How to Hack Start Menu

Grandmaster

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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:


Code:
<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! ;)
 
This is a nice tutorial but i dont see a line in bold, i'm guessing it should have been this one:

<REC>%windir%\explorer.exe</REC>
 
Very good, o_87, be prepared to answer a lot of questions =)
 
Originally posted by Comedy Dave
This is a nice tutorial but i dont see a line in bold, i'm guessing it should have been this one:

<REC>%windir%\explorer.exe</REC>

Yep, its that one.



Originally posted by madmatt
Very good, o_87, be prepared to answer a lot of questions =)

I'm always ready matt ;)
 
Re: Re: How to Hack Start Menu

Originally posted by xsivforce
Dernit! I only clicked it 999,999. Do I need to start over? :confused:

hahaha, you messed up!
 
Or your could use the little app "StartButtonRenamer"
Which i found on this forum. Saves Having to Log in and out of explorer. Can do it on the fly. You still have to stop explorer from keeping replacing itself though.
Makes it a little easier.:p
and if you are like me you can change it to suit you mood quickly:D
 
:D found the link for that little app
StartButtonRenamer
the link is on the last post
here
;)
 
ahh...don't trust programs to do the job, trust me, it missed up my system before (I tried a program that lets me do something (don't remember what tho.) and it messed up my system)....if you want something done, do the hacking yourself ;)
 
its just a different way, and I just shared the way I use ;)

And that prog doesnt always work. I find that it wont work with Windows Blinds skins, but I havent tried Style XP skins yet...
 
Hmmmm You are right It does not seem to work on the Windows Classic theme. It does untill you use something. NEITHER method works. does it use a different explorer.exe for the classic view?

:( i dunno man.
 
No that isn't the problem. because when i switch back to any other style it goes to what ever i had changed it too previously. it is if it runs a separite explorer. does anyone elses do this when they switch to classic mode? :mad: :confused:
 
the "StartButtonRenamer" Prog makes it easier but it is Flawed. It Only Changes the first instance of "Start ". Not the Second.

So it only works for the Xp Themes.

So use the method using "ResHacker"

:D
 

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