Gonecamping444 wrote:
Just curious,I have 8.1 & it does not boot up to the desktop,What do you do to get it to go to the desktop?Thanks
The setting for this is contained in Task Bar and Navigation Properties which you get to by right clicking anywhere on the Task Bar (bar at the bottom of your screen) and then selecting Properties. Then select the Navigation Tab from the dialog box and check the box for "When I sign in or close all aps go to the desktop."
You do not have to install Classic Start (or any other program) but you may still wish to do so to further improve how Windows performs.
There's an entire article about this with screen shots here:
Booting to the desktop in Windows 8.1