How to Hack Start Menu

[Kw4ntuM]

that strtbuttonrenamer.exe file is crap
u have to redo it ever time you boot up and it duznt know the letter limit and will crash your machine!!!!!.....(not me who did that 1...friend did and i laffed)

anyways....that is a pretty good way...but might i add this link to xp-erience's repertoir of links to things to hack and mod windows with

http://www.regedit.com

 

[Grandmaster]

thanks for adding that Kw4ntuM

 

[Shotokhaan]

hey ..

instead of *fujisizing* into the start button ->

what about TClock ?

it is freeware .. you can make the taskbar transparent customize the clock and use a bitmap or custom text for the button !!

link : http://homepage1.nifty.com/kazubon/tclock/

works under 2K .. should also work under XP
(i am not sure if installed on my home machine
now .. )

 

[Grandmaster]

cool, I will check it out

 

[coolsurfer]

Originally posted by o_87
This tutorial is for changing the word 'start' into something else in your start menu.

you are going to have to edit explorer.exe (very important system file) so if you don't understand this, don't try it..


1.)download resource hacker

2.)make a backup copy of C:\windows\explorer.exe (save it as explorer_bak.exe)

3.)open up resource hacker and load C:\windows\explorer.exe

4.)look on the left tree menu for STRING TABLE

5.)expand it and look for nodes 37 and 38

6.)expand 37 and click on 1033. some source code will appear on the right side.

7.)change start to whatever you want!

8.)click on Compile Script

9.)go back to 38

10.)expand it and click on 1033

11.)change Start to the same thing that you changed it to before

12.)click on Compile Script

13.)save the file as C:\windows\explorer2.exe

14.)edit this xml file - c:\windows\system32\restore\filelist.xml

15.)this file is read only so go into the directory (windows explorer) and make it non-read-only (go into file properties)
edit the first few lines to look like this:

<PCHealthProtect>
    <VERSION>1.0</VERSION>
    <DEFTYPE>E</DEFTYPE>
    <FILES>
        <Exclude>
            <REC>%windir%\system.ini</REC>
            <REC>%windir%\tasks\desktop.ini</REC>
            <REC>%windir%\win.ini</REC>
            [b]<REC>%windir%\explorer.exe</REC>[/b]
            <REC>*:\AUTOEXEC.BAT</REC>
            <REC>*:\CONFIG.MSI</REC>
            <REC>*:\CONFIG.SYS</REC>
        </Exclude>

(add the bold line in.)

16.)save the file.. this prevents win xp from automatically replacing explorer.exe with a non-reshacked version

17.)go into the folder C:\windows\system32\dllcache (hidden folder) and rename the file explorer.exe to explorer_backup.exe

18.)save your reshacked explorer.exe as explorer.ex2 in c:\windows

19.)click start -> shutdown -> restart

20.)click F8 a million times

21.)select "Logon to windows - safe mode - command prompt"

22.)logon as administrator on win xp logon screen

23.)use "cd .." and "cd windows" to get to C:\windows

24._type in "copy explorer.ex2 explorer.exe"

Enjoy!

hi m8, problem is that filelist.xml does not exist on my hard drive (even after showing hidden files). Also this folder does not exist: C:\windows\system32\dllcache

I am using Windows XP Professional, corporate edition. System resotre is onyl enabled on drive C. Styles XP is installed but I disabled it and put of the defaults windows xp skin before I tried anything.

 

[coolsurfer]

lpease ignore above, I found them after enabling windows hidden files.

 

[Grandmaster]

cool

 

[mikeyworks]

so how do you change it so the "Start" button only changes for one user? I like my change, but the wife likes the "Start" button.

Mikey

 

[Grandmaster]

I think it only changes for tghe user that changes it only...

 

[niabi]

ok so changing works, now how do i change the font??

is it posible??


nIabI

 

[coolsurfer]

Originally posted by o_87
I think it only changes for tghe user that changes it only...

The same explorer shell is used for all users and so every users of the pc will have the same text for their start menus.

 

[sboulema]

Maybe a dumb question, but can you use capitals? And can you have no caption, like the start is only the windows icon...

 

[2z]

Originally posted by sboulema
Maybe a dumb question, but can you use capitals? And can you have no caption, like the start is only the windows icon...

Yes & Yes
wasnt to sure about the no name so I tried it & it works


__________

___

 

[sboulema]

thanks

 

[2z]

np
;-)

 

[denios]

the best way is NOT....

The best way is NOT replacing explorer.exe with your own new and "imporved" explorer.exe, but simply getting the registry to use your own shell (explorer.exe adapted, under your own name, e.g. MyStart.exe) instructions:

Step #1)
A- Run "Resource Hacker" and open the file "%windir%\Explorer.exe".
B- You see a Tree of all Resources in this file, expand the "String Table
C- Find the "start" and replace it with your own text. then press the [Compile Script] button.
D- SAVE "Explorer.exe" AS "MyStart.exe" (I mean do not save the original Explorer.exe, but SAVE it AS a new file)
E- Quit "Resource Hacker".

Step #2)
A- Click on the [Start] button and choose the "Run..." item from the start menu. (Or use the shortcut key WinKey+R)
B- Type "RegEdit" in the Run "Dialog Box". And then press the [Ok] buton to run the "Registry Editor" program.
C- Go to "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon" and find the "Shell" property.
D- Replace value of the "Shell" property to "MyStart.exe".
E- Quit "Registry Editor".
F- Restart your system.


Happy hacking

 

[2z]

I've just tried it & explorer didnt launch
I had to use TaskManager to navigate to the back up I just made

 

[denios]

did you ....?

Save in the same directory as the original explorer? Ya should u know...

 

[2z]

Yeah did that

 

[brian0918]

How to Change Start Menu Icons in XP

Here's how to change the Start Menu icons (Run, Help and Support, Search, Settings, Favorites, Programs, etc...) in Windows XP. I don't know if this has been posted anywhere before. Oh well, here goes:

First, you will need Resource Hacker:
http://www.users.on.net/johnson/resourcehacker/

as well as ArtIcons Pro (because it supports 16 million color depth icons):
http://www.aha-soft.com/download.htm


If all you have is an image file that you want to use:

1. it has to be 16x16, 32x32, or 48x48 in size
2. if yours is a different size, open it in ArtIcons Pro and it'll start out by letting choose what size to resize it to.
3. Save the image file as an icon (Just File > Save as)
4. Proceed to step 2 of next part

If you have an icon file in mind already:

1. Open the icon file in ArtIcons Pro
2. On the right hand size, you will see a column with at least 1 image and text next to it, e.g. "32x32 256"
3. Make note of the dimensions and color depths of each one.
You will need to make 1 of each of these:
48x48 32bpp
32x32 32bpp
16x16 32bpp
48x48 16M
32x32 16M
16x16 16M
48x48 256
32x32 256
16x16 256
48x48 16
32x32 16
16x16 16

That's a total of 12. Check which ones you will need. If you need 48x48's, and you already have a 48x48, right click that one, and go to duplicate. Repeat as many times as you need. It's the same thing for 32x32 and 16x16.

If all you have is 1 size, or just 1 icon on the right, then just right click it and duplicate as many times as you need (for a total of 12).

4. Then, right click each icon individually (except the ones that you already had in the file) and click Convert.

The Sizes you need to convert for are:
16x16
32x32
48x48

The Colors you need to convert for are:
16 colors
256 colors
True Color
True Color + Alpha

When all is said and done, make sure have 12 files, with one of each of the Sizes and Color Depths that I listed under step 3.

5. Now, save the icon file, and exit ArtIcons Pro

6. Go to your Windows\system32 directory

7. Make a backup copy if shell32.dll, and another copy called "shell32 edit.dll"

8. Run Resource Hacker, Open "shell32 edit.dll"

9. Click the + next to Icon Group

10. Now, you have to decide which Start menu Icon it is you want to replace. On the left you see a long list of numbered folders. The folders you want to pay attention to are:

#322 - Favorites
#323 - Search
#324 - Help and Support
#325 - Log Off...
#326 - Programs
#327 - Documents
#328 - Run...
#329 - Turn Off Computer...
#330 - Settings
#331 - Hibernate

Pick the folder you want, then click the icon group inside it (the only thing inside it).

11. Go to Action > Replace Icon...

12. Click Open file with a new icon. Choose your icon file. Then click Replace.

13. Save your shell32 edit.dll

14. Restart your computer in SafeMode (hit F8 a million times as it's starting up.

15. Go into explorer, and to Windows\system32

16. RENAME shell32.dll to "shell32 original.dll" and RENAME "shell32 edited.dll" to shell32.dll

17. Restart your computer.