windows 11 changes its mind when open shell is installed.

I have two PC both 11 22h2 (22621) tried both latest stable and latest dev.

On one of them the start menu is replaced but the task bar remains.



on the system that replaced the taskbar, and it look great as windows 10 stye! the tool bar options are missing. I saw many users that enabled a quick launcher by enabling a toolbar. There are also many saying it disapeasrs, I never saw it. I can use explorer patcher to get it working but that app crashes more then Windows ME did.

Assuming the Open Shell settings are the exact same in both machines, check to see if both are running the same version of Open Shell. If you applied tweaks to either machine, that could affect Open Shell results as well.
Regarding EP, you ask for real trouble if you use more than one third party app that alters the GUI. I strongly recommend you use one or the other, not both.

Hey glasskuter, yes both running the latest that was offered. They also both report the same version. Both were fresh installs, and to be sure I tripped both out and reinstalled both of them. It seems like the PC with no taskbar, is using the existing windows 11 taskbar. Like it didnt replace it, only the start menu ???

Just brainstorming here. Will probably sound like a dumb question but is one of the devices touchscreen and one not?

Hey ask asking you like, if I knew what to do I would not be here :) I'm clueless on this one. but no both PC, with mouse and keyboard.

Here's the way I would approach this. Make sure both machines are fully updated to 22621.2283

Using ONE of the machines as a test machine, I would do the following.

1. Completely uninstall Classic Shell using the freeware version of Revo Uninstaller. You can use the portable version if you do not wish to install it. After Revo uninstalls a program it will scan for any leftover files and registry entries. Select the "advanced" scan. Put a check by all leftover items Revo finds and select delete.
Restart the computer.

2. Make sure you have no corrupt system files that is causing this problem. Open a command prompt as administrator and type sfc /scannow
Pay attention to the scan results to see if SFC found anything it could not repair. If it found corruption it could not fix followup with this command (note the spaces)
dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
Restart computer

(Note-you can follow up with another sfc /scannow command to make sure that dism repaired the files)

3. Download the latest version of Open Shell and install it. Does it change anything? Does it work correctly?

Another thought.. There has always been issues that pop up when these third party apps have not updated to coincide with the GUI changes Microsoft issues thru windows update. Sometimes the developers are late getting with the program to accomodate such changes. Sometimes the developers screw up. All the weird stuff I've seen here on the forum caused by these apps is why I don't choose to use them.
Of all the free apps, ExplorerPatcher seems to be the most used by the members here and the most actively developed. From all indication it seems to be a solid app. I know you said ExplorerPatcher crashed for you, but it probably crashed because you tried to run it alongside Open Shell. You might try it without Open Shell.

Ok, all removed. SFC didnt't find anything's. After putting it back on my task bar is still unchanged. After looking over all the installed apps both PC had rectified11 on them, so my guess is that changed something.

ExplorerPatcher does work but it crashes explorer %50 of the time. Though it is better then nothing.