EDIT: There is new information at the bottom of this post! Please read the entire article before editing anything!

WTF?!

Are you tired of the standard “start” text on Windows XP Start button? Would you like to change it to something else?

YOU WOULD?!?!?! First read this, then read on . . .

First you need to download a program called Resource Hacker. We will need it because we will be editing and compiling explorer.exe which is a binary file within Windows. Here’s a brief description from their site:

Resource HackerTM is a freeware utility to view, modify, rename, add, delete and extract resources in 32bit Windows executables and resource files (*.res). It incorporates an internal resource script compiler and decompiler and works on Win95, Win98, WinME, WinNT, Win2000 and WinXP operating systems.Viewing Resources: Cursor, Icon, Bitmap, GIF, AVI, and JPG resource images can be viewed. WAV and MIDI audio resources can be played. Menus, Dialogs, MessageTables, StringTables, Accelerators, Delphi Forms, and VersionInfo resources can be viewed as decompiled resource scripts. Menus and Dialogs can also be viewed as they would appear in a running application.

Backup explorer.exe

First things first, lets make a backup copy of the original explorer.exe file. We need to navigate to you Windows installation directory, type Windows Key+R, then:

C:\Windows

Look for the file explorer.exe, it might make it easier to find if you sort the window by file type (click the “Type” label near the top of the window).

c:\Windows\explorer.exe

Make a copy of this file and place it in a safe place, like your desktop.

Edit explorer.exe

Run Resource Hacker and open the original explorer.exe file (File -> Open -> c:\windows\explorer.exe). Click on “String Table” and expand by clicking the plus sign. Then, expand folder 37 (38 if you are using the Classic Windows theme) and highlight 1033.

Edit That MoFo!

In the right windows, highlight “start” and change it with any words that you like, e.i. Begin. Make sure you type the words between the quotes leaving the quotes in place!!.

Now compile the script by clicking on Compile Script button.

Please Sir, May I Compile Another?

Now save the file with a new name (File -> Save As). Name it something like newexplorer.exe. Save it in C:\Windows.

Editing The Registry

Now we need to modify the registry. Run Registry Editor (Windows Key + R, regedit, OK). Let’s backup the registry – just in case. To make the backup, click on File -> Export and save your backup to the desktop.

Now navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

ARRR! The Registry!

In the right panel, double click “Shell”. In Value data field, type the name of the modified explorer.exe (newexplorer.exe) and click Ok.

Close Registry Editor and logoff or restart your computer. If everything works fine, your Start button will be changed!

You're Welcome!

I haven’t tried it, but I wouldn’t suggest changing the text to something really long. I doubt that Microsoft accounted for people hacking their Start buttons!

If you noticed that my Start bar is black and want to know how to do that, click here.

EDIT 01/24/07: A reader of mine, Darrly B, send me an article on The Elder Geek.com on the dangers of using Ad-aware after you change the registry to point to a new explorer.exe file! Apperently, running Ad-aware after you edit explorer.exe crashes Windows! So I suggest creating a backup of explorer.exe, make your changes, and save your new explorer.exe file: explorer.exe – basically, write over the original file but make sure you have a backup!!! This way, you don’t have to mess with the registry.