Start Menu Button - Change

How to Change the Start Menu Button in Windows 7​

   Information

This will show you how to change the Start Menu button orb in Windows 7 32-bit and 64-bit.

   Warning

REMEMBER TO BACK UP EXPLORER.EXE!

Here's How:

For custom made start buttons, and further information, please visit this thread: http://www.sevenforums.com/customization/2002-custom-themes-icons-start-buttons-92.html

   Information

The explorer.exe you want to edit is:

C:\Windows\explorer.exe

and not C:\Windows\SysWOW64\explorer.exe (for those running x64)

And for those who use the larger DPI's i.e 125% , 150% you need to change:

6806 - 66 x 198
6807 - 81 x 243
6808 - 106 x 318

NOTE: The start orb replacement always HAS to look like this:
1 orb: Orb when not in use (when not clicked or mouseover'ed)
2 orb: mouseover
3 orb: When start orb is clicked

1. Download Restorator (Shareware) (Restorator 2007 Resource Editor - Restorator - Bome Software)

2. Take ownership of the whole Windows folder (see these links for more info: Take Ownership of file - Vista Forums and http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1911-take-ownership-shortcut.html)

3. Open explorer.exe with restorator



4. Go to the folder called "Bitmap"

5. Replace 6801.bmp, 6805.bmp, and 6809.bmp (as seen on the picture, you will need to right click and click assign, and then click assign to, then select your file.)



6. Go to "file" and Save as explorer.exe on your desktop

7. Go to the windows folder and rename explorer.exe to explorer.exe.bak and then copy-paste the new explorer, Kill the process in task manager and start it again.
Now you have a new start button!

Please comment, if you have something to say

Related Tutorials

---

• Download a Shortcut that Opens the Start Menu in Windows
• How to Create Custom Start Orb Image
• How to Create a New Rectangular Windows 7 Start Menu Button

 

[rover3500]

U only need to take ownership of explorer.exe,not the whole windows folder...I change mine all the time. Always:
1. Take ownership of explorer.exe,then rename it to explorerbak.exe,or explorer2.exe but make sure it's b4 the .exe
2.Make a copy of the explorerbak.exe u just changed
3.Change the copy u just made
4.Change the name of the copy u just modified to explorer.exe
5.Log off and back on....If it buggers up,just change the names back round again.U never have to do a system restore,I never had,and i've done it at least 20 times.
Heres my explorer if anyone wants it,it's one of my favs,made it from an icon.
It's for windows 7 final,I'm not sure if it's the same for earlier versions.Have added a smaller version,and one that smiles(if u can call it that)when u click.
The grey one i didn't do,but i like it and thought i'd share it.(don't have the persons name that designed it or i'd mention,sorry)
Remember they needed to be converted to bmp first(wouldn't let me upload bitmaps).There are plenty of free apps to do it.
Tell me if u like 'em

 

[arissetiadi10]

Need help

I've tried, but why at the time could not save the file to change and should be saved with a different name. and after I tried to change the executable file can not be fixed. Anything I can help?

 

[rodrigopill]

I had an idea, when I changed the theme explorer.exe would be personalized for each subject, and would be in each folder on the subject. This would be possible? Let me explain:

Where changed the theme, explorer.exe, associated with each theme, would be loaded. No need to stay in the Windows folder, but in each folder of the theme, such as C:\ Windows \ Resources \ Themes \ temaABC \ Shell \ explorer.exe

In this way, the file C: \ Windows \ explorer.exe would remain unchanged.

Is there any way I can associate start menu with the theme?

 

[Ramesh]

Is there are Particular Sizes For My taskbar or did i do any mistake ?

​

 

[mvsnaniou]

Thanks a lot

 

[zquezie]

I did everythin said in the tutorial but I stuck by step Seven.

I kill the explorer but, how dus I start it again.
It looks a little bit stupid but I do not find a solution....

This step:

7. Go to the windows folder and rename explorer.exe to explorer.exe.bak and then copy-paste the new explorer, Kill the process in task manager and start it again.

 

[smarteyeball]

Task manager > File > New Task > explorer

 

[sReKcAh]

is there easy way to change my orb others than this whole process?i really2 want to change it but the process too hard to understand.

 

[riteshtechie]

Thanks for this tutorial, i will try to create my own too

 

[EdTeach]

just a quick question, ima try and figure it out but i would like to know what a good size to make the individual orbs, i get the rest of the tut just need to know what a good start size is before i start making the hover and click versions and @rover3500 those face orbs are wicked man good job......

 

[salvinorum]

umm sorry.. nm. my mistake.. i responded to a post on page one, didn't realize it was waaaay old..

 

[AClockWorkLemon]

sorry if i am dredging up a way old topic, but i have had difficulty following the instructions in the tutorial. Replacing 6801.bmp, 6805.bmp and 6809.bmp does not affect my start button at all, even after restarting. Wondering why, i fiddled around and found that the icons used in ~01, ~05 and ~09 are smaller than the icon for the start menu, and that the correct size bmps are ~02, ~06 and ~10.
If anyone could tell me how to re-size the taskbar so as to use the smaller icon, that would be great.

 

[derekimo]

sorry if i am dredging up a way old topic, but i have had difficulty following the instructions in the tutorial. Replacing 6801.bmp, 6805.bmp and 6809.bmp does not affect my start button at all, even after restarting. Wondering why, i fiddled around and found that the icons used in ~01, ~05 and ~09 are smaller than the icon for the start menu, and that the correct size bmps are ~02, ~06 and ~10.
If anyone could tell me how to re-size the taskbar so as to use the smaller icon, that would be great.

The only way I know how to re-size the taskbar is to select use small icons in properties.

 

[AClockWorkLemon]

Yeah, tried that, but it don't alter the start orb. tried re-sizing the graphics to fit the ~02, ~06 and ~10, bbut it looked weird. will re-try in a sec

 

[rover3500]

Did u see this?
The explorer.exe you want to edit is:

C:\Windows\explorer.exe

and not C:\Windows\SysWOW64\explorer.exe (for those running x64)

And for those who use the larger DPI's i.e 125% , 150% you need to change:

6806 - 66 x 198
6807 - 81 x 243
6808 - 106 x 318

I do it all the time on my windows 7 premium 64 bit and it is definitely 1,5 and 9 that u change.
Only other thing if u have system protection on,it will revert ur explorer.But it will also revert ur patched theme files if that's the case.
Please reply when u sort it so everyone knows what it was.thanx

 

[AClockWorkLemon]

I have tried editing both .../Windows/explorer.exe AND .../Windows/SysWOW64/explorer.exe and replacing the start menu bitmaps (6801.bmp,6805.bmp,6809.bmp) with edited ones. It does nothing at all. I can confirm that the ones that i need to change are ~02, ~06 and ~10, as the bmp's is the resource manager are the correct size, and match the start orb in my dock, and when i change them to an appropriately scaled bmp, and restart explorer.exe, it changes. EDIT: forgot to say, it changes, but often looks strange, probably because i saved them at the wrong bit depth (i am using paint.net). what bit depth shouls i use?

I dont know why, it just does. maybe my taskbar is ... weird.
My system specs are:
Lenovo (IBM) ThinkPad R500
Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
WSXGA+ TFT 15.4" widescreen
ATI Mobility Radeon 128mb intergrated graphics.

If it is any help, this is a sceenshot of my desktop with the default start orb.

 

[Aethera]

Had Disappearing Icon Issue with Restorator

I had a serious issue with using Restorator which caused me to have to do a complete reinstall. I just found this post on another forum which says that the problem may have been caused by Restorator itself! Be forewarned if you use this program that it might cause serious damage to your system! This post does describe a way to mitigate the problem however - disable shell extension integration in the settings.

 

[AClockWorkLemon]

restorator works fine, it's the images that are screwing up

 

[laptopboi24]

great tutorial

 

[jake66]

Hi,
Great tutorial! I have had my start orb changed for many a month now to the SevenForums theme orb. I put my laptop on the other day, and it had gone back to the default one. I don't think it was installing updates or anything that affected it. The problem is that now my 30 day trial of Restorator 2007 has run out, I cannot change it back...

Any ideas??

Jake

P.S ClockWorkLemon, have you remembered to go into to task manager and end the process explorer.exe, and then restart it again??