New Version of ExplorerPatcher

hdmi · Jul 16, 2022

chip222 said:
So nice to hear that POV compared to the usual thread hijack with the why not try linux meme :)

My first OS was MSX-DOS, so I'm bias. lol

CurlyBlonde · Jul 17, 2022

Hi , I'm sorry to bother , it's my first time here and I dont know where else to ask , I'm having this issue with the ExplorerPatcher program. I installed the latest version off GitHub from the developer , simply clicked the ep_setup.exe file that downloaded , then the taskbar turned into this, it's still usable , I mean i can still acces the programs, it's just the notifications and the start menu / button don't work anymore and if I right click the taskbar I dont get any options , just the cog wheel and the rest is all blank .

Is there anything that I need to enable or install to make it look right ?

I've used ExplorerPatcher for a while back and EP was working perfectly , but then I ran some sort of anti malware program / script called Tron that kinda messed up my computer , and ever since , ExplorerPatcher got messed up even if Windows updated several times after that.

My computer is running on Windows 11 the insider preview version as you can see in the image attatched and I dont have any other UI tweaking programs installed , just wanted to use the ExplorerPatcher to move the weather widget on the other side next to the clock and not have it pop up a huge fricking window whenever my mouse hoovers over the weather icon and block half of the screen.

If there's anything that can be done, please let me know, I really do appreciate it.

Thank you in advance.

chip222 · Jul 17, 2022

If there's anything that can be done, please let me know, I really do appreciate it.

Hi, I know that EP is not supported with the Insider Previews as it is difficult to keep it working with all the tweaks that MS make in those builds. It is expected that some things will not be working even with the latest version of EP and any Insider build.
I am not experienced enough to say if all the issues you are having with EP and the notifications and the start menu buttons are expected (miss) behaviour but that may very well be entirely why rather than a defective anti malware script.

I am managing to use the Taskbar part of Start All Back with the Start Menu part of Explorer Patcher with the latest Release Preview build which I just tried out today after a bit of playing around to get them to work together.

But then sadly if you do this you lose the EP weather widget which is what you require

CurlyBlonde · Jul 17, 2022

Yes, I really do like that little weather detail on the task bar and I loved using EP for it's different functionalities but I was stupid and went ahead and used that script without knowing what it does and now I'm trying to fix whatever it broke in windows so that I dont have to start from scratch and reinstall windows all over again.

I really do blame that script though as the change happend instantenuous after i've run it and I've tried explaining the issue on their sub redding in the hopes that they know some fixes and they helped with some stuff cose like I said, the script really messed my PC badly , but nothing for the Explorer Patcher to get it to look right again .

So , anything besides reinstalling windows is appreciated.

chip222 · Jul 17, 2022

chip222 said:
I am managing to use the Taskbar part of Start All Back with the Start Menu part of Explorer Patcher with the latest Release Preview build which I just tried out today after a bit of playing around to get them to work together.

Just a note to save anyone trying this. The EP Win 10 Start menu stops working when you upgrade to 22H2

DavidXanatos · Jul 18, 2022

SAB is great EP is greater, but forcing MSFT to fix it for good would be best, hence please sign his petition:

Sign the Petition

Windows 11 Taskbar - Bring back "Never Combine" and "Combine when full"

www.change.org

Anixx · Jul 18, 2022

CurlyBlonde said:
View attachment 34283
Hi , I'm sorry to bother , it's my first time here and I dont know where else to ask , I'm having this issue with the ExplorerPatcher program. I installed the latest version off GitHub from the developer , simply clicked the ep_setup.exe file that downloaded , then the taskbar turned into this, it's still usable , I mean i can still acces the programs, it's just the notifications and the start menu / button don't work anymore and if I right click the taskbar I dont get any options , just the cog wheel and the rest is all blank .

Is there anything that I need to enable or install to make it look right ?

I've used ExplorerPatcher for a while back and EP was working perfectly , but then I ran some sort of anti malware program / script called Tron that kinda messed up my computer , and ever since , ExplorerPatcher got messed up even if Windows updated several times after that.

My computer is running on Windows 11 the insider preview version as you can see in the image attatched and I dont have any other UI tweaking programs installed , just wanted to use the ExplorerPatcher to move the weather widget on the other side next to the clock and not have it pop up a huge fricking window whenever my mouse hoovers over the weather icon and block half of the screen.

If there's anything that can be done, please let me know, I really do appreciate it.

Thank you in advance.

Given that your tray has frame around, it looks like you enabled Classic theme mitigations in the advanced options.

CurlyBlonde · Jul 18, 2022

Anixx said:
Given that your tray has frame around, it looks like you enabled Classic theme mitigations in the advanced options.

Yes it does look like a classic theme but I dont have any on, i tried setting one on, it doesnt make a difference, set it back to off , the effect is still there and wont go away .

Anixx · Jul 18, 2022

EP does not enable Classic theme. If you want classic theme, follow this guide:

Windows Classic theme on Windows 11 and Windows 10 1903+ | WinClassic

Here is a tutorial on how to use Windows Classic

winclassic.boards.net

CurlyBlonde · Jul 18, 2022

Anixx said:
Given that your tray has frame around, it looks like you enabled Classic theme mitigations in the advanced options.

Without EP the tray area still has a thin line around it however I dont have any High Contrast / Classic themes enabled , and after running EP_Setup I get the botched version that spreads the icons on the taskbar and all the other unpleasantries as seen in the second image.
So I dont know what that Tron script did, what did it disable / enable and I dont know how to fix it back, that's why I'm asking you guys if you have any ideea what might cause it since EP ran perfectly before the Tron script, even if I was on the insider preview editions .

EP does not enable Classic theme. If you want classic theme, follow this guide:

I dont, I dont want a classic theme , I just looked at it and enabled it to see if it makes any difference with my issue, which it didnt, but I'm not interested in having a classic theme , but the regular Windows theme with transparency effects , the regular start button and the little weather icon , that's it.

Anixx · Jul 18, 2022

Without EP you will have Windows 11 taskbar with dock. So, if you see the Windows 10 taskbar, this means EP is running.

Edwin · Jul 18, 2022

I'm just spitballing here but the boxy looking min/max/close buttons, and the blank right click menu look very reminiscent of the side effects of an Aero-Lite theme...

CurlyBlonde · Jul 18, 2022

Anixx said:
EP does not enable Classic theme. If you want classic theme, follow this guide:

Edwin said:
I'm just spitballing here but the boxy looking min/max/close buttons, and the blank right click menu look very reminiscent of the side effects of an Aero-Lite theme...

View attachment 34334

What does that mean or where do I find it and how do I disable it then ?

Edwin · Jul 18, 2022

CurlyBlonde said:
What does that mean or where do I find it and how do I disable it then ?

Paste explorer shell:::{ED834ED6-4B5A-4bfe-8F11-A626DCB6A921} into a Run box just to check...
(Post a screenshot of everything in there, if you can.)

CurlyBlonde · Jul 18, 2022

Edwin said:
Paste explorer shell:::{ED834ED6-4B5A-4bfe-8F11-A626DCB6A921} into a Run box just to check...
(Post a screenshot of everything in there, if you can.)

Here you go

Edwin · Jul 18, 2022

CurlyBlonde said:
Here you go...

Yup! They're in there!
The upper right buttons are a tell-tale sign...

Try going back to the default Windows (light) or (dark) theme, restart the PC, then start your theming from scratch, then work with EP.

chip222 · Jul 18, 2022

Edwin said:
Yup! They're in there!
The upper right buttons are a tell-tale sign...

Great job :)

CurlyBlonde · Jul 18, 2022

https://imgur.com/a/8J0vBRm

I've selected the default windows 11 dark theme, didnt change anything on it, deleted the aero themes, restarted the computer, installed Explorer Patcher and this is the behaviour presented :
Selecting Win10 taskbar changes it to solid black , the icons spread across the task bar, the clock is also in black, only visible by hovering the mouse over it , however the notifications / start button work , the start menu opening in the center of the screen & right clicking on the task bar openes up a blank / unreadable context menu.

So, is there any way to keep the taskbar in something other than pitch black or at least have the clock itself show in a readable font color instead of black on black ; any way to not get the taskbar icons to spread out as they do and just keep them nice & tidy the regular way towards the edge ?

JBurger · Jul 29, 2022

with the version ExplorerPatcher 22000.778.47.1 at the startup of windows there is a
exessive refresh for icons in the taskbar.
my installed windows version is 22621.232

JBurger · Jul 30, 2022

with ExplorerPatcher version 22000.778.47.2 when clicking file explorer in the taskbar
desktop is reset without enabling file explorer

my installed windows version is 22621.232