How to Add Your Name in Desktop Context Menu in Windows XP?

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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, it can be found in our "Download" section.

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 need 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.

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As you all know about my "How to enable “VIEW” Menu on Desktop in Windows XP" tutorial which teaches you how to enable View menu in Windows XP Desktop context menu just like Windows Vista:

Many people have asked me how did I add my name on top in Desktop context menu as shown in above screenshot? So today I decided to write a small tutorial about it.

So here is a step-by-step tutorial on how to add any desired string in Desktop context menu:

1. Open “%windir%\System32\Shell32.dll” file in resource hacker and go to:

Menu -> 215 -> 1033

2. Now add following line:

MENUITEM "xyz", 33333, MFT_STRING, MFS_GRAYED | MFS_DEFAULT

Just after the:

215 MENUEX
LANGUAGE LANG_ENGLISH, SUBLANG_ENGLISH_US
{
POPUP "", 0, MFT_STRING, MFS_ENABLED, 0
{

3. Replace "xyz" with any string which you want to add, e.g.

MENUITEM "!*~.VISHAL.~*!", 33333, MFT_STRING, MFS_GRAYED | MFS_DEFAULT

4. Click on "Compile Script" button.

5. Save the file and restart your Windows to see the affect.

BONUS TIP: You can remove "MFS_GRAYED" or "MFS_DEFAULT" or both to have some different look. "MFS_GRAYED" is used to disable the text, if you'll remove it, your name will look like an enabled item. "MFS_DEFAULT" is used to show the text in Bold, if you'll remove it, your name will be shown as normal text instead of Bold.

To know more about Resource Hacker, read following tutorial:

All About Resource Hacker in a brief Tutorial

This article was posted in Resource Hacker, Windows XP.

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104 Comments

shekh

how to open or edit shell.dll file .
Sul

you need to download resource hacker
whitedevil

hey VG,
this is not working for me. i changed the shell32.dll file as u said , then compiled it and saved. when i open the shell32.dll again, the line i added is no there
however i was able to change some other things like avi, bitmaps, and dialogs in the shell32.dll file and it works. pls help me
sulasno

And if you face problems while saving the file, make sure you have patched your system with WFP Patcher which can be found in “Downloads” section.
Zygo

"Menu -> 215 -> 1033" there is no menu on the left hand side bar?????????

wtf help please
VG

^^ If you are using some other language version of Windows, then "1033" will be different. You have to just goto "Menu -> 215 -> xxx" and paste the mentioned line in right-side pane.
Zygo

"Menu" is not showing up! all of them say 1033
darkstate

Hi VISHAL,i'm having a tiny problem with my code,when i right click my context folder my nick only shows up @ the top the view folder and not the main folder as yours does,is there a reason for this?maybe to many letters !*~.DARKSTATE.~*!.
if you want a pic email me back and i'll send so you can see.
kind regards
darkstate

ITs ok i solved it,i did it like this to get my nick at the top of the context of the main menu and view menu

215 MENUEX
LANGUAGE LANG_ENGLISH, SUBLANG_ENGLISH_US
{
POPUP "", 0, MFT_STRING, MFS_ENABLED, 0
{
MENUITEM "!*~.DARKSTATE.~*!", 33333, MFT_STRING, MFS_GRAYED | MFS_DEFAULT
MENUITEM "", 65535, MFT_SEPARATOR, MFS_ENABLED
POPUP "&View", 28674, MFT_STRING, MFS_ENABLED, 0
{
MENUITEM "!*~.DARKSTATE.~*!", 33333, MFT_STRING, MFS_GRAYED | MFS_DEFAULT
MENUITEM "Filmstri&p", 28719, MFT_STRING, MFS_ENABLED
etc
etc
etc
VG

^^ Yep. You have to add the line before View menu.