Edit Start Menu Button Text In XP

Editing the start menu's text is pretty simple. We first have to download a program, tamper with explorer.exe, and then edit it. Lastly, we will edit system registry to allow us to use our edited file.

1. Download Resource Hacker.
2. Extract using WinRar or other program.
3. Run "ResHacker.exe".
4. Navigate to File>Open>C:(or you main drive holding the Windows folder)>Windows>explorer.exe (as shown in picture - select for larger view)



5. After you find explorer.exe, COPY it to a safe place, other than the Windows Folder, and rename it to something like:

explorerB.exe

6. Go back to the Resource Hacker program and click on the original explorer.exe in the Windows folder and click "open".
7. Now navigate to the "String Table" listed on the left and expand it. (Click the plus sign)
8. Expand string 37 then click on 1033. (If you are using the Classic Layout, and not the XP layout, use the number 38)
9. Modify the line of "578" by clicking and highlighting the word "start". (DO NOT highlight the quotes along with it-just the word start.)

10. After altering the text just click "Compile Script" at the top.
11. Now go to File>SAVE AS. (NOT just save-save AS!)
12. Choose a name for the file (I used newexplorer.exe) and then save it to C:>Windows.

Now we get to modify the registry so the new file will be recognized when you log on.
14. Open registry by going to Start>Run (Windows key + R) and type:

regedit

15. Click "OK".
16. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>SOFTWARE>Microsoft>Windows NT>CurrentVersion>Winlogon.
17. In the right pane, double-click the "Shell" entry to open the Edit String dialog box.
18. Enter the name that was used to save the modified explorer.exe file and then click "OK".
19. Close the Registry Editor and log off the system to activate the changed file.
When you log back on, hopefully, your start menu will be changed.