Configuring Windows Vista with the Classic View

Transcription

1 Configuring Windows Vista with the Classic View If you have just upgraded to Windows Vista, or if you have just bought a new PC/Laptop that has Windows Vista pre-loaded, you will have noticed that the 'default' Windows Vista interface is very different to the interface of earlier Windows operating systems such as Windows 95/98/ME but is similar to the default Windows XP interface. Whilst some users like the default Windows Vista interface, or actually do not know anything else, most proficient users tend to have a preference for the Vista Classic View also called the Classic Look. So, if you prefer the Classic View (or Classical View ), this document will step you through configuring Windows Vista with the 'Classic View. The default Windows Vista interface (screenshot) The strip on the left-hand side of the Desktop is called the Sidebar. The Sidebar contains Gadgets, which are mini-programs that contain continuously updated information. You can perform common tasks from the Sidebar without opening a window, such as accessing updated weather forecasts etc. The Start Button. This screen is called the Welcome Center. Page 1 of 17

2 The default Windows Vista Start Menu (screenshot) The Start Menu. The Taskbar. The System Tray. ooooooooooooooooooooo Page 2 of 17

3 Disabling the Welcome Center If you do not want the Welcome Center to start every time you start your PC up, do as follows. In the bottom left-hand corner of the Welcome Center screen, uncheck the Run at startup option, as shown on the screenshot below : Close the Welcome Center by clicking on the X in the top right-hand corner. ooooooooooooooooooooo Page 3 of 17

4 Disabling the Sidebar You can disable the Sidebar if you wish to. If you do not want the Sidebar to appear every time you start your PC up, do as follows. Do a right-click anywhere on the Sidebar, and select Properties from the shortcut menu that appears, as shown in the screenshot below : Do a right-click anywhere on the Sidebar, and select Properties from the shortcut menu that appears. You will now be prompted with the Windows Vista Sidebar Properties dialogue box. If you like the Sidebar and want to keep it, you can use the Windows Sidebar Properties dialogue box to configure the Sidebar. Uncheck Start Sidebar when Windows starts. Click on OK (see screenshot on next page). Page 4 of 17

5 Uncheck Start Sidebar when Windows starts, and click on OK. Back at the Windows Desktop, do a right-click anywhere on the Sidebar, and select Close Sidebar. A message will now pop up in the System Tray telling you how to get the Sidebar back if needed : The result so far Page 5 of 17

6 Configuring the Desktop Many of you will like Windows Vista s rounded Start Button and black Taskbar. If you are such a person, then ignore this section; otherwise follow the instructions below to make the appearance of your desktop look exactly like Windows 95/98/ME. Do a right-click on the Desktop, and select Personalize from the shortcut menu that appears. Click on Theme. Click on Theme. When you re prompted with the Theme Settings dialogue box, bring down the Theme dropdown box, and select Windows Classic. Page 6 of 17

7 Bring down the Theme dropdown box, and select Windows Classic. Click on OK. Click on OK. Close the Personalization dialogue box by clicking on the X in the top right-hand corner. You will now be back at the Desktop, which should look similar to below : Page 7 of 17

8 Your Desktop should now appear similar to this example. Note the classic grey Start Button, Start Menu, and Taskbar. ooooooooooooooooooooo Page 8 of 17

9 Classic Start Menu Your Desktop will now have the classic grey Start Button, Start Menu and Taskbar. However, although the Start Menu is now classic grey in colour, it is not your classic 1 column Windows 95/98/ME Start Menu. The below instructions will guide you through configuring your Start Menu to the classic Start Menu. Do a right-click anywhere on the grey Taskbar and select Properties from the shortcut menu that appears. When prompted with the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialogue box (below), position yourself on the Start Menu tab. Select Classic Start Menu as shown in the screenshot below : Position yourself on the Start Menu tab. Select Classic Start Menu and click on Customize. Click on the Customize button. You will now be prompted with the Customize Classic Start Menu dialogue box. Page 9 of 17

10 In the Advanced Start Menu Options scroll down and check the box against Show small icons in Start menu. At the same time, uncheck Use Personalized menus. Scroll down and check Show small icons in Start menu. Uncheck Use Personalized menus, and click on OK. Click on OK. Back at the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialogue box, click on Apply. The options on the other tabs are down to end user preference. Therefore, you may want to flick through the other tabs, in case there are other options that you want to enable/disable. Once you re done, click on OK to close the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialogue box. Your Desktop should now look similar to the example on the next page. Page 10 of 17

11 You will still have the beautiful Vista backgrounds, as demonstrated in the screenshot below, but with the Classical Look which many users find more efficient (faster to operate at speed) ooooooooooooooooooooo Page 11 of 17

12 Configuring Explorer Click on Start \ Programs \ Accessories. Do a right-click on Windows Explorer and select Properties. Position yourself on the Shortcut tab (if you are not already on it). In the Run box, select Maximised. In the Target box, after "...explorer.exe", as shown below, add /n, /e, C:\. When you add /n, /e, c:\ to the end of the target line, when you open Explorer, it opens with the C: drive expanded (all of the folders underneath the C: drive on view), as with Windows 95. In the Start in box, type C:\. Click on OK Page 12 of 17

13 Click on Start \ Programs \ Accessories, and drag and drop the Windows Explorer icon to your Start menu, as per screenshots below : Click on Start \ Programs \ Accessories, and drag and drop the Windows Explorer icon onto the Start Menu. Page 13 of 17

14 You can sort the Start Menu in alphabetical order, by right-clicking on the Start Menu selecting Sort by Name. Open Windows Explorer by clicking on Start \ Windows Explorer. The default Windows Explorer screen. First, we will resize some of the columns, so that they take up most of the screen (as opposed to being squashed like in the example above). You can do this by running the cursor over the column headers, and when the cursor changes, click and drag to the right or left to resize accordingly. We will also move the Type column to sit in between the Date Modified and Size columns. Page 14 of 17

15 The Windows Explorer screen after a spot of column moving/resizing. Click on View \ Click on Tools \ Folder Options. Position yourself on the General tab, and configure it as follows : Page 15 of 17

16 Position yourself on the View tab. The options on this screen are a matter of personal preference. However, at AnswersThatWork we like to configure Windows Explorer as follows : Page 16 of 17

17 Once you have finished configuring your Explorer, click on the Apply to Folders button. This will set the options you have just configured across all folders. When you are prompted with the Folder views dialogue box, confirm the changes you have made by clicking on Yes. Click on OK. You will now appear back at the main Explorer screen. That s it. You re done. ooooooooooooooooooooo Page 17 of 17