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Change Start Button Text
You can change the start button by using a hex editor - see regedit.com for details how to do it.
([link]http://www.winguides.com/registry/display.php/791/[/link])
the offsets for XP are:
000412b6 - 000412bf
and
0004158a - 00041593
This method has a few limitations though, you can only use exactly 5 letters, so try the following method from tweakersguide.com (but it's in German so here's my rough translation)
First of all you will need to download a exe editor - Resource Hacker and Hacker 2.0 are avaliable from [link]www.downloads.com[/link] and are adequate for the task in hand.
The first 3 steps stop the file we are going to tamper with from being restored automatically when windows restarts
1) with notepad or a text editor open the file c:windowssystem32restorefilelist.xml (you might need to change it's properites from read only first by right clicking on the file and selecting properties, then remove the tich from the read only checkbox)
2) add the following line to the first section to exclude explorer.exe from the protected file list
- %windir%explorer.exe
3) save the file (and apply the read only properties back if you wish)
The next 2 steps actually modify the explorer.exe file that is the windows shell so back it up first if you are uncertain what you are doing (to back up the file, open a cmd window and type -
copy c:windowsexplorer.exe c:windowsexplorer.bak)
4) Open the file c:windowsexplorer.exe with your exe editor and edit the text in following lines
String Table > 37 > 1033
String Table > 38 > 1033
You just edit the text inside the "Start" to what ever you want and compile if necessary (depends on your exe editor - you will if you use ResHack)
5) save the file as (file > save as) explorer.xp (back up this file to another disk if you want to save a bit of hassle after you recover the machine next time)
Now you need to copy the file you've modified best way I've found to do this is to boot to safe mode command prompt although it's been suggested that you can stop the explorer.exe process with Task Manager, copy the fie in a cmd prompt then restart the process again - that worked for me but the origional returned after a restart. The next 3 steps describe how you copy the file
6) restart the machine and start tapping F8 to get the start menu - choose safe mode with command prompt
7) log on as Administrator and you'll be presented with a cmd prompt
8) To copy the modified file just type
copy c:windowsexplorer.xp c:windowsexplorer.exe
assuming that's where you saved it to with your exe editor)
9) Restart Machine and VOILA!
If anyone wants to tidy the tweak up a bit feel free.
Turn off Thumbs.db
Thumbs.db is a file which is created in a folder with Movies or Pictures so that you can view a piece of their content without actualy opening them (you can't see thumbnails unless you have the option to view system files turned on). Thumbs.db is there so that you don't need to reload a thumbnail everytime you browse that folder. Sad fact is, is Thumbs.db takes up about 2kb per file and if you edit a lot of stuff its annoying to keep seeing them popping up all over your computer. You can remove thumbs.db quite easily by following these steps:
1. Go to Run in the startmenu
2. Type gpedit.msc
3. Click OK and the Group Policy will open
4. Go to User Configuration/Administrative Template/Windows Components/Windows Explorer
5. Scroll down to the bottom of the long list of stuff that now shows up in the menu on the right. Double-Click on Turn off caching of thumbnail pictures.
6. Click on Enable then Apply, Ok. And now you no longer have this annoying problem.
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