Microsoft wants that users see the Windows 8 start page when they launch the operating system. My own take on this is that they want users to get accustomed to the new interface and push the Windows Store at the same time. To make sure that this is happening, Microsoft disabled several options to go straight to the Windows 8 desktop that were working in previous releases of the operating system. One option that we have described in the past, using Stardock's Start8 program is still working in the final version of Windows 8, while other solutions were blocked and are no longer working.
A second solution has been posted now on the 7tutorials website. The main differences between both solutions are the following: Start8 adds a start menu to the Windows 8 desktop and maps the Windows key to opening that start menu, while the second solution keeps everything as is. So no start menu and default functionality when you press the Windows key.
All you need to do is download the Send Desktop program from the 7Tutorials website and unpack it on your system. Once that is done, you need to add it as a task to the Windows Task Scheduler. Here is how this is done:
- Press Windows, enter Task Scheduler, switch to Settings on the right and load the Schedule Tasks program here
- Select Create Task on the right actions menu and enter a task name when the create task window opens up.
- Here you also need to make sure "run only when user is logged on" is selected, and that the Configure for menu shows Windows 8.
- Switch to the triggers tab then, select New and configure the new trigger the following way. Select At log on in the begin to task menu and make sure enabled is selected under advanced settings. Click on ok.
- Switch to the actions tab and select new here as well. Select start a program under the action menu, and click on browse to select the Send Desktop program from the local system.
- Switch to the conditions tab and disable start the task only if the computer is on AC power.
- Click ok to finalize the process.
When you start Windows 8 the next time you will notice that the desktop will be loaded automatically. You still see the startpage for a short time though.
