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

 

[Girish]

i am big fan of linkinpark and hitman.

 

[sergiogarcia9]

What?

edit: oops didnt see the posts :O

 

[smarteyeball]

So what should i add to the tutorial?

Good work mate. Just a few extra details:


Clarify that 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


Lastly, perhaps mention restorator is shareware

 

[sergiogarcia9]

So what should i add to the tutorial?

Good work mate. Just a few extra details:


Clarify that 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


Lastly, perhaps mention restorator is shareware

Done

 

[matt_0978]

So what should i add to the tutorial?

Good work mate. Just a few extra details:


Clarify that 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


Lastly, perhaps mention restorator is shareware

actually it's 30 days trial, i just used it cos i lost my copy of ResHack and also had problems with Anolis Resourcer. I don't know if Restorator will work outside of 30 days.

 

[The Giraffer]

Does anyone know of a tutorial available to make your own start menu button? What are the specifics required? Thanks

 

[myjuman]

that dose not work for me
my comp sees to undo all the changes, can any one tell me why.
is there a software to do this :shock:

 

[ViperMWC]

A question.
How do you make a replacement Start Button move as the original one does when you hover the mouse over it or click it to start it ?
Do you need to have 3 different new pictures to replace the 3 in the original Start Button ?
All the best,
Mick C.

 

[digitsix]

So I made my own start orb and when I mouse over it, I get a 1 second "dark gray" box around it (ie no transparency) then it fades quickly to transparent and animates to the 'mouseover' orb... its pretty annoying, what did i do wrong to induce this behavior?

FIXED:

In case anyone else has this problem, Apparently i had stray pixels outside of the respective orb areas. I drew a box around the space starting at the bottom pixel of the top orb, and the top pixel of the middle orb and deleted everything in it, then i did the same for the middle->bottom space, and cleaned up above the top one and below the bottom one - this fixed the weird sprite box i was having.

Also, you dont have to worry about cutting off any type of gradient / glow drop offs since the pixes below or above a given orb are clipped by the task bar anyway

 

[Minuz]

Shareware 30days..

Any other way then useing the "Restorator" don't really want to buy there software for 60 Euros and 20-40 euros pr. update after the 30days.

Edit: Thanks moinmoin on page 4.

 

[moinmoin]

Any other way then useing the "Restorator" don't really want to buy there software for 60 Euros and 20-40 euros pr. update after the 30days.

Anolis Resourcer is Freeware for x32 and x64.
Anolis - Release: Resourcer 0.9

 

[rsvr85]

Great tutorial, however, i'm having a little trouble getting it to display correctly.
I've followed the tutorial correctly (i think).
After i've restarted the explorer process the start button is very bright and i see a blackbox flashing when i hover over it, the taskbar is along the bottom. If i put the taskbar on the right hand side of the screen then it displays fine (all 3 stages).
Any ideas???

 

[sergiogarcia9]

Great tutorial, however, i'm having a little trouble getting it to display correctly.
I've followed the tutorial correctly (i think).
After i've restarted the explorer process the start button is very bright and i see a blackbox flashing when i hover over it, the taskbar is along the bottom. If i put the taskbar on the right hand side of the screen then it displays fine (all 3 stages).
Any ideas???

View attachment 30062
View attachment 30063

I really dont know why :S

If you feel like giving it a go, here is my modified explorer.exe, with that same start button

 

[rsvr85]

Great tutorial, however, i'm having a little trouble getting it to display correctly.
I've followed the tutorial correctly (i think).
After i've restarted the explorer process the start button is very bright and i see a blackbox flashing when i hover over it, the taskbar is along the bottom. If i put the taskbar on the right hand side of the screen then it displays fine (all 3 stages).
Any ideas???

View attachment 30062
View attachment 30063

I really dont know why :S

If you feel like giving it a go, here is my modified explorer.exe, with that same start button

Very odd......yours has worked like a charm!. I did check yours against mine to see that i did change the correct files in Explorer and i did!!
Thanks for sharing your Explorer btw. My Taskbar looks awesome now!
Here's mine if you wanted to check it
View attachment explorer Backup.zip

 

[sergiogarcia9]

Great tutorial, however, i'm having a little trouble getting it to display correctly.
I've followed the tutorial correctly (i think).
After i've restarted the explorer process the start button is very bright and i see a blackbox flashing when i hover over it, the taskbar is along the bottom. If i put the taskbar on the right hand side of the screen then it displays fine (all 3 stages).
Any ideas???

View attachment 30062
View attachment 30063

I really dont know why :S

If you feel like giving it a go, here is my modified explorer.exe, with that same start button

Very odd......yours has worked like a charm!. I did check yours against mine to see that i did change the correct files in Explorer and i did!!
Thanks for sharing your Explorer btw. My Taskbar looks awesome now!
Here's mine if you wanted to check it
View attachment 30067

Glad you got it to work

I will take a look on that explorer

EDIT: Which app did you use to change the pictures in explorer.exe?

 

[rsvr85]

EDIT: Which app did you use to change the pictures in explorer.exe?

Restorator 2007. Full version.

 

[sergiogarcia9]

EDIT: Which app did you use to change the pictures in explorer.exe?

Restorator 2007. Full version.

hmmm, very weird indeed :huh:

 

[rsvr85]

I noticed your Explorer is from 7100, i'm running the full version....shouldn't be a problem should it????? :huh:

 

[sergiogarcia9]

I noticed your Explorer is from 7100, i'm running the full version....shouldn't be a problem should it????? :huh:

I am too Dont know why its 7100 :S but i downloaded a modified explorer.exe, and replaced the original with it. It might have been from 7100...
There shouldnt be any problems

 

[Kimosabe]

Hi , i have same problem with blackbox flashing
With sergiogarcia9's explorer I don't have this problem, work great!
How can I make my Explorer with my own start button ?
I use 7100 Build