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Guide a easy way to mod the explorer.exe

Discussion in 'Modding' started by johnwilliams474, 10 Apr 2004.

  1. johnwilliams474

    johnwilliams474 Banned

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    ok this how to change text on the start menu in windows


    orignally posted by techtv.com here or here if your to lazy (like me)


    OK, friends. Beg and you shall receive.


    I've gotten so many requests on how to change the Windows Start button, I'm going to teach you how to hack it to pieces manually. No software required!


    Before you get started, you might want to print out this page for easy reference.


    Change the Start text




    First of all, make sure you download Resource Hacker. You'll need this puppy to edit resources inside your Windows shell.


    Locate explorer.exe in your c:\Windows directory. Make a copy of the file in the same directory and rename it explorer.bak.


    Now launch Resource Hacker. In the File menu, open explorer.exe. You'll now see a bunch of collapsed folders.


    Expand the String Table folder and then find folder No. 37.


    Click on resource 1033 and locate the text that says "Start." This is your Start button, and now you've got control over what it says! Change the "Start" text to your text of choice. You don't have a character limit, but the text takes up valuable taskbar space, so don't make it too long.


    Click on the button labeled Compile Script. This updates the settings for your Start button.

    Change your hover text


    While you're here, why not also change the text that pops up when your mouse hovers over your Start button?


    Right now it says "Click here to begin." Well, duh! We already know that's where to begin!



    Open folder No. 34 and click on resource 1033.


    Find the text that says "Click here to begin" and change it to something cooler. Might I suggest "Click here for a good time, baby."


    Click on the Compile Script button to update this resource.


    Customize your Start icon


    For an added bonus, you can also change the Windows icon to the left of the text, too.



    Collapse the String Table folder and expand the Bitmap folder at the top of your folder list.


    Click on folder No. 143 and click on resource 1033. You should see that familiar Windows icon.


    Go to the Action Menu and select "Replace bitmap." Select "Open file with new bitmap", and locate the replacement image on your machine. Note: The image must have a .bmp extension and a size of 25 pixels by 20 pixels. Then click the Replace button.



    Now that you've made your changes, save the file in your Windows folder with another name, such as newstartbutton.exe. Don't name it Explorer.exe, because that file is already being used by your system. Close all open programs and restart your system.


    Boot into Safe Mode With Command Prompt by pressing F8 on startup. Then choose Safe Mode in the command prompt.


    Log on as administrator and enter your password.


    When the command prompt comes up, make sure you're in the right directory by typing "cd c:\windows" (without the quotes).


    Now type "copy c:\windows\newstartbutton.exe c:\windows\explorer.exe" (no quotes). Type "yes" (no quotes) to overwrite the existing file, then restart your system by typing "shutdown -r" (no quotes).


    When Windows relaunches, you'll see your new Start button in all its glory!


    If you still haven't made the jump to WinXP, don't feel left out. We have the instructions for you Windows 98 users, too.


    Take care,

    note: if you don't like messing with dos or text based stuff you can download
    knoppix and rename the file you saved as explorer

    right now im burning knoppix had an old copy can't find it


    if you need help click on the link or do a search on google
    for info on recorce on resource hacer or were to get it click here


    if you know what you wanna do and are willing to take responsibllity for your actions linux is your freind
     
    Last edited: 10 Apr 2004
  2. johnwilliams474

    johnwilliams474 Banned

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    note: i gave up knoppix wouldn't let me edit

    and for some strange reason when i go in to safe mode with command prompt it freezes still have old start menu il figure it out i know it works
     
  3. keir

    keir S p i t F i r e

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    errm?

    Res Hack is a pice of software..

    Theres lots of good guides on editting stuff on the winT site :thumb:

    [​IMG]
     
  4. Langer

    Langer Jesse Lang

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    @ keir
    You seem to know what you are doing...perhaps you could explain how i can do this to my desktop?
    [​IMG]

    if you can please keep it basic...im a noob to this kind of stuff

    if this is to off topic ill start a new thread
     
    Last edited: 3 May 2004
  5. Xeno

    Xeno What's a Dremel?

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    I love that dekstop you got there jess. :rock::hehe:

    ~Xeno~
     
  6. Hephaistus

    Hephaistus What's a Dremel?

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    nice Guide, will try that some day.

    @jesse, that desktop looks extremly wicked..... :jawdrop: (you sure it's windows???)
     
  7. Anakha

    Anakha Minimodder

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    Yes, it is. Download "WindowBlinds" from Stardock, along with "ObjectBar", and you too can customise your system any way you like...

    So go to http://www.wincustomize.org and see what can be done.
     
  8. keir

    keir S p i t F i r e

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    yep pretty much windows there :)
    the winAMP skin is just.. well a winAMP skin :worried: lol
    no special software for that.

    I had a theme base'd on this ages ago. If I remember right it was called orbital, I had the icons to go with it too :)

    errm, for the this mad looking thing:
    [​IMG]

    Heres the link on how to do it. :)

    Im going out soon but when I get back I should be more helpful ill upload some programs if you can find them, like style XP etc.
    Good luck
     
  9. PsychoI3oy

    PsychoI3oy Minimodder

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    i don't have links but google is your friend.

    The replacement for explorer.exe that i've found that I really like is called bb4win (BlackBox 4 Windows) and is based on the Xwindows (linux/unix) window manager called BlackBox. (I use fluxbox in linux, so it's just a little more like home for me)

    the other one i've played around with but never really used for any length of time was called LiteStep, but i don't remember what it really looks like or how much it's changed in the last couple years since i used it. I should be able to edit this post with links later on today, gotta run to work right now.
     
  10. Langer

    Langer Jesse Lang

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    Lol that isn't my desktop...i found that screen online and was asking keir how to do it.
     
  11. modding-monkey

    modding-monkey What's a Dremel?

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    thats cool thanks for the guide! :D
     
  12. johnwilliams474

    johnwilliams474 Banned

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    here check out these websites



    1
     
  13. 1st time modder

    1st time modder What's a Dremel?

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    you can also look here
    the program i use is style xp and you can change lots of stuff from the start menu, to the logon, to even the boot menu.
     
  14. Frink

    Frink What's a Dremel?

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    I really suggest the Uxtheme.dll patch over StyleXP, but that is just a personal preference (and one less piece of software to install). I've seen WinT's desktop in many forms and was always impressed by it (for all the work he did) but never really cared for the look of it. I prefer my environment as minimal as I can get it, though I usually don't go to the extremes of editing all the context menus.
     
  15. johnwilliams474

    johnwilliams474 Banned

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    theres really alot of programs out there but i forgot all the websites


    i had them on the computer but i had to format my hardrive so there gone now
     
  16. johnwilliams474

    johnwilliams474 Banned

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    ok found the web sites


    here thats one looks pretty good heres another





    this one is free


    thats about all the websites i know
     
  17. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead It's big, and it's clever.

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    They both do the same thing, but I opted for Style XP, as it's front end is so easy to use, and whilst being an application rather than a patch, it can be set to not at startup, and hence uses no resources.. just like the theme.dll patch.

    You can always get reshack and just manually modify your shell32.dll
     
  18. theflinger

    theflinger What's a Dremel?

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    if you are willing to pay, aston shell is your friend. Functionality, speed, and damn good looks :)

    needs some better developled plugins, but otherwise it's my favorite!
     
  19. johnwilliams474

    johnwilliams474 Banned

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    thats what i though but you know i tried to use it and it just felt weird so il stick with the regular windows shell
     
  20. darkjedi_66

    darkjedi_66 What's a Dremel?

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    Ive seen some screenshots of people's desktops where they have the "performance graph" in task manager running on the desktop as if it was a part of their wallpaper. This looks f+++ing Awesome! do any of you guys know how to do this? if so please share on how to. help is much appriciated. tnx in advance!!!
     
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