Windows 8.1- am I missing something

notbritishgas

I have just upgraded my GD's new laptop from 8 to 8.1, but bear in mind even Windows 8 was new to me so I am not fully conversant with it!
I was looking forward to the Start button being present on the upgrade, by that I mean something similar to the Windows 7 Start that brings up the list of useful items.
I cannot see it anywhere so was I hoping in vain.
Thanks

Oblivion

The Windows 'Start' button introduced in 8.1 is actually the white window symbol bottom left of screen on the taskbar. Right click it and it does give you a menu.


I still prefer to go straight to Desktop mode personally because it's more like good old Windows 7.

kwikbreaks

Try adding ClassicShell to get something more like Windows 7 with a start menu

penrhyn

Or classic start and set the PC to boot up into the desktop. You can also set the Start screen wallpaper to be the same as the desktop making the whole thing a bit more integrated.

almillar

8.1 helps a lot with the shock of losing the Start 'menu' and there are 2 options that you can enable to make it much more '7' like. NOT in 8, just 8.1.
Set it to start in desktop mode, and
Set the Start screen to use the same background as the desktop.
The second one means that it'll look like the start screen is just overlaid on your desktop.
Tip numbers 2 and 9 in this article (read the rest too!)
http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/laptops/20-tips-for-windows-8-1-50012852/

notbritishgas

Thanks to all, it is a bit clearer now.
#oblivion, thanks found the start button now and the menu!
Perhaps showing my ignorance now I did not realise there was a desktop as well as a start screen in windows 8. I had the tile on the start screen that took me into what looked like a desktop but it was marked Acer and I thought it was something that acer had put on to make life easier for ex windows 7 users.:o

As I said earlier this is my GD's laptop so will see if she wants the start screen initially, quite likely, the desktop was more for me to set things up for her.