Is there anyway to get the XP start menu in Vista? Be in a hack, theme, visual style, 3rd party, reg mod, or whatever. What I really want is a Start Button (not a frelling orb) and a start menu that expands (cascades), getting the XP colors (luna blue or royal) would be nice but a secondary consideration. I have been playing around with WindowBlinds, but none seem to be able to do the expanding menu thing, and some other theme/visual style things I have tried (mostly from http://www.deviantart.com) I havent gotten to work (and none of the pics show expanding menus anyway...so I am not sure there is actually a solution there anyway). I have also seen "vista start menu" but that basically just reverts to the classic menu but with Vista colors, but then goes ahead and add other elements...not what I am looking for. I actually want 1) A start button, 2) Two collumn start menu and 3) Expanding menus. I have seen billions (I'm exaggerating, but only a little) of hacks, themes, etc...that will make your "XP just like Vista", but nothing that will replicate the XP look, feel and action in Vista. I realize the way XP and Vista handles this type of thing is different, but surely I am not the only one who feels this way (and lets not even get started on that horrible "ribbon" thing in Office 07). Any insight is greatly appriciated. Thank you.

Straytoasters

i know exactly what you mean... i dislike the program menu also

and i dont like the classic view of the start also

i went back to xp cause it takes me longer to get a simple task done in vista, cause of the personal menu setup and tring to find a different folders, other than the personal download folder during a download.

i found my self making 11 or 12 different shortcuts to program folders and and document folders.

maybe some it will be fixed in the performance fixes in sp1.. i hope anyway

i have already got to the point of liking vista even know its a memory hog.. but my computer rate 5.4 on it but the menu really gets on my nerves

You could try Object Bar:

http://www.stardock.com/products/objectbar/

It already comes with a XP-like start menu.

I don't know if it works but if it does you should get what you wanted.