but if you stop on an item with a jumplist, wait for it to show, and then move to another item - when jumplist closes, the item beneath the cursor loses focus if it has no jumplist.

Reproduced.

Someone *had* made an executable (might have been a batch file turned into an executable) which I was able to pin to the right of the Start Menu and click to get to the Apps screen during early testing of SiB, or when I was using Classic Shell before, but now that program opens the SiB Start Menu. I keep middle-click as middle-click, however, so it's not a problem for me.