What is ViStart?

 

ViStart is Start Menu replacement that works with Windows  XP or modern systems like latest Windows 10!
This application is here for a long time, I remember back in 2007 it was very requested as fully working Windows Vista Start Menu with real search bar.

During time ViStart evolved to version 8.1.5208 compiled 14.2.2016.
After long delay was 31.3.2021 released version 8.1.5254 and Lee Chantrey decided to make it Open Source and released source code on GitHub

Now I created fork 26.1.2023 with v8.1.5254 and during my testing I realized many features that I need are  unfinished or missing. For example even with fully translated Language file translation in app was incomplete.

3.2.2023 I have released v8.1.5258 as my latest attempt to improve ViStart to another level. I started with my changes with my first release at 28.1.2023 with v8.1.5255

To make installation easy as possible I have created two silent installers for ViStart. One which handle application that is installed to %ProgramFiles% and one which extract skins related files to %AppData%. You need both of them to launch ViStart. These links always points to latest version it can be updated frequently than official release on GitHub.

I have done various improvements to the code. Here is list of main changes, for more details see changelog.

• Improved translations, every visible element under Windows XP / Vista / 7 host can be now translated using Language.xml
• Added new context menu in "Navigation Pane" on custom items - Open, Rename and Hide
• Added new context menu to "Computer" - Manage and Search
• Added new context menu to "Computer" / "Network" / "Control Panel" - Show on desktop / Hide from desktop
• Added new context menu "Explore" when browsing All programs to be able open whole folder
• Removed ViPad context menu when ViPad is not running or not installed. No more "online" feature in context menu
• Realigned all items in Control Panel to make UI more clear
• Added new option to change Skins Rollover icons similar to Start Orb Skins settings
• Updated application icon with older better one from v1.6 era
• Non existent "Frequent programs" / "Pinned programs" loaded from settings.xml are not displayed
• Added 18 optional items than can be displayed in "Navigation Pane" from settings.xml

• Added Libraries, Downloads, Printers and Faxes, Set Program Defaults, Search support for settings.xml

• - Windows XP related options are set as default in settings.xml

• - Added Games folder support which points to %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs\Games - this is not dynamic and on each XP language you need to manually fix this path in settings.xml if would like to use this option

• - Windows Vista / 7 options Libraries, Downloads, Games, Help are commented out, you need manually fix settings.xml on other systems than XP / 2003

• Added Windows XP Luna Blue, Windows XP Luna Olive, Windows XP Luna Silver, WIndows XP Embedded, Windows XP Zune, Windows XP Royale, Windows 8 Beta Concept, Windows Vista, Windows Vista 5270 Skins

• Added option to control "Navigation Pane" display items limit, see Windows 8 Beta Concept Skins layout.xml

ViStart translations are now really unfinished as everything is now translatable. But I adapded all languages founded over internet and all of them are included. Feel free to improve current translations or provide new one! Every language have all needed strings inside to make it easy for you, translators!

Brazilian
Czech - 100%
Dutch
English - 100%
French
German  - 90%
Hebrew  - 100%
Italian
Korean
Polish
Russian
Spanish
Turkish

Download

ViStart-all.exe

https://www.mediafire.com/file/bgra4u1jgh02v1j/ViStart-all.exe/file

ViStartSkins-all.exe

https://www.mediafire.com/file/a2tw9bj6pph2my4/ViStartSkins-all.exe/file

Preview

Currently included Skins

Windows 7 Start Menu

Windows Vista

Windows Vista 5270

Windows XP Luna Blue

Windows XP Luna Olive

Windows XP Luna Silver

Windows XP Royale

Windows XP Zune

Windows XP Embedded

Windows 8 Beta Concept

Ideas and improvements that come in future releases

Windows 11 support
Skins SubSkins support - Skins creator can specify Skins variants, like different Start Menu size or Light / Dark mode etc. 

I have currently implemented these changes which were accepted by author to merge into main ViStart branch.

Changelog

ViStart v8.1.5258
[*]Removed broken fix for bug 2] in "No programs match the search criteria" is never displayed "No programs match the search criteria" is never displayed #10 as it caused issues
[*]Removed start_button.png depency in FileCheck, now can be loaded skins without start_button.png
[*]Added new option to select custom Rollover, place _rollover directory near _skins and put your favourites rollovers inside
[*]Updated Language files with latest strings
[*]Updated default settings.xml
[*]Added support to display "Search" option in Start Menu
[*]Increased settings.xml items limit to 18
[*]Added Windows 7 Rollover
[*]Added default Start Orb
	ViStart v8.1.5257
[*]Fixed "Files" string translation doesn't work "Files" string translation doesn't work #8 - "Files" string translation doesn't work #8
[*]Fixed Bug 2] "No programs match the search criteria" is never displayed "No programs match the search criteria" is never displayed #10 - from "No programs match the search criteria" is never displayed #10, Bug 1] still remains
[*]Fixed incorrect translation loading on ViStart Control Panel for "strStartViStart" and "strStartWinMenu"
[*]Improved "Pinned programs" loading from settings.xml, non existent items are not displayed
[*]Improved "Navigation pane" limit again. 17 items are choosable and are parsed from settings.xml, now in Each Skin's layout.xml can be specified limit which should hide items that can't be displayed. For example user preconfigure 15 items to be displayed in Start Menu "Navigation Pane" in settings.xml. But I have specified in My Skin layout.xml which will hide 4 last incompatible items when is performed Skin change. User can always break this rule when manually selecting Start Menu default items visibility. This tweak is here to improved initial skin load to avoid buttons overlap
[*]Realigned almost all items in Control Panel to make UI more clear
[*]Changed various English labels according to UI polishing
[*]Added option to disable Splash Screen
[*]Added Turkish + Polish translation created from old various finds
[*]Updated all languages with all needed strings
[*]Added Windows XP Luna Blue Skin, Windows XP Luna Olive Skin, Added Windows XP Luna Silver, WIndows XP EMbedded, Windows XP Zune, Windows XP Royale, Windows 8 Beta Concept, Windows Vista, Windows Vista 5270 Skin - Start buttons needs to be created, feel free to improve these Skins I'm not graphics guy. In many Skins are correct credits. For some themes I don't know from where was found original images that was touched when adapting for ViStart 8.1!
[*]Added fixed connect.png to Windows 7 Start Menu roolover instead of Homegroup icon
[*]Added PNGs for Printers, Downloads, Libraries and Userfolder rollover to Windows 7 Start Menu
	ViStart v8.1.5256
[*]Removed "Recent" word from Skins/Windows 7 Start Menu/startmenu_expanded.png
[*]Removed ViStart.manifest
[*]Added ViStart.exe.manifest
[*]Updated application icon with older better one from v1.6 era
[*]Improved "Frequent programs" loading from settings.xml, non existent items are not displayed
[*]Increased limit from 12 to 17 items in Start Menu "Navigation pane"
[*]Added Libraries, Downloads, Printers and Faxes, Set Program Access and Defaults support for settings.xml
[*]Added new default settings.xml into main directory and RES
- Windows XP related options are defaults
- Added Downloads folder support (Downloads folder must be placed in CLSID {450D8FBA-AD25-11D0-98A8-0800361B1103} know as My Documents , so this is dynamic for all languages when you create Downloads folder
- Added Games folder support which points to %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs\Games - this is not dynamic and on each XP language you need to manually fix this path in settings.xml if would like to use this option
- Fixed Help and support option
- Windows Vista / 7 options Libraries, Downloads, Games, Help are commented out, you need manually fix settings.xml on other systems than XP / 2003
[*]Added all needed strings to all language files. Fully translated in only Czech.xml until translators finish other languages
	ViStart v8.1.5255
[*]Improved translations, every visible element under Windows XP host can be now translated using Language.xml
[*]Added new translatable elements into all available languages
[*]Added Czech.xml
[*]Added new context menu in NavigationPane on custom items - Open, Rename and Hide
[*]Added new context menu to "Computer" - Manage, Search
[*]Added new context menu to "Computer" / "Network" / "Control Panel" - Show on desktop / Hide from desktop
[*]Added new context menu "Explore" when browsing All programs to be able open whole folder
[*]Added Windows XP Luna Blue theme
[*]Removed ViPad context menu when ViPad is not running or not installed. No more "online" feature in context menu
[*]Removed More themes and More Orbs online buttons. No more "online" features from Settings
[*]Realigned buttons on Style configuration page
[*]Realigned elemens on About page and added current build visibility
[*]Updated settings.xml with new defaults
[*]Fixed "No skins available", if doesn't exist %APPDATA%\ViStart use current EXE dir if _skins folder exist there

Edited May 12, 20242 yr by George King

ViStart updated to v 8.1.5258, topic rewritten a lot

Skins pack was updated. Windows XP Zune Skin contain now new proper XP start button by @UsefulAGKHelper

Thank you very much. I will use it for windows 8+. I hope you will update it for windows 11 someday 

Edited February 5, 20233 yr by shelby

1 hour ago, shelby said:

Thank you very much. I will use it for windows 8+. I hope you will update it for windows 11 someday 

Lee is working on that right now, it will be probably soon.

 

@shelby I hope you can create Greek translation aswell!

Edited February 5, 20233 yr by George King

ViStart v8.1.5258 with Windows 10 22H2 x64

 

See various combinations. For example XP related Skins have XP Start Orb, so you need to select your own from included one or find other compatible Start Orbs. I have collected over 500 new which I need to test and rename before I add them into Skins package.

 

 

 

 

 

Main ViStart package was updated with German translation and new Hebrew one.

 

New link in first post

I'm really satisfied with this new release of ViStart. Thank you so much.

@mina7601 Btw, I'm partially involved in improving some of the designs made by others for the ViStart start menu designs. 

I'm also open for feedback regarding that btw.

Edited February 6, 20233 yr by UsefulAGKHelper

can you add classic theme for 8+

Edited February 6, 20233 yr by shelby

This looks cool, might try it on 8.x next install I do, or on XP/Vista.

On 2/6/2023 at 2:26 PM, UsefulAGKHelper said:

@mina7601 Btw, I'm partially involved in improving some of the designs made by others for the ViStart start menu designs. 

I'm also open for feedback regarding that btw.

Yes, of course, I am aware of that. My feedback is, I like them. 

Edited February 7, 20233 yr by Guest

great job @George King and @UsefulAGKHelper on this wonderful project!

Edited February 7, 20233 yr by legacyfan

so what are the prereqs to run on xp.

Edited February 10, 20233 yr by Destro

5 hours ago, Destro said:

so what are the prereqs to run on xp.

You just need to run both ViStart-all.exe and ViStartSkins-all.exe. ViStart's installation folder is at C:\Program Files\ViStart. You don't need any Visual C++ redists or .NET Frameworks to run ViStart.