Windows 8 RTM Incompatible with Start Button, Boot-to-Desktop Hacks

It's been confirmed that Microsoft (News - Alert) has blocked a workaround which many were using to boot directly to the Windows 8 desktop. Referred to simply as the ".scf hack," this workaround allowed those running the Windows 8 Consumer Preview to skip the new tile-based Start screen when starting up the OS.

"Microsoft made some changes to Windows that prevent the .scf hack from working correctly," said Rafael Rivera, blogger at WithinWindows.com and co-author of Windows 8 Secrets, along with Paul Thurrott.

Other reports have also confirmed that other hacks, such as one that restores the Start button to Windows 8, have also been blocked. Microsoft apparently made these changes before announcing the Windows 8 release to manufacturing (RTM) version of the OS last week, which quickly showed up on file sharing sites.

While this change isn't necessarily a surprise – Thurrott said back in May that Microsoft had been "furiously ripping out legacy code" in the new version of the OS largely to prevent Start button or straight to desktop workarounds – it does demonstrate a different attitude than the Microsoft of old. It's relatively easy to hide or disable new features even in Windows 7 with workarounds or officially, after all.

Fans of the classic Windows look and feel still have options, however, as Start8 by Stardock, a free tool which adds a start button and allows for direct booting to desktop, may work even on the RTM version of Windows 8. Stardock is as of yet unable to confirm this, though, as legitimate copies have yet to reach developers and enterprises.

"The program should work, unless capability for it to function was intentionally stripped away," a Stardock spokesperson said. "We're definitely excited to test with the RTM build and the new Start8 features we've been developing internally."

Windows 8 eschews the old Start button for a "hot corner" at the lower left corner of the desktop, which is functionally the same. Clicking on the hot corner brings up Windows 8's new tiled interface, which is the default environment for users at boot. Previously, this interface was called "Metro," but Microsoft agreed to stop using the term after talks with an "important European partner."

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