I wonder if you will create a PR to OpenShell for this patch? or did upstream merge this?

I made a request for this patch to be merged. Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu#889

I made a request for this patch to be merged. Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu#889

maybe better creating a real PR, and their side may want these changes be configurable.

Please, do it.

I just made the Pull Request : Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu#1642

Valentin! I have forgot one important step in setting up the classic theme: one has to delete (or rename) the Registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\DefaultColors

If not done, then after pressing Ctrl+Alt+Del and returning from that screen, the color scheme will change. This has been the case since Windows 8.1. Can you please add this fix to the "Classic Theme Mitigations" set?

No, because it's in HKLM, and Explorer runs unelevated. Does it have to run every time or once is enough? If once is enough, mention it in the tutorial and that should be it. If it's not enough, some scheduled task or something like that, I can't do anything from Explorer that involves admin without triggering a UAC prompt.

Once is enough.

Added to the tutorial.

Valentin, since you inject all programs with open/save dialogs, and maybe others (such as console apps?), would you mind to include in the patcher a part of my AHK script that adds 3D border to the Notepad and Cmd windows?

When in AHK it does not work perfectly because it needs to resize the window after applying the style. As you can see in the tutorial above, I use the following commands:

if (WinClass = "Notepad") {
Control, ExStyle, +0x200, Edit1, ahk_id %lParam%
WinGetPos, , , , h, ahk_id %lParam%
WinMove, ahk_id %lParam%,,,,,h-1
WinMove, ahk_id %lParam%,,,,,h
}

If (WinClass = "ConsoleWindowClass") {
WinSet, ExStyle, +0x200, ahk_id %lParam%
WinGetPos, , , , h, ahk_id %lParam%
WinMove, ahk_id %lParam%,,,,,h-1
WinMove, ahk_id %lParam%,,,,,h
}

If added to the Patcher, I think it would work better. I do not think, a separate option is needed for this, just an addition to the "Classic theme mitigations". If you also add this to the Mathematica's notebook class, this would be wonderful:

if (WinClass = "NotebookFrame") {
Control, ExStyle, +0x200, NotebookContent1, ahk_id %lParam%
WinGetPos, , , , h, ahk_id %lParam%
WinMove, ahk_id %lParam%,,,,,h-1
WinMove, ahk_id %lParam%,,,,,h
}

More details about the patched StartMenuDLL.dll here as well: #167 (comment)

Thanks for the pointers! I'm mostly an *IX guy, but I managed to somewhat find my way around VS to get it to poop out a new .DLL.

And ouch, that reboot experience sounds like a total pain :(.

Yeah, it's not that difficult, I spend my fair share of days in GNU/Linux too, for example. Yeah, idk, that's how it was for me in a VM I tested that, idk what was causing it exactly, but I eventually did that and realized my builds weren't broken, they just did not work properly without rebooting. Anyway, not a pain unless you plan on doing active development on OpenShell. When you get a working DLL, maybe share it here as well, some people might find it interesting, idk. Thanks.

Open-Shell 4.4.169 .DLL if anybody wants to give it a shot: StartMenuDLL.dll

I have updated the guide, the script, all.

It should just work. Did you put the dll into c:\windows?

Sorry for late reply.
Yes, I placed DLLs into there. But now I've got a proper taskbar by enabling Customize Taskbar in Open-Shell Settings.

And I have another issue now.
Restarting explorer makes some task tray icons unusable. (They does not responds to right/left clicking)

I've got a proper taskbar by enabling Customize Taskbar in Open-Shell Settings.

Thanks for pointing this out, I had missed that reg key. Added it to the tutorial now.

Wow! HitAnyKey - your taskbar looks perfect now. My is more like on Anixx screenshot.
How do you get such 3D effect (for taskbar's active/inactive window)?

Read the tutorial, p.14

Is Explorer Patcher running at all? If yes, you should always have the ability to add a quick Launch toolbar.

Is the following option checked?

You should put the Explorer Patcher DLLs into C:\Windows. If you want the open/save dialogs affected, you should additionally register the DLL.

Dunno what trigger to use in task sheduler...

You should not specify any trigger.

No need to specify the trigger?
However it does not do anything without trigger.

It is getting run by this part:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]
"Userinit"=C:\Windows\System32\schtasks.exe /run /tn "Classic"

So, you do not need to specify a trigger, it replaces userinit process.

I hope so too(no, not really - they'll mess up something more in the process...)

You need to edit Userinit.
Double click Userinit and type this in given dialog.

C:\Windows\System32\schtasks.exe /run /tn "Classic"

And then restart your computer.

6. Import the following reg file (under elevated command prompt)

Maybe this is the problem? Users rights are not enough for such important entry... And people just click *.reg as normal users.

yes this seems to be the problem.
Once I entered the properties in the task scheduler and deleted it from the start position (option) (T) in the action properties in the action, it started running.

First, I manually turned on ClassicThemeTray, but the method is a bit inconvenient...
This is my windows 11 classic theme.

+Open Shell

That AHK script adds weird vertical bar

I did not face with it. Does it depend on whether the shadows enabled?

and replaces transparent with dark side.

This is expected. A workaround (if it bothers you) is to use Classic theme over a light high-contrast theme. But I did not use it on Windows 11, on Win8.1 such theme would also bring a light-grey background on the logon screen.

Sorry for super late reply.

This is expected. A workaround (if it bothers you) is to use Classic theme over a light high-contrast theme. But I did not use it on Windows 11, on Win8.1 such theme would also bring a light-grey background on the logon screen.

OK, I live with it now

I did not face with it. Does it depend on whether the shadows enabled?

I did not check about the windows shadows but the transparency fix seems to add it.
As of now, I'm using DwmUnExtendFrame.exe instead.
And then, weird bar has been disappeared.

With contrast theme the dialogs appear correct but other issues emerge:

Did you do all other steps or only this?

I did do all other steps

What is OG taskbar, btw?

OG = Original, W10 taskbar.
In fact TaskBowFree'ed taskbar and RetroBar, both look better, but are limited (change order of opened windows in 1st + using T-Clock on 2nd).

@novatiberium
look here: #167 (comment)

Classic theme? Yes, by restoring

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]
"Userinit"=C:\Windows\System32\userinit.exe

After this, uncheck "Classic theme adjustments" option in Explorer Patcher.

If you meant pinned items, it works correctly here:

Windows Defender detects all hacking tools as viruses.