Start Menu XP 7.1

Overview

Start Menu XP is a replacement Windows Start menu for people who still run Windows 7, Vista or XP. The software is intended to offer some marked improvements over the basic functionality of how the traditional Windows Start menu operates.

Virtual Groups can be created which will ensure that certain programs will show in the Start menu whereas less important ones can be hidden from view. This can help to avoid the Start menu becoming cluttered with too many program options making it more time-consuming and difficult to find the program that the user wishes to open.

Foldable Groups are a way to group like-programs together which are then expandable or collapse-able to save space within the Start Menu XP display. Therefore, all text editors, graphics editors and sound editors can be collected into their own foldable groups to make these easy to locate quickly.

The expandable Start Menu XP can use the total width of the screen to display the programs without the user needing to scroll up and down using a scroll bar. This makes better use of the screen real estate available to users.

Items within the Start Menu XP will also appear in alphabetical order, even within the Foldable Groups, in order to make it easier to locate the programs and files wanted.

Installation

The installation completed just fine without no issues. No malicious software was added during the setup process.

The Start Menu XP requires Windows 7, Vista or XP.

Interface

The interface with Start Menu XP blends the original look of the Windows Start menu with some new functionality to improve its usefulness. The grouping of like-programs and ability to hide programs that are not relevant currently, but remain installed within Windows, is a key benefit. Menus that can expand to several levels of depth across the screen from left to right, instead of requiring a scrolling menu to locate the programs within the traditional Windows Start menu, is another key improvement. These elements all show within the interface and fundamentally change how the new Start menu experience will be for the user.

Pros

• Add a new Windows Start menu in Windows 7, Vista or XP
• Resolve the need to scroll through a list of installed programs
• Create Virtual Groups where essential programs will appear in Start Menu XP where less essential programs will not display in the menu at all
• Revised design tweaks for a Start menu
• Programs can show in alphabetical order within groups
• Foldable Groups designed to keep Start Menu tidy but foldable/expandable with a single click
• Multi-pane design
• Search function at the bottom-left of the new Start menu
• Designed specifically for Windows 7, Vista or XP (Start Menu 8 is designed for Windows 8 or higher)
• Freeware

Cons

• None.

Conclusion

Start Menu XP does an excellent job of replacing the Start menu that is already present in Windows 7, Vista or XP with something entirely new and far more customizable.