How To Change Text On
XP Start Button!
How
To Change Text On XP Start Button!
By Raymond, WinXpFix.com
There's
been a number of articles on the Web about how to change
the text on Windows XP Start button. So I decided to add
one here at WinXpFix.com for those of you who support
this site by spending your time here. First, most people
think there is a limit of five letters that you can use
on the Windows XP Start button, I have use more then five
letters with no trouble. I'm still test this XP Start
button hack and I will post any changes or updated on
this page.
Here
are the steps you need to edit and change the text on
Windows XP Start button, also some links to software that
will change XP start button text for you.
NOTE: Change XP text at your own risk. I'm not responsible
for any of the damage you may do to your system.
The
Steps!
1.
You Need to Modify "Explorer.exe File" To make
the changes you need to locate and edit the file "explorer.exe"
it's located at C:Windows. The file "Explorer.exe"
is a binary file, so you will need special editor (Resource
Hacker) will do. Resource Hacker is a good freeware
utility to view, modify, rename, add, delete and extract
resources in 32bit Windows executables and resource files.
First Backup
"explorer.exe" located at C:\Windows\explorer.
You can place it in a special folder or save it to disk.
You can also copy and change the file name to "explorerB.exe"
(the B is for backup), then you can edit "explorer.exe".
2.
Resource Hacker: In Resource Hacker the category will
be using is String Table. You need to expand it by clicking
on the plus sigh, then navigate down and expand string
37 followed by 1033, (For Classic Layout use number 38).
On the right hand pane look for item 578 it show the word
"start" this is what we are going to modify.
3.
Edit start: To edit the word "start' you just double
click on start so that it's highlighted, don't highlight
the quotation marks on the sides of start, "start"
NOT "start". The
new text go's in between the quotation marks, like this
"new" remember
don't delete the quotation marks. So that it looks like
this "new" replace
new with your text. This
is the old start text "start"
delete start text "",
inter your text "new"
easy right!
4.
Compile Script button: Now that you have changed the start
text you need to click on the Compile Script button. After
you have clicked on the Compile Script button you need
to use the Save As command on the File Menu to save the
altered file and give it a name. A good file name "explorernew.exe"
or make your own. Don't use the Save command use the Save
As commaned! Save the newly named file to the C:\Windows.
5.
Modify the Registry: Now it's time to modify the registry
so that your modified explorer.exe file that you created
will be recognized when the user logs on your system.
Go to the Start button click on it, then go to Run click
on it, type regedit in the Open: field. Now Navigate download
the list to "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" click on the
plus, to SOFTWARE, to Microsoft, to windows NT, to CurrentVersion,
to Winlogon. The full string: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\
Microsoft\ Windows NT\ CurrentVersion\ Winlogon
Look on the
right pane for Shell, double click on Shell entry to open
the Edit String dialog box. In the Value date: line enter
the name that your used to save the modified explorer.exe
file. click on OK.
Now close Registry
Editor and exit Windows or log off your system, and then
log back on. Now if the computer gods are happy and all
went as planned you should see the new Start button with
your cool text on it. Remember the force is with you!
Note: Ad-aware: Shell modification used
to change text on XP Start button maybe picked up by ad-aware,
Don't delete changes in Ad-aware.
6.
Software links!
* Email this
page link to a friend!
