Win8.1 Start button removal

[Jaysp656]

Hey, I have a friend who wants to remove the start button from Win8.1 as she has gotten used to how Win8 feels and sees the button as pointless. Only thing we found was a program that has to always be running in the background to remove it. Does anyone know how to do this permanently without constantly running an extra piece of software?

[ミறѳѳղղįզվદ彡]

Hey, I have a friend who wants to remove the start button from Win8.1 as she has gotten used to how Win8 feels and sees the button as pointless. Only thing we found was a program that has to always be running in the background to remove it. Does anyone know how to do this permanently without constantly running an extra piece of software?
http://imageshack.us/m/534/857/infoqk.png

How to remove the Start button in Windows 8.1




Microsoft has released Windows 8.1 to MSDN and Technet subscribers, and I decided to give a try to this shiny new OS from Redmond. In a nutshell: Windows 8.1 improves the Windows 8 operating system on the tablet side, but I did not find significant changes on the "Desktop" side.
After the release of Windows 8.1, I found its Start button useless. Seriously, there are no issues for me if that button is not shown on the taskbar. Sure, I miss the good, old Start menu. The Start screen still cannot replace that menu for me, there is no doubt about that... Just one button can't restore the classic UX. So I decided to restore the behavior of Windows 8, with blackjack and hookers, and free some taskbar space by removing the Start button.
http://winaero.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/StartIsGone-600x447.png (http://winaero.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/StartIsGone.png)


I have created StartIsGone for Windows 8.1 - the application which allows you to remove the Start Button in Windows 8.1 and reclaim the space on the taskbar. It is fully native lightweight zero-privileges portable program. The user interface of this program is just an icon in the system tray and the context menu.
Run the app, and the Start button will be gone. Tick "Run at startup" and your Start button will be removed every time your Desktop shows.


http://virtualcustoms.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=48540&d=1318781438
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StartIsGone for Windows 8.1 (http://winaero.com/comment.php?comment.news.215)
http://virtualcustoms.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=63022&d=1369463232
http://winaero.com/comment.php?comment.news.215 (http://winaero.com/comment.php?comment.news.215)
http://virtualcustoms.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=48512&d=1318717506

[Jaysp656]

Thank you for replying but is there any other known way to do this? That program has to run at startup to work and my friend would prefer not having to use something like that.

[ミறѳѳղղįզվદ彡]

Thank you for replying but is there any other known way to do this? That program has to run at startup to work and my friend would prefer not having to use something like that.
http://virtualcustoms.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=63022&d=1369463232
http://www.tordex.com/startkiller/index.html (http://www.tordex.com/startkiller/index.html)

[ミறѳѳղղįզվદ彡]

http://virtualcustoms.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=48540&d=1318781438

3o78NIleFmY

[Dark Knight]

Hey, I have a friend who wants to remove the start button from Win8.1 as she has gotten used to how Win8 feels and sees the button as pointless. Only thing we found was a program that has to always be running in the background to remove it. Does anyone know how to do this permanently without constantly running an extra piece of software?

Pointless ..... I agree, there is a lot of pointlessness that revolves around the OS.
Seriously though, IMO if you are using a mouse and do not have touch screen it is a better way of accessing the Start page than the charm bar, that is just me though.

[Jaysp656]

@Moonique - Not 100% sure but I think that Start Killer still has to be running at all times.

@Dark Night - I agree completely. My Win8 is almost exactly like Win7 (Startisback, no ribbon on explorer windows, and Equinox theme) and I never have to even see the Start screen unless I want to.