nice! a perfect compliment to launchy. since launchy, I never use the start menu anyways.

qrius

i like to auto hide my task bar so i guess my comment is pointless :/

rand0mCreep

I thought this was great until I found out it ate just a little bit of RAM. However I think it's still worth it.

lordshippo

Interesting. I know a number of people who might like this.

Resolution

Update: If you want to restore a window that is hidden, you can use an autohotkey script similar to this, but you'd want to replace vmware workstation with the window title of the window (which you can see in task manager's processes tab)

SetTitleMatchMode,2
DetectHiddenWindows, On
WinShow, VMware Workstation

The How-To Geek

That autohotkey script is a part of a virtual desktop script you can see here: [www.autohotkey.com]

It does NOT hide the start button.

What it does, on the other hand, is hide every window on your system with no visible way to bring them back, since it's only a part of the full script.

The How-To Geek

I sling my taskbar vertically at the left side of the screen. So I guess my comment is useless too.

lordargent

Yet another solution to a problem I didn't know I had. :)

cuiusquemodi

Works great, even on downloaded themes.

TalSh

You can do this with tclock ([shii.org]) as well. Tclock also lets you do all sort of great stuff. Check out my minimal task bar done with Tclock:

[content.screencast.com]

Just about as basic as you can get. You can click the clock to get the start menu too.

math0ne

Or you could just use ResHacker to change the start text to nothing (which, when compiled, removes it).

This also works with another tweaker I read about recently (RegToy I think?)

JBu92

Or you could use window blinds. In the process of skinning your Windows OS you basically lose the start button. Mine is currently some Alien looking symbol. Very tiny. But I have a gigundo screen anyway...

Also Window Blinds is not free. Beautiful, amazing, but not free.

Jasontrainer

I guess somebody should mention that LCock will hide the start button for you too, along with making your clock display much nicer.
[www.neowin.net]

SciotoSurfer

Is there any way to remove the start button text WITHOUT using ResHack?

jfty.009260

For those of you without a windows key you can always hit Ctrl-Esc ;)

buddhapkt

@jfty.009260: Yes, use Start Killer [lifehacker.com]

Protector one

@Protector one: Funny you point me to this same page. I also said start button TEXT, not the whole start button. Well, thanks anyway.

jfty.009260

Back with Windows 95 there was a way to make the start button disappear. I played this prank several times.

Now it is a special feature.

Bob Brown

I just use LClock [www.neowin.net]

o0Zodiac0o

@jfty.009260: Oh I'm sorry. (I did find it funny, though :)). You can probably remove the 'start' text completely by changing the UI string to ' ' (that's a space; an empty string will remove the button completely). You can do this by changing explorer.exe with Reshacker. Full guide here: [teamtutorials.com]

Protector one

SciotoSurfer wrote: I guess somebody should mention that LCock will hide the start button for you too, along with making your clock display much nicer.

Thanks for this rec! It's far nicer than the standard XP clock.

Another I've been using is TitleBar Clock Pro. It puts a clock at the right side of your title bar (and can also display free RAM and disk space, though I've turned that off.) Screenshot:

VayaConQueso

@JBu92: I second the ResHacker approach, since it doesn't use any extra RAM and lets you set the text to whatever you want. Here's how to do it. (If you really want the Start menu, press the Windows key and it will still appear.)

Rangi42

VayaConQueso

Is anyone else wondering what that ACME button does?

lordargent