Within the Windows 8’s Control Panel, under System and Security are two new tools, Refresh and Reset. The former, Refresh, allows you to completely re-store Windows 8 Developer Preview to its original state including all your files. The latter, Reset, is useful if you are disposing of your computer as it removes your files and applications..
Metro Controller
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Metro Controller options - click to enlarge
I read Robert Boland’s article – “How to: Disable Windows 8 Metro UI and Ribbon UI” (9th September, 2011) on www.windows8news.com (http://www.windows8news.com). In it he describes Metro Controller (http://winaero.com/comment.php?comment.news.17), a useful tool allowing you to disable unwanted Metro features in Windows 8. It can help you take some of the annoyance out of Windows 8.
Personally, I’m quite happy with Windows 8 as it is, but I wanted to disable the new Metro ribbon interface. Once I downloaded Metro Controller (http://winaero.com/comment.php?comment.news.17) and installed the application, I selected the second option, “Disable only Metro features”. The UAC intervened as usual, so I clicked Yes. Next, I was asked to re-boot Windows 8 which I did. After going through the logging in process I was presented with the Ribbon Explorer.
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Windows 8 Developer Preview - Desktop View - click to enlarge
Gone were the Metro features! My screen displayed the conventional Desktop including the ubiquitous Start button. Clicking it displayed the conventional Start menu from the earlier Windows 7. In addition, all my Taskbar shortcuts were still available on the Taskbar.
To all intents and purposes it all looked just like Windows 7, except for Windows Developer Preview identified in the lower right-hand corner of the Desktop screen.
So far so good! I was able to enjoy being back in familiar territory with the extra bonus of having the Ribbon Menu available when I accessed Windows Explorer.
Restoring Windows 8 Developer Preview
Though the Metro interface takes a bit of getting used to, I don’t really mind it, but I wondered how I could get it back. This was when I came across a new Windows 8 feature, Refresh, in the Control Panel. The other option is Reset. The second option “Reset” is much the same as “Return your computer to factory condition” in Windows 7.
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Accessing More Settings in Control Panel - click to enlareg
To get to these options, open the Control Panel and scroll down to More Settings. This opens the more conventional view of the Control Panel, aka Windows 7 et al.
Accessing Refresh
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Accessing Refresh feature - click to enlarge
When Control Panel opens, select System and Security followed by “Restore your computer to an earlier time” and then Refresh. (See illustration for sequence)
Refresh is a handy tool, allowing you to restore everything the way it was, well not everything as all your installed applications and settings outside the original Windows 8 installation are lost. This is just a small price to pay for getting things back to normal. As you can see in the next section at least Windows 8 advises you about the removed applications.
Removed Apps List
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Apps Removed List - click to enlarge
When you have refreshed your installation of Windows 8 and restarted your computer, Windows 8 displays an Internet Explorer icon, called Removed Apps, on your Desktop. This can be handy as it provides a useful list when you decide to re-install your favourite missing applications.
Note: A similar feature under Advanced Recovery Method is available in Windows 7. In Windows 7, there are two options – “Use a system image you created earlier to recover your computer” AND “Return your computer to factory condition.” The Windows 8 version is more advanced.
Windows 7 Options
The first option states categorically “If you have created a system image, . . .” If you haven’t done this in advance you are stuck!Now this is where Windows 8 steps into the breach and provides you with its better updated tool, Refresh.
The second option requires you to have recovery disk from your computer’s manufacturer. If you haven’t got this or made one early on, you are also stuck.
Windows 8 Reset saves the day. Its big plus is that all your files – photos, music clips etc. remain intact! I have found Reset a useful tool though it was slow to complete its task.