Change Text on XP Start Button

In order to make the changes, the file explorer.exe located at C:\Windows needs to be edited. Since explorer.exe is a binary file it requires a special editor. For purposes of this article I have used Resource Hacker. 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. Navigate here to download Resource Hacker.

The first step is to make a backup copy of the file explorer.exe located at C:\Windows. Place it in a folder somewhere on your hard drive where it will be safe. Start Resource Hacker and open explorer.exe located at C:\Windows\explorer.exe as shown in Figure above.

The category we are going to be using is String Table. Expand it by clicking the plus sign then navigate down to and expand string 37 followed by highlighting 1033. If you are using the Classic Layout rather than the XP Layout, use number 38. The right hand pane will display the stringtable as shown in Figure above. We’re going to modify item 578, currently showing the word “start” just as it displays on the current Start button. Next, hit the Compile Script button above. Now hit CTRL-ALT-DEL and Windows Task Manager should popup. Click on the processes tab and find Explorer.exe, and click it once. Now, hit the end process button at the bottom (Make sure you don't have any other programs open). Your taskbar at the bottom of the screen should disappear. Hold ALT then click tab while holding ALT, then let off the ALT. Keep doing this until Resource Hacker comes in to view. We can now save Explorer.exe because it is not running. Click File-> Save as-> and find Explorer.exe again, mine is located in C:\windows\. It will ask you if you want to overwrite, just click yes. Now, ALT-TAB back to Windows Task Manager and click on File -> New Task -> in the black type in Explorer.exe, or type in the full path to explorer like: C:\winnt\explorer.exe. If you did everything correctly, you should see your new image and name on the start button.