[Donmario78]

That's right! You can turn your start button into the "begin" button, or the "Micro$oft" button, and so on.
To begin with, you will need some sort of resource editing program (not regedit, it could work, just not as easily). I would recommend ResHacker.exe, available at http://www.angusj.com/resourcehacker. Simply extract the contents of the .zip (all to the same folder) after downloading. Then, open ResHacker.exe, click file, open, then navigate to C:/Windows/explorer.exe (be sure to make a backup copy of explorer.exe before proceeding). After opening explorer.exe in your resourse editor, navigate (in the side bar) to "String Table", then to 37 (38 if you are using the classic Windows display instead of the XP display) then select 1033 (it should be the only one there). Then look to the script display to the right. You should notice near the top the term start. Simply highlight the word start (do not include the parenthesis) and type the text that you desire. Click the compile script button, and click file, then save as. Now if you are uncomfortable with editing explorer.exe, you could always save it under a different name, then hit start, run, type regedit, and navigate to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Microsoft/Windows NT/CurrentVersion/Winlogon, and click in the right hand display, click on Shell. A text box will appear with the file name explorer.exe already typed. Type the name that you saved the .exe as earlier, then log off and log back on again, or restart.

[nappymonster]

Nice guide

There's a video of this if anyone finds it easier to watch it being done - and no, it's not by me.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/797383...t_menu_button/

[dannyn]

thats really cool

[Datalyss]

Old news.

[dannyn]

true i have seen it done before.. but its still cool.
does anyone know how to change the font?

[Donmario78]

Hey, if you don't like it, you don't have to read it.

[John Burns]

Originally Posted by Donmario78

That's right! You can turn your start button into the "begin" button, or the "Micro$oft" button, and so on.

Interesting info - and useful to some, I'm sure. However, I just wonder WHY anyone wants to change the start button? Is it just a matter of being different - a curiosity - or is there a technical reason? Not criticizing - just trying to understand the reason for doing this.

[Pine]

Originally Posted by John Burns

... However, I just wonder WHY anyone wants to change the start button? ...

I think the one time i did it, it was more a novelty and just playing around, more then anything else. I remember using windows 95 for the first time and trying to figure out how to shut the thing down. Looking under "Start" just didn't occur to me. Probably because of that i changed the button to read "Menu" which at the time i thought was more reflective.

Still it was just playing around at the point that i changed it.

[Donmario78]

I have no idea why one would want to change the text on the start button. Perhaps as a pnuemonic device, possibly for the sheer enjoyment of it. I have no idea.