Geeze. Just download the older version. That's the only way to solve it. The program is what it is. Unless you know programming or want to change the graphical interface with resource hacker, you're going to have to downgrade in order to get the results you want.
that¥s easy to get rid of the grey taskbar, just click at the right icon in the green taskbar, there should stand something like show menu or something in that way. Click on it and it¥s there, click a second time on it and it¥s away.