After years of uninstalling programs that self activate, sometimes with cuss words, this is the "ONLY" one that I will keep. Great program. I liked it so much that I had to post this comment about how good it is. Its most certainly a improvement over the old and -slow- start button (win 7), which is a puzzle. Usually a program that tries to do what is inherent to a windows function, will be slower that the one in windows. Its because the new program is one step behind the regular one. This one is cleaner and *Faster* than the regular start button. They, the start menu X people, have figured out a way to improve in many ways the win start button. Doesnt make sense, but it works. I highly doubt that another self activating program will deserve my honors so "Start menu X" currently holds the one position available for that honor.
Really, really good job.......get it and try it. You should also be amazed.

Multiple attempts to download, unzip and ran setup.exe gets the dreaded "The Setup Files are corrupted. Please obtain a new copy of the program". I get thje successful DL screens and redirects but cannot run the setup. I DL a lot of GOTDs so know how to do it but this one is not cooperating. Another disappointment given there is no recourse with this system.

The email link has not come. I tried twice. Going to sleep in NY - shame because would like to have had this,

I liked this program so much, I bought this for 2 PCs after the GAOTD offering in January 2015. Still great and gets better with updates. I think I like it better than Start Menu 10, which I have a GAOTD registered version on a 3rd PC. (That PC is now in the process of the free upgrade to Windows 10, so I doubt I will be able to get this Start Menu X on it before the time runs out.)

Thanks go to OrdinarySoft (Denis) and GAOTD!

Seems to me this is the start menu replacement software I truly like. I chose Classic Sky as the only personalization in appearance. As for grouping etc I'll wait until next months' update is over, but I know for sure I will not go back to the Win10 menu.
I particularly like Start Menu X for not interfering with the actual Win start menu, it is just another software built upon and extending Windows functionality.
As such I hope to keep today's gift beyond August 2nd.
Truly appreciated. My thanks to GOTD and OrdinarySoft.

Very nice look to it. Keeper Windows 10 x64 Pro. Self activates. Fast, small, nice on eyes to quick
scan for installed programs, white text against a black background. Have tried a few of these and
this is first layout that appeals to me right away. Smooth, single click method is winner.

Had tried this from a previous GotD and learned that the shell extension was causing Windows Explorer to crash after right clicking on files after downloading them from online or a plugged in device (HDD, phone, etc.)

I'm using Start Menu X from a previous giveaway and have to say that it's really useful even though I don't use it to its maximum potential. But I really like the improved start menu look&feel. It's one of my basic tools of my toolbox that make me a pro user (besides using Total Commander, Everything, Ditto, and Launchy).

Not as intuitive as I hoped. Watched the video and it seemed full of unnecessary extras. Forged ahead and it looked liked like it would work the way I wanted with a few tweaks.

Tried Options to increase font size - couldn't find out it.
Tried Virtual Groups, made a few, didn't know if they were saved, tried Help - dead link.
Tried restarting Start Menu X, Win8 menu appeared, couldn't find Start Menu X, tried shift-left click, windows key, had to start it from win8 search.

Figured it was a better use of my time to keep learning Windows 8, so gave up trying.

Is this the same as Start Menu 10???

Excellent product. I've been using it for several years now.

Only issue I've had (with the previous giveaway) is that after a long time working perfectly, a few months ago launching at startup became hit and miss - sometimes it would start fine, other times it would not and I had to launch it manually. The problem seemed dependent on whether I did anything with the mouse or keyboard while Windows was loading the 10,000 things it needs at startup. If I left the machine alone for several moments at startup, it would start fine, but if I clicked on anything, it would not.

I'm hoping installing this newer version fixes whatever that issue is/was.

I picked up Start Menu X from GOTD two years ago and have used it (Windows 7) ever since. It's easily customized and once you've tweaked it into a shape you like, it affords quick (two-click max) access to anything on your computer. The virtual group feature lets you organize programs as many ways as you need. Highly recommended.

I have downloaded twice and tried to instal to test the program but everytime I got a message that the file is corrupted. Tried even after pausing protection of kaspersky but to no avail.

Start Menu X Pro is one of several apps that improve on Windows traditional Start Menu -- it's not just for Windows 8 with no Start Menu, or the new Start Menu in10. Normally they run like any other app, meaning you can have these menu programs start with Windows, or turn them on/off as you wish. The biggest difference I've seen among those I've tried, other than the obvious difference in appearance, is how easy or hard it is to add apps &/or customize the Start Menu they give you -- Start Menu X isn't bad.

That said, if you're running 10 & aren't sure you want to add a new menu app, maybe one of these will be of interest?...

"How to customize your Start Menu in Windows 10"
windowscentral[.]com/how-customize-your-start-menu-windows-10

"Windows 10 Tip: Full View for Installed Apps"
winsupersite[.]com/windows-10/windows-10-tip-full-view-installed-apps

"Open File Explorer and type the following command into the Path line… Shell:AppsFolder"

[Note: I put a shortcut to that on the desktop.]

And while you're at it:
"Activating God Mode in Windows 10"
petri[.]com/activating-god-mode-windows-10

All you need to do is create a new folder & name it:
GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

The article talks about creating it on the desktop & then renaming it, but that didn't work for me, so I created the folder & put a shortcut to it on the desktop.

I've been using this since Windows 8 and it's fantastic. VERY highly recommended.

Hmmm, it still shows a txt ad that reads "Get PRO!" along the bottom bar... I thought this giveaway was PRO?

Any thoughts or comparisons to my favorite free start menu- Finalbird? I use it on a Windows 7 PC & 10 laptop and it seems to offer all that this does.

How lightweight is the program? (memory usage, cpu usage)

Oh Yeah! This is so much easier than that crappy windows 8-10 metro menu. I just can't see how windows even Thought that crappy menu was good. This is a daily use winner to me. Thanks much guys and gals of GOTD. I'm so glad there's site like you around on the net. I wish You had a better feedback system that we could discuss some of these programs day/months later. Sometimes I get a program and install, set aside for when I'm going to use it for something that is required to use a specific program and then I can legitimately discuss the program. As it is, all I can discuss is the ease or not of installing the programs. Still Thanks for Your Time and Patience with us sufficiently talented fools that break the foolproof stuff.

I have recc this to many many win 10 users, so I downloaded this and got freebie. Then you offered to sell me the PRO version for $6, How can a person say no to that? I have a question now. How do I use the "new paid for" Product Code? Uninstall new Give Away and then install new paid for Version? Thanks for the offer, everyone should take advantage of it - $6 is the price of a burger.

Some very nice new features. Thank you.

I have been a staunch supporter of Start Menu X since its original freeware beginnings, and I use it on all my computers (5 to date). My two main reasons:

1) I can view every program, application, and Control Panel applet from a single screen.
2) I can access (start) any app with a single click.

These may not seem like a big deal, but for every program or applet that I need to use, I can see and access it from the main program screen. With over a hundred-fifty programs and applets, cutting my launch function from 3 clicks to one, saves a lot of mouse clicking.

As for seeing everything on a single screen, its simply how I work, especially if I'm not sure of which program I want to use. For example, I have 9 different photo editing programs, and having them grouped together makes selecting the right program very easy to do.

While its true that I could use desktop icons to launch a program with a single click, I have 92 photos that make for a visually appealing desktop slide show, and I'm unwilling to clutter-up my desktop workspace with icons blocking my photographs.

As to which version of the Start Menu program to use, its a matter of taste. While all my computers run Windows 10, I prefer the uncluttered, single screen version of the program, and thus I use Start Menu X. For those who prefer the OS divisions, Start Menu 10 may be the better of the 2 programs to use.

Whenever I setup a new computer for someone, Start Menu X is the second program I install, right after I load my alternate file manager, xplorer2. At a minimum, folks should give Start Menu X a decent try.

If I decided I didn't like this ( for whatever reason ) can I uninstall and revert back to the windows start menu?

I have been using the free PStart launcher (http://www.pegtop.net/start/) for years and I think it's great. Can anyone say if/how today's giveaway is any better?

Sadly, as I use Classic Shell, therefore I won't be giving this one a try, again. I did on the last giveaway and didn't like it very much, especially the interface and outdated XP-like power options icons.

Classic Shell is free, open source and extremely customizable, and when combined with Classic Explorer and QTTabBar it gives me a whole new Windows experience :)

I'm sure many people will find this Start Menu X useful, however if you don't like it for any reason, feel free to give Classic Shell a try, it's extremely customizable - http://classicshell.net/

I've been using Start Menu X now for some few years - on a Win 8.1 then on a Win 10 .. and it's a super little program well worth anyone at least giving a try .. especially as you can get this full Pro version to do so. It' a huge improvement on that dratted earlier Windows which even did away with the START button but in any case it is vastly better in appearance and easier to see at a quick glance just what program you have on and available and it can even be changed in appearance if you so wish. As a free program it's got to be an excellent one to try out

I have used Start Menu X Pro before. It is basically a Windows 7 style Start Menu, with a few extra features. It can be used on any version of Windows from XP though to Windows 10. However, it will be most useful for users of Windows 8 and Windows 8.1, as they both lack a Start Menu. With Start Menu X installed, your computer will boot to the Windows desktop, instead of the Start Screen with tiles, and you will have a Start Menu again, just like in previous versions of Windows.

In Windows 10, Microsoft included a Start Menu again. However, they have redesigned it. If you prefer the older Windows 7 style Start Menu, then you can use today's giveaway to replace the standard Windows 10 Start Menu. Personally, I really like the new Start Menu in Windows 10, but some will prefer a more traditional Start Menu. Also, some Windows 10 user have issues with the Start Menu not working as it should, and Start Menu X will be invaluable to them, as they will have a working Start Menu again.

For users of other versions of Windows, if you go the developer's website (startmenux.com), they have a video of Start Menu X in use, so you can have a look at it and see how it works, to help you decide if you want to install it.

If you miss today's giveaway, I recommend Classic Shell. It's a very popular Start Menu replacement, and it is free.

I bought this a while back after trying it out as a GOTD offer, and it has been improved on a regular basis.

I use it in conjunction with the standard start menu, (just hold shift down when you click on the start menu to bring up the standard one), which is handy when you first start using Start Menu until you get used to it.
It does configure itself when installed, but once you get used to it, it is well worth customizing to make it even easier to find what you are looking for.