NOTE: This tutorial has been featured by Microsoft. AskVG.com was the first website posting this unique trick.
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.
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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Rex
ohh!!! can you make me the complete code that can say !*~.rEx.~*! so it won't be hard for me..... thnx in advance...
VG
Your code will be:
MENUITEM "!*~.rEx.~*!", 33333, MFT_STRING, MFS_GRAYED | MFS_DEFAULT
Rex
where should i put this code?
VG
^^ Please read the 1st step. I have mentioned it in details. If you are facing problems using Resource Hacker, then please read "All About Resource Hacker" tutorial, it'll clear all your doubts. :)
Rex
ahm.... VISHAL can you make me the whole code like this:
215 MENUEX
LANGUAGE LANG_ENGLISH, SUBLANG_ENGLISH_US
{
POPUP "", 0, MFT_STRING, MFS_ENABLED, 0
{
POPUP "&View", 28674, MFT_STRING, MFS_ENABLED, 0
{
MENUITEM "Filmstri&p", 28719, MFT_STRING, MFS_ENABLED
MENUITEM "T&humbnails", 28717, MFT_STRING, MFS_ENABLED
MENUITEM "Tile&s", 28718, MFT_STRING, MFS_ENABLED
MENUITEM "Ico&ns", 28713, MFT_STRING, MFS_ENABLED
MENUITEM "&List", 28715, MFT_STRING, MFS_ENABLED
MENUITEM "&Details", 28716, MFT_STRING, MFS_ENABLED
}
MENUITEM "", 65535, MFT_SEPARATOR, MFS_ENABLED
POPUP "Arrange &Icons By", 28673, MFT_STRING, MFS_ENABLED, 0
{
MENUITEM "", 30208, MFT_SEPARATOR, MFS_ENABLED
MENUITEM "Show in &Groups", 30209, MFT_STRING, MFS_ENABLED
MENUITEM "&Auto Arrange", 28753, MFT_STRING, MFS_ENABLED
MENUITEM "A&lign to Grid", 28756, MFT_STRING, MFS_ENABLED
}
MENUITEM "R&efresh", 28931, MFT_STRING, MFS_ENABLED
MENUITEM "", 65535, MFT_SEPARATOR, MFS_ENABLED
MENUITEM "Customize This &Folder...", 28722, MFT_STRING, MFS_ENABLED
MENUITEM "", 65535, MFT_SEPARATOR, MFS_ENABLED
MENUITEM "&Paste", 28698, MFT_STRING, MFS_ENABLED
MENUITEM "Paste &Shortcut", 28700, MFT_STRING, MFS_ENABLED
MENUITEM "&Undo", 28699, MFT_STRING, MFS_ENABLED
}
}
and add this there....
MENUITEM “!*~.rEx.~*!”, 33333, MFT_STRING, MFS_GRAYED | MFS_DEFAULT
so it will be easy for me to paste it.. thanks in advance..
Rex
thank you vishal!!!
akid
uhhhm this doesnt wrok for me, it keeps saying there is an error in that line or something in resource hacker. what do i do?
akid
heres an example of what happens
Compiler Error in line 1 at offset 1
Invalid Statement: "MENUITEM xyz, 33333, MFT_STRING, MFS_GRAYED | MFS_DEFAULT"
VG
^^ You have to replace xyz with your desired string enclosed within quotes.
George
MENUITEM “!*~.VISHAL.~*!”, 33333, MFT_STRING, MFS_GRAYED | MFS_DEFAULT
where it is stated "33333", If you wanted to add your own custom program, How do you identify it WITHOUT REPLACING AN EXISTING WINDOWS PROGRAM
please help!