Open Shell

MrBeaujhangles · Jul 14, 2025

After seeing so many folks enjoying Open Shell, I thought I would like to play with it at some point. I have been setting up 2 laptops at a time so moving back and forth from one side of the table. I opened up the application, took a peek, and went to install programs on the 2nd laptop. When I crossed over back to the other side of the table to take a peek. Screen was black, Icons on left side of screen ... looked for toggles to set it back, found none ... uninstalled / reinstalled no luck. Suggestions ?

Kees · Jul 15, 2025

I am using Open Shell as well. Did that in Windows 7, then Windows 10 and since 2 years in Windows 11, now on most modern update (see my specs please).
Must say I never had a black screen and the icons on the screen never have been moving. That means: not as a result of installing Open Shell.
If there was any problem like you described, it had to do with another piece of software I use(d). But possibly you have some setting that at my system I did not.

Which version of Windows do you use ( you can see that by typeing winver in a command prompt) and which version of Open Shell?

I have attached a zipped settings file for Open Shell., that functions in one of my testsystems. It's not the real one I use in my main system, but somewhat simplicated. You can unzip that file and then load it into Open Shell via the settings menu (right click on start button), lowest button "Backup" (beside "OK" button), "Load from XML File..."

Edit: Open Shell normally installs two more modules, Classic Explorer and Classic IE.
I never install them (disable installing), so I don't know what happens if you do so.
The Classic Explorer has influence on the Windows File Explorer, so that could be a possible cause.
But the times that I did indeed install Classic Explorer, it just added a toolbar into File Explorer, without problems.

For test I would strongly advise not to install other modules but only Open Shell Menu.

pietcorus2 · Jul 15, 2025

Using latest Open Shell , together with SAB in latest Win11 24H2 , works very fine ..............

MrBeaujhangles · Jul 15, 2025

Kees said:
I am using Open Shell as well. Did that in Windows 7, then Windows 10 and since 2 years in Windows 11, now on most modern update (see my specs please).
Must say I never had a black screen and the icons on the screen never have been moving. That means: not as a result of installing Open Shell.
If there was any problem like you described, it had to do with another piece of software I use(d). But possibly you have some setting that at my system I did not.

Kees · Jul 15, 2025

I very much like to believe that your screen is as shown in the screenshot.
But from that it is not possible to determine what has gone wrong.
- Is it possible to restore the original background of your screen? You should be able to do that in personal settings.
- Is the Open Shell menu working? What startmenu do you get when you click start button?
- If you replace one or more icons to the original postition, what is happening at restart of the system?

The replacing of the icons sometimes happens, when for whatever reason the screen size alters.
I have that very often when using one of the testsystems in VirtualBox, when I change the size of the virtualbox window.
You can save icon screen positions by the freeware app ReIcon v2.1 (Restore Desktop Icon Layouts).
No need for installation, it is a portable app.

Why the screen background has altered I don't know. Possibly because Windows can't find the original image anymore (if you had an image as background in the first place).

MrBeaujhangles · Jul 15, 2025

Kees said:
I very much like to believe that your screen is as shown in the screenshot.
But from that it is not possible to determine what has gone wrong.
- Is it possible to restore the original background of your screen? You should be able to do that in personal settings.
- Is the Open Shell menu working? What startmenu do you get when you click start button?
- If you replace one or more icons to the original postition, what is happening at restart of the system?

The replacing of the icons sometimes happens, when for whatever reason the screen size alters.
I have that very often when using one of the testsystems in VirtualBox, when I change the size of the virtualbox window.
You can save icon screen positions by the freeware app ReIcon v2.1 (Restore Desktop Icon Layouts).
No need for installation, it is a portable app.

Why the screen background has altered I don't know. Possibly because Windows can't find the original image anymore (if you had an image as background in the first place).

1. I provided the screenshot as I thought it might provide a clue as to how to go into Open Shell and reverse it

2. I was able to change the background but not put it back to the slideshow that I had.

3. I get the old Win 7 style menu ... which frankly I don't mind too much but do want to know how to to restore

4. All the icons are on the left side of the screen.

5. If I move the icons, they stay there.

6. I had the background set to Slide show but that is no longer functioning. when I select it, it just changes back to picture

It would seem that if I can address 3 and 6, I'm good to go. As I had indicated,I downloaded the App, opened it and then my son took me out to lunch. We came back to that image. Much thx for your help.

wiganken · Jul 15, 2025

Try post #6 in following thread: - Desktop background will not change from ‘Solid colour’

Kees · Jul 15, 2025

MrBeaujhangles said:
a clue as to how to go into Open Shell and reverse it

The clue to go into the settings menu of Open Shell is, as I wrote before, right click on the start button, click Settings.

MrBeaujhangles said:
I get the old Win 7 style menu ...

In Open Shell you have the choice of
- Classic Style (like in XP)
- Classic Style on two colums
- Windows 7 style
I myself use Classic Style on two colums.

If those options don't suit you, you have to use some other tweaking app for the start menu.
For example:
- StartAllBack (not free after a trial period, but no problems to stay using it (no obligation to make an account somewhere)
- Start11 (even when using the trial period you need to make an account)
- Windhawk mod Windows 11 Start Menu Styler (free, but quite complicated)
- Possibly other app, which I don't know anything about.

I myself am using the combination of Windhawk for tweaking the taskbar and Open Shell for tweaking the start menu.

If you want to restore the original Windows 11 start menu, you have two options:
- In the settings menu of Open Shell, submenu General Behaviour, you disable top option: "Start automatically for this user" and restart the system.
- Uninstall Open Shell.

For all settings in Open Shell it's best to enable "Show all settings", which is on top in every submenu.

MrBeaujhangles · Jul 16, 2025

wiganken said:
Try post #6 in following thread: - Desktop background will not change from ‘Solid colour’

I tried several offered solutions and just got home do not going to ,,, I see that Open Shell is still installed but I have not touched it. I installed it,say it popup on screen and left the building ... looking at the tabs and options the wording, everything is entirely unfamiliar. If I had a chance to look at an option, try it and go back, I think all would be fine. But as is. it's as if and my wife suggested half tongue in check ... "Maybe the cat walked across the KB while you were out to lunch

hdmi · Jul 16, 2025

Settings for Open-Shell Menu > check the Show all settings checkbox > navigate to the Controls tab. There, you can change the setting for "Left Click opens:" and "Windows Key opens:" to "Windows Start Menu". Doing this will revert the start menu back to the default start menu. Additionally, you could always decide to assign the Open-Shell Menu to different actions.

For those who really miss the Windows 10 start menu with tiles, I higly recommend to use ExplorerPatcher. There's no animated, or "live" tiles, though. I don't use this start menu myself, but I toyed with it enough to know why it's so much better than any of the other "solutions" to bring back the Windows 10 start menu on Windows 11. It's so much better in fact, another member of the forum got his underpants in a permanent twist over it. lol

That said, I use Open-Shell's Windows 7 style start menu (in concert with SystemTrayMenu for easy keyboard navigation—the only thing that was still missing from Open-Shell).

As for ExplorerPatcher, I also use these features:

Taskbar > Taskbar style: "Windows 10 (ExplorerPatcher)"
File Explorer > Control Interface: "Windows 10 Ribbon"—use this in concert with Open-Shell's Classic Explorer component
Window switcher > Window switcher (Alt+Tab) style: "Simple Window Switcher"

Finally, in concert with everything I mentioned above, some of Windhawk mods also work wonders:

Alt+Tab window delayer
Better file sizes in Explorer details
Click on empty taskbar space
Disable grouping on the taskbar
Disable rounded corners in Windows 11
Middle click to close on the taskbar
. . .

Yes, there is a learning curve, but no, once you've seen the light, going back is not an option. IMO and IME, YMMV, yada yada yada, and/or etc..

MrBeaujhangles · Jul 16, 2025

Kees said:
If you want to restore the original Windows 11 start menu, you have two options:
- In the settings menu of Open Shell, submenu General Behaviour, you disable top option: "Start automatically for this user" and restart the system.
- Uninstall Open Shell.

For all settings in Open Shell it's best to enable "Show all settings", which is on top in every submenu.

Now that makes sense !

I have become a big fan of Enhance ... I haven't done any changes as yet but I like the GUI ... next to every option you can toggle on / toggle off and there's a warning icon next to anything ya can't put back. I found all the tabs and descriptions in Open Shell to be a bit cryptic. If I can manage to understand how to turn things on and off, then I'm more likely to play with it.

Much thx for jumping in

My plan was to use the old style start button till I got adjusted to the new interface and then just "toggle" back... but not having "toggled anything" ...dunno what to untoggle :)

If you've seen any decent tutorials on the app, it sounds very useful. I miss the old days where i had to open a file, edit it, and no one ever messed with it. One of the most frustrating things w/windows is that they make change for the sake of change and when you search on a topic, more often than not, the screenshots in the fix-it thread don't match any of yours.

Again much thx.

hdmi · Jul 16, 2025

MrBeaujhangles said:
If you've seen any decent tutorials on the app, it sounds very useful.

https://openshellmenu.com/documentation
Home
C:\Program Files\Open-Shell\OpenShell.chm
Classic Shell - Start menu and other Windows enhancements (this site and its forum section are no longer updated, as ClassicShell died in 2017 and was reborn as Open-Shell, but the place is kept online because there is still a ton of valuable info on there)

MrBeaujhangles · Jul 17, 2025

The 1st thing in the tutorial should say ... If something hit the fan and you want your old desktop back, open the app and make sure your screens look like this:

hdmi · Jul 17, 2025

MrBeaujhangles said:
The 1st thing in the tutorial should say ... If something hit the fan and you want your old desktop back, open the app and make sure your screens look like this:

?

Rollback_Jockey · Jul 17, 2025

I've got OpenShell installed on every machine i own, i doubt i'll ever stop using it.

MrBeaujhangles · Jul 17, 2025

I think I will be using it but it really needs a better tutorial, w/ screenshots

hdmi · Jul 17, 2025

MrBeaujhangles said:
I think I will be using it but it really needs a better tutorial, w/ screenshots

Nah. We have a whole zoo full of walking tutorials on here.

Rollback_Jockey · Jul 17, 2025

MrBeaujhangles said:
I think I will be using it but it really needs a better tutorial, w/ screenshots

It doesn't need video tutorials, it's very intuitive.

MrBeaujhangles · Jul 18, 2025

I use my tools to be efficient to see what each one does that would be a luxury I don't have .. if I had the time to go to the 14 tabs and toggle things on off, then but getting projects out the door takes precedence. Compounded by the fact that I installed the program, left for lunch and came back to an unfamiliar screen (cat walked on KB ?) where nothing was visible and had just a set of icons on screen.

Took me a while to figure out how to get the app on screen again.Not to mention the fact that it was the day after our 1st look at Windows 11 Pro so many of the Win 11 terms in the menus are unfamiliar. I can see how it would be familiar if you used it's predecessor but thee was too much unfamiliarity with this being 1st view of both.

I would pay $100 or more for the old "Dashboard" from the E4WGs days ...it was the 1st "taskbar" and neither MS or anybody else has duplicated it's functionality ... and the "look" was all their own Avantquest / VCom had the PowerBar as an option with their PowerDesk Suite but not anymore.... I have looked for it ... but all I get is energy bars now.

Kees · Jul 18, 2025

MrBeaujhangles said:
...the old "Dashboard" from the E4WGs days...

I really don't have the slightest idea what you're talking about.
I have used Windows in all ever available versions since Windows 3.1, of which since Win95 there was a taskbar, but I never have seen any E4WG or dashboard.

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