If you don't understand any of the terms used here, you shouldn't be doing it.
I am not responsible for any damage you do to your computer. I never said you had to do
it. On the other hand, if you know I've made a mistake, tell me about it.
95/98/ME/XP
Go to C:\Windows
NT/2000
Go to C:\Winnt
Make a copy of Explorer.exe called Explorer.old.exe
Make another copy of Explorer.exe called Explorer.new
Open a command prompt
Run the following:
95/98/ME/XP
edit/70 c:\windows\explorer.new
NT/2000
edit/70 c:\winnt\explorer.new
Find your version of Windows in the tables below.
If you can't find the correct version, it's the same as the previous listed version.
For example, 2000sp2 is the same as 2000sp1.
Go to the position specified in the table for "Start button". You should see this:
S t a r t
Note that some versions of XP have two - one for the Luna interface and one for Classic.
Change the one for the interface you're using.
Replace each letter with any standard character you like, but don't do anything to the
spaces. They aren't really spaces. If you want shorter text on your start button,
replace one or more letters with spaces.
Go to the position specified in Table 1 for "Tooltip". You should see this:
95 without desktop update/ME/NT/2000/XP
C l i c k h e r e t o b e g i n
95 with desktop update/98
C l i c k h e r e t o b e g i n .
Note that some versions of XP have two - one for the Luna interface and one for Classic.
Change the one for the interface you're using.
Replace each letter with any standard character you like, but don't do anything to the
spaces. They aren't really spaces. If you want shorter text in your tooltip, replace one
or more letters with spaces.
This is only for 95 and NT without the desktop update.
Go to the position specified in Table 2 for "Click here to begin.".
You should see this:
C l i c k h e r e t o b e g i n .
Replace each letter with any standard character you like, but don't do anything to the
spaces. They aren't really spaces.
If you want shorter scrolling text, replace one or more letters with spaces. You ought
to know this by now.
Now save the file using the same file name.
Open C:\Windows\System.ini
Change shell=explorer.exe to shell=explorer.old.exe
Save the file and restart the computer.
Go to C:\Windows
Delete Explorer.exe
Rename Explorer.new to Explorer.exe
Open C:\Windows\System.ini
Change shell=explorer.old.exe to shell=explorer.exe
Save the file and restart the computer.
Open Regedit.
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Change the value of shell to Explorer.old.exe
Restart the computer
NT/2000
Go to C:\Winnt
XP/2003
Go to C:\Windows
Delete Explorer.exe
Rename Explorer.new to Explorer.exe
Open Regedit.
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Change the value of shell to Explorer.exe
Restart the computer.
| Windows version | Start button | Tooltip | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start | End | Start | End | |
| 95 | Line 2689 column 13 | Line 2689 column 21 | Line 2672 column 33 | Line 2672 column 69 |
| 95ie4 | Line 2279 column 11 | Line 2279 column 19 | Line 2256 column 29 | Line 2256 column 67 |
| 95ie4sp1 | Line 2302 column 65 | Line 2303 column 03 | Line 2280 column 13 | Line 2280 column 51 |
| 95ie4sp2 | Line 2303 column 11 | Line 2303 column 19 | Line 2280 column 29 | Line 2280 column 67 |
| 98 | Line 2390 column 49 | Line 2390 column 57 | Line 2367 column 67 | Line 2368 column 35 |
| Me | Line 3035 column 67 | Line 3036 column 05 | Line 3018 column 25 | Line 3018 column 61 |
| NT | Line 3137 column 33 | Line 3137 column 41 | Line 3120 column 53 | Line 3121 column 19 |
| NTsp2 | Line 3137 column 41 | Line 3137 column 49 | Line 3120 column 61 | Line 3121 column 27 |
| NTsp3 | Line 4995 column 29 | Line 4995 column 37 | Line 4978 column 49 | Line 4979 column 15 |
| NTsp4 | Line 3187 column 05 | Line 3187 column 13 | Line 3170 column 25 | Line 3170 column 61 |
| NTie4 | Line 2377 column 63 | Line 2378 column 01 | Line 2355 column 11 | Line 2355 column 49 |
| NTie4sp1 | Line 2385 column 15 | Line 2385 column 23 | Line 2362 column 33 | Line 2363 column 01 |
| NTie4sp2 | Line 2385 column 31 | Line 2385 column 39 | Line 2362 column 49 | Line 2363 column 17 |
| 2000 | Line 3236 column 53 | Line 3236 column 61 | Line 3214 column 17 | Line 3214 column 53 |
| 2000sp1 | Line 3299 column 67 | Line 3300 column 05 | Line 3277 column 31 | Line 3277 column 67 |
| 2000sp4 | Line 3307 column 19 | Line 3307 column 27 | Line 3284 column 53 | Line 3285 column 19 |
| XP Luna | Line 3824 column 49 | Line 3824 column 57 | Line 3981 column 23 | Line 3981 column 59 |
| XP Classic | Line 3814 column 25 | Line 3814 column 33 | Line 3981 column 23 | Line 3981 column 59 |
| XPsp1 Luna | Line 3864 column 69 | Line 3865 column 7 | Line 4164 column 13 | Line 4194 column 49 |
| XPsp1 Classic | Line 3859 column 23 | Line 3859 column 31 | Line 4164 column 13 | Line 4194 column 49 |
| XPsp2 | Line 14362 column 21 | Line 14362 column 29 | Line 14373 column 47 | Line 14373 column 13 |
| XPsp3 | Line 14384 column 01 | Line 14384 column 09 | Line 14395 column 27 | Line 14395 column 63 |
| 2003 | Line 14330 column 29 | Line 14330 column 37 | Line 14341 column 55 | Line 14342 column 21 |
| 2003sp1 | Line 14586 column 53 | Line 14586 column 61 | Line 14598 column 09 | Line 14598 column 45 |
| 2003sp2 | Line 14623 column 23 | Line 14623 column 31 | Line 14634 column 49 | Line 14635 column 15 |
| Windows version | "Click here to begin." | |
|---|---|---|
| Start | End | |
| 95 | Line 2713 column 55 | Line 2714 column 23 |
| NT | Line 3147 column 03 | Line 3147 column 41 |
| NTsp2 | Line 3147 column 11 | Line 3147 column 49 |
| NTsp3 | Line 5004 column 69 | Line 5005 column 37 |
| NTsp4 | Line 3196 column 45 | Line 3197 column 13 |