This tutorial will assist you in customizing Windows XP startmenu appearance. After following this tutorial, you'll get the startmenu look like following screenshot:
STEP 1: You can change the text of various startmenu entries like Control Panel, Connect To, Help & Support, Run, Search, etc. To change them, you'll need to edit %windir%\Explorer.exe file in Resource Hacker and then edit String Table section. Following are a few locations, where you can find such interesting strings:
String Table -> 439 -> 1033
String Table -> 440 -> 1033
String Table -> 515 -> 1033
STEP 2: Other strings like My Documents, My Pictures, My Music, My Computer, etc. can be changed in String Table section of %windir%\System32\Shell32.dll file. Just search for them in the file. Most of them will be present in:
String Table -> 577 -> 1033
String Table -> 794 -> 1033
String Table -> 1900 -> 1033
String Table -> 1906 -> 1033
STEP 3: Sometimes you'll not be able to see the changes in Start menu. It happens because Windows registry maintains a cache for these entries. So you'll have to clear this cache to make the changes visible. Just type regedit in RUN dialog box and press Enter. Now go to:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ ShellNoRoam\MUICache
In right-side pane, delete all existing values except Default & LangID.
STEP 4: If you want to add your own entry, like an application shortcut or a folder, you can follow this tutorial:
Add Your Favorite Application or Shortcut Under RUN in Windows XP Start Menu
STEP 5: This one is our favorite. You can use this trick to remove "All Programs" menu from Start menu and then change "Favorites" entry to point to the "Programs" folder. In this way, you can access all program using Favorites menu.
Simply follow these steps:
A. First disable "All Programs" menu from Start menu. Open regedit and goto:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Policies\Explorer
In right-side pane, create a DWORD value NoStartMenuMorePrograms and set its value to 1
B. Now change "Favorites" path to "Programs" folder. In regedit, goto:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Explorer\Shell Folders
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Explorer\User Shell Folders
and change value of Favorites to:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs
NOTE: Change C: to your system drive letter where Windows is installed in your system.
WARNING: Above trick will replace "Favorites" menu with All Programs list in Internet Explorer as well. If you use Favorites in IE, you should not apply the above trick. Also note down the default values of above mentioned 2 registry keys before changing them, so that you can restore them if you don't like the change.
C. You can also change the text of "Favorites" to "Programs" or "All Programs" by editing %windir%\Explorer.exe file in Resource Hacker. Just goto:
String Table -> 515 -> 1033
and in right-side pane, change string in 8235 line with your desired one.
D. You can also drag-n-drop important program shortcuts into left-side pane of Start menu for easier access. Don't forget to disable "Internet" & "E-mail" shortcuts and "Recent Items" list from "Start menu & Taskbar Properties".
STEP 6: To change the color & style of Start menu, you can use "VistaVG Ultimate" theme. You can get it here:
NOTE: If you are facing problems while saving a file after editing in resource hacker, then make sure you have disabled WFP (Windows File Protection) service using WFP Patcher.
Also if you are getting error "Can't create file...", that means you have edited and saved the same file in past and there is a backup file which needs to be deleted before saving this file again. Go to the folder containing this file and you'll see a similar file having "_original" in its name. Delete it and try to save the file in resource hacker.
This article was posted by VG in following section: Resource Hacker, Windows XP.
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VG
^^ Use "VistaVG Ultimate" theme to get that Vista Start ORB.
@Sean
Safe Mode is not required but make sure you have disabled WFP.
Sean
ok thank you will do that:)
386sky
The error of a Rich Edit
1. Open C:\WINDOWS\system32\shell32.dll in Resource Hacker.
2. Expand String Table.
3. Expand 577.
4. Click 1042.
5. Now you give an Rich Edit Text Error.
386sky
An error of a "ΒΌ" item.
govnuk
Yo VG, is there any way to remove the square where the picture is shown in the start menu of your theme?
Thx in advance
VG
^^ Nope. Its by design. :)
govnuk
VG i cannot save changes i make with reshacker, i get a message saying that i cannot greate a file in reshacker even though i have WFP disabled. By files i mean explorer.exe etc.
VG
^^ Please check the information given in NOTE section at start of the topic.
govnuk
I have one more problem i was hoping that you could help me solve it. I have edited the msgina.dll and the shell32.dll files with reshacker by following the tutorial and successfully svaed the file but still some changes are not visible like the bitmap changes i made in the msgina file. Is this because i haven't cleared out the registry? What do i need to do?
VG
^^ Make sure you have disabled WFP service using WFP patcher. Otherwise it'll revert back the file to default.