[Update] Get Windows 7 Desktop Context Menu in Windows XP

NOTE: This tutorial is an update over our previous tutorial. Since Windows 7 latest beta has some changes in Desktop context menu, an update was required.

Windows 7 Desktop context menu is much different than XP one. Following are a few things which are new in Windows 7 menu and we are going to have them in XP:

"View" menu visible in Desktop context menu
"Arrange Icons By" renamed to "Sort by"
"Properties" renamed to "Personalize"
"Auto arrange icons" and "Align icons to grid" options moved from "Sort by" menu to "View" menu
2 new options "Screen resolution" and "Gadgets" added to the menu

So above are a few changes which are new in Windows 7 but we can get them in XP using our favorite tool "Resource Hacker".

Prerequisites:

To modify Desktop context menu, we'll need to edit "%windir%\System32\Shell32.dll" file in Resource Hacker. If you are new to Resource Hacker, we'll advise you to go through following tutorial to learn about it:

All About Resource Hacker in a brief Tutorial

Once you become familiar with Resource Hacker, make sure you have run WFP Patcher in Windows. WFP Patcher disables WFP (Windows File Protection) service. WFP service protects editing of system files and you'll not be able to edit "Shell32.dll" file until you disable it using WFP patcher. You can find it in our "Downloads" section.

If you don't want to disable WFP, you can save the modified file at some other location and then replace default Shell32.dll file with your new modified one using Replacer. This tool can also be found in our "Downloads" section.

Getting Started:

1. Open "%windir%\System32\Shell32.dll" file in Resource Hacker and go to:

Menu -> 215

2. Select the whole code given in right-side pane and replace it with the following code:

215 MENUEX
LANGUAGE LANG_ENGLISH, SUBLANG_ENGLISH_US
{
POPUP "", 0, MFT_STRING, MFS_ENABLED, 0
{
POPUP "&View", 0, 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 "", 30208, MFT_SEPARATOR, MFS_ENABLED
MENUITEM "Show in &groups", 30209, MFT_STRING, MFS_ENABLED
MENUITEM "&Auto arrange icons", 28753, MFT_STRING, MFS_ENABLED
MENUITEM "A&lign icons to grid", 28756, MFT_STRING, MFS_ENABLED
MENUITEM "", 30208, MFT_SEPARATOR, MFS_ENABLED
MENUITEM "Show &desktop icons", 29698, MFT_STRING, MFS_ENABLED
}
POPUP "S&ort by", 28673, MFT_STRING, MFS_ENABLED, 0
{
MENUITEM "", 30208, MFT_SEPARATOR, 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
}
}

3. Click on "Compile Script" button.

4. Now go to:

Menu -> 220

5. Again select the whole code given in right-side pane and replace it with the following code:

220 MENUEX
LANGUAGE LANG_ENGLISH, SUBLANG_ENGLISH_US
{
POPUP "", 0, MFT_STRING, MFS_ENABLED, 0
{
MENUITEM "Screen resolution", 0, MFT_STRING, MFS_ENABLED
MENUITEM "Gadgets", 0, MFT_STRING, MFS_ENABLED
MENUITEM "P&ersonalize", 0, MFT_STRING, MFS_ENABLED
}
}

6. Click on "Compile Script" button.

7. That's it. Now save the file. Restart your system and get ready to have the Windows 7 Desktop context menu in your XP.

PS: "Screen Resolution" and "Gadgets" options will open Desktop Properties. Its a limitation in XP. We can't do anything.

NOTE: If you get "Can't create file…" error message when you try to save the file, it means you have edited and saved the file recently and there is a backup file which needs to be deleted before saving the file again. Go to the "System32" folder and look for a file "Shell32_original.dll". Delete it and try to save the file again.

This article was posted in Resource Hacker, Windows XP.

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50 Comments

VG

^^ Unfortunately there is no way.
Eddy Gonsalves

Hi,

I really like the new visual style for Windows 7, 'SevenVG Refresh', although the one I am using right now is from Vista Inspirat, 'Aero'. The difference is that the start bar button is more compact and is black. How can I have the 'SevenVG Refresh', but still retain the start bar settings that I currently have?
VG

^^ You can't. Every theme has its own start button and taskbar.
Kizo2703

When you change >Properties to PersonalizeOpen folder location< for shortcuts like in Win 7?
Kizo2703

Sorry I've made a mistake! So ,when you change Properties to Personalize it shows it self on all files folders and drives ,not only on desktop! Is it possible to get "Open folder location" for shortcuts like Win 7?
Sopan

Hi VG....
If you have office 2007 with groove synchronizer then see
if we right click on desktop if will show groove folder synchronize & it have a icon
try to find out that how it gives icon or image in Desktop Context Menu
may it be useful in giving icon to Personalise

By The Way You R Genius
Sopan

&
If i Dont Want The Want the view menu on desktop but want others then what i do
please reply
VG

^^ In Point 2, change the 6th line of code to following:

POPUP "&View", 28674, MFT_STRING, MFS_ENABLED, 0
Mr Vip3r

Hi, thank you for this tweak. But I got a problem ! After reboot the system, everything's ok but the View button in the Toolbar of Windows Explorer stops working. I press it many times, but there's no menu fade out like before. How can I fix it ? (sorry for my bad English ^^)
VG

^^ Its a known issue. If you enable View Menu on Desktop, the View button in Explorer toolbar stops working.