Program for changing the Windows 7 start button. Changing the appearance of the Start button in Windows

If you want to change the Windows 7 interface that has already become familiar, then why not change the Start button? In this article I will show you a way to change the standard Start icon to a more beautiful one. I will also provide links to the program and the buttons themselves.

First, you need to download a program to change buttons.

The archive contains the program itself and more than 220 buttons from which you can choose any one.
If you need other Start icons, then look under the spoiler.

Now you need to set it to explorer.exe administrator rights.
To do this, open the directory with Windows (usually this is C:/Windows) and find the file there explorer.exe.
Right-click on it, select Properties -> Security -> Edit -> Select “Administrators”

-> Check all the boxes or select “Full access” -> press the button Apply

We unpack the archive downloaded from this site at the very beginning of the article. Go to the Win7StartButton folder, select the file Windows 7 Start Button Changer v 2.6.exe and run the program as administrator (right mouse button -> Run as administrator)

Choose S elect & Change Start Button, indicate the picture you want to change to and click Open

It should look something like this:

Tips and " what to do if nothing works»

Before changing the modified button to a new one, it is better to first restore the original one and only then change it to another one.
It is best if the program is in its W7SBC program folder as close to the root of the disk as possible.
If you encounter an error on a 64-bit OS version, just click continue or run the program again as an administrator.
If the button has not changed: go to the C:\Windows folder and check whether the group your user is a member of has full access to the explorer.exe file.
If the file properties differ from the picture below (you are part of the administrators group)

then you need to get full access to files and folders in Windows 7 and Vista.

To quickly gain full access to files and/or folders in Windows 7 and Vista, we can use two methods: using the TakeControl utility and a registry hack. These are the simplest and easiest methods. There is also a completely manual method, but we will consider it in a separate article, because... it will not suit most beginners, and it will take much more time than these two methods.

Attention! Disable UAC (User Account Control) and work as an administrator. Once you have full access, you can enable UAC and go to your user account.
I.TakeControl
Let's start with the simplest method - the TakeControl utility from the developer.

1. Download the TakeControl utility (no installation required) and extract the contents of the archive.
2. Launch it, click on Add, add files for which you need to change the owner and gain full access.

Since we have administrator rights, the program will show that everything is in order ( You are running with the required elevated privileges) and you can change the owner.
If the rights are not enough, the program will tell you about this too ( You need elevated privileges. Choose "Run as administrator")

3. Click Take control, thereby making yourself the owner of the above files and gaining full access to them.

4. If the result in the picture matches yours, then everything worked out. You have full access to the files you need.

Also a very simple way. Configured for Russian and English versions of Windows. If your Windows was originally supplied in another language (Ukrainian, Belarusian, Kazakh, etc.), then use TakeControl or write in the comments, we will adapt the registry hack to your OS version.

1. Download a set of .reg files (there are three of them: one for installing the Russian version, another for installing the English version, and a third for uninstalling).
2. Extract them to any location (for example, to the Documents folder) and run (double-click) AddRus.reg to install the Russian version or AddEng.reg to install English.

We agree to the changes (“ Yes" And " OK»).

Attention! Install the Russian version only if your version of Windows was originally in Russian. If it was English, and you yourself installed the Russian language later (LIP or MUI), then use the English version, otherwise nothing will work.
3. After this, if you hold down the Shift key and right-click on the desired file or folder, a new option “Become the owner” for the Russian version and “Take ownership” for the English version will appear, by clicking on which you will make yourself the owner of the selected files and get him full access.

This method is very convenient and can be useful quite often, so don’t rush to delete it. But if you still decide to delete it, just run the Remove.reg file and agree to the changes (“Yes”, then “OK”).

Attention! To replace explorer.exe (and any other system file) with a new file, be sure to rename it first, otherwise it won't work. It is better to rename it to explorer.exe.backup, so you will always know that this is a copy of the original explorer.exe (or any other system file) and if something happens, you can return it back without any problems.

After that, feel free to launch Windows 7 Start Button Changer and change the button.

The image of the Start button is located in the Explorer.exe file in the BITMAP (Bitmap) section. Resources from 6801 to 6812. (To change, you need exactly: 6801, 6805, 6809)

1 . We get full access and rights to the file

1 . Disable parental controls if this has not been done.
2. And so, being in C: Windows, right-click on the explorer.exe file and select Properties ---> Security ---> Advanced
3. Further Owner ---> Edit, select either the name of your account or the admin, click Apply, then OK and OK again.
4 . Now select Permissions, select the entry to which we have given owner rights and click Change permissions again select the entry to which we have given owner rights and click Edit, check all the boxes and click OK then Apply, a window will appear, click Yes and now OK again and OK in the other windows.
You can get access rights using

2. Open it in Restaurateur () and change the three above resources
3. Save the file you are editing, rename it, for example, Explorer 2.exe
4 . Through the Task Manager, close Explorer (process explorer.exe).
5 . Task Manager > New Task, go to the C:/Windows folder, find Explorer.exe and make a copy of it(you can simply rename it Explorerold.exe, so that if something happens, you can return everything to its place)
6. Rename Explorer 2.exe to Explorer.exe and run it
7. All

Automatic start button replacement

First, follow the first point of the article, which is just above (Gaining full access and rights to the file)
1 . Download the program (read the note below).
2. Launch it and press the "Change Orb" button
3. We're already choosing ready-made button in bmp, jpg, gif or png format and click the "start Explorer" button

Note: If using the "Windows 7 Start Orb Changer" program you were unable to install a button, and instead you see a blank space, use the program

Users of Windows-based computers are often very picky, and over time they no longer like the “native” graphical interface of the system. The Windows 7 Start button is no exception. And you can change it.

What you need to change the Start button

First of all, it is worth noting that it is not possible to do this using the G7’s means. Therefore, the “Start” button for Windows 7, or rather its appearance, is changed exclusively by third-party programs. Next, we will consider one of the most interesting and popular utilities called Windows 7 Start Button Changer.

But things are not so simple with her. When you try to open it after installation, the system reports that the application should be started as an administrator (this is already clear), but when you select the appropriate launch type from the context menu, nothing works. Why? Yes, only because the user, although he seems to be his own administrator on the local computer terminal, does not have the necessary access rights in the global context (after all, there is also a super administrator). Thus, initially such rights will have to be obtained.

How to change the Windows 7 Start button: preliminary steps

The lack of administrative rights is directly related to the explorer.exe file, which is located in the Windows root directory, so you need to start there.

Right-click on the file and select the properties access line. On the security tab, select the administrator group and click the change settings button located just below on the right. A list of permissions will appear in the window below, where you should mark all available components, and then confirm the changes made.

At the next stage, use the “Advanced” button on the same tab, again select the administrator group and proceed to change permissions. In the corresponding column, we again set the “birds” opposite all available lines, and then confirm the changes again.

It is imperative to make sure that the user is the administrator or owner of the computer (the registration name must be written in the appropriate line).

Practical application of the program

The Windows 7 Start button can now be redesigned. In practice this is not difficult. First, we launch the installed utility exclusively as administrator. After the steps taken, everything should work fine.

There are two items in the main window: the first allows you to change the appearance of the button (Select & Change...), the second is responsible for restoring the original appearance (Restore Original...). We are interested in the first line. Click on it, and then look for the Sample Orbs directory (the Windows 7 Start button icons are stored here). Choose what you like and press the open button.

It is important to pay attention to the type of folders. If you need to preview images, select the appropriate type in the view menu (special button at the top) (large icons, huge icons - whatever is convenient for you).

If you need the “Start” button for Windows 7 to take on the classic look provided by the graphical interface of the “7” itself, we use the second line in the program to restore the default view. In general, everything is simple.

Conclusion

It remains to add that the utility described above was taken solely as a clear, simple example. You can find quite a lot of applications for changing buttons and, in general, the entire interface. For example, a utility called Windows Blind was once very popular. It was precisely she who could customize the system interface very finely, however, when emulating an OS of a higher rank, it consumed too many resources. But with modern processor chips and amounts of RAM, this problem has disappeared.

As for the initial actions with setting permissions, they will have to be performed in any case, otherwise the system simply will not allow the user to make the appropriate changes in appearance. Yes, before performing all the procedures, it wouldn’t hurt to create a system restore point (just in case), otherwise you never know...

It is very easy to get rid of Internet addiction! Everyone in our chat did this several times.
Just a joke)

Why change an integral part of the Windows graphics package? I don’t know myself :) The brain resists, and the hands reach out to instantly ruin something after a new installation of the system. After restarting my computer, I got a black screen with a single white cursor. . Shortcuts disappeared and the taskbar became unusable. Sometimes nothing happened at all and I was forced to. And so everything is fine, beautiful Marquise, everything is fine, everything is fine.

Let's start with the simplest . For this we will use a free program.

The utility does not need to be installed on your computer. Enabled as administrator and that's it. I immediately advise you to open the settings (by clicking the cursor on the arrow at the bottom right) and check the boxes something like this:

Change By Patching Memory - Change connecting memory
Change By Editing Resources - Change by editing resources
Add Shortcut In Context Menu - Add a shortcut to the context menu
Add Option In Context Menu - Add an item to the context menu
Don’t Show Success Messages - Do not show messages about a successful operation
Always Show Advanced Mode - Always show Advanced Mode
Show Progress While Changing - Show progress while changing

This will allow us to launch the program from the desktop context menu in the future. Click the “Change” button and select the desired image in the explorer. my big set of buttons. Or download the buttons. The “baby” program will think and automatically do its insidious deed.

We return the Start button to its default by clicking on “Restore” and for many, shortcuts and the taskbar disappear. Get to work :) But this is easy to fix. Press the key combination Alt+Ctrl+Delete and in the Task Manager activate “File” - New task (Run...) - write explorer - Ok.

A little more complicated is manual mode using a program like .
The image of the Start button is located in the Explorer.exe file in the BITMAP (Bitmap) section. Resources from 6801 to 6812. The most important thing is to get full access and rights to the file.
1. And so, being in C: Windows, right-click on the explorer.exe file and select Properties - Security - Advanced
2. Next Owner - Change, select either the name of your account or the administrator and click Apply then OK and OK again.
3. Now select “Permissions”, select the entry for which we have given owner rights and click Change permissions, again select the entry for which we have given owner rights and click Edit, check all the boxes and click OK then Apply, a window will appear, click Yes and now OK again and in other windows OK.
4. Open the explorer.exe file in Restorator (Restorator 2007) and change the above resources.
5. Save the file you are editing and rename it, for example, to Explorer 2.exe
6. Next, carefully watch the video :) the one just below the text.
7. Reasons why there may be problems: Make sure that the programs were launched on behalf of the Administrator. Not worth the NET Framework. Explorer.exe does not belong to the user, but to TrustedInstaller. Check if the Themes and Session Manager services of the desktop window manager are running: Start - Control Panel - Administrative Tools - Services, also the startup type should be Automatic. Try temporarily disabling User Account Control (UAC for short).

During the creation of the video, they recommended a program such as . But this is for an amateur and for independent study. And so I advise everyone to experiment, but not to swim behind the buoys :)

Probably, each of us has faced a similar problem more than once - the transition to a new operating system. This transition entails a bunch of additional inconveniences: you are not satisfied with the appearance, sounds, speed of operation, etc. Therefore, everyone strives to immediately start changing the interface of the operating system to suit themselves. Tip: Always start small, like the Start menu. If you are looking for an answer to the question of how to change the Start menu and how to work with it in general, then this article is just for you.

Changing the Start Panel: Windows XP

Changing Start menu settings includes the following: changing the appearance of the Start menu, adding and removing features.

Especially for those who do not know how to change the “Start” button, we explain that the options for this menu are located in the “Customize the Start Menu” window. To display this window on your monitor, click RMB on the "Start" button; From the menu that appears, select "Properties", then in the "Taskbar and Start Menu Properties" window, click on the top "Customize" icon. The "General" item will allow us to do the following:

• determine the size of the icons: large or small;
• determine the number of applications in the list of frequently used ones, or clear this list;
• Choose whether to show the Email and Internet applications in the Start menu. You can also select applications associated with these programs.

The "Advanced" item provides many additional options. For example, such as:

• selecting the option responsible for expanding the submenu when you hover and further hold the cursor;
• highlighting recently installed programs in the Start menu;
• selecting the items shown in the Start menu (and choosing whether they appear as a link or a menu);
• permission to drag and drop Start menu icons;
• Allow display of recently used documents. This list can be cleared by clicking Clear List.

We have listed only the main points that you should do before changing the Start panel.

Changing the Start Panel: Windows 7 System

What changes are visible when familiarizing yourself with the Windows 7 Start menu? The first is that there is no "Find" button. Now in the search bar you just need to enter the name of the desired document, file or folder. If such an element is not found, then you should click “View other results” and select the place where the search should be performed.

Secondly, the updated Shutdown button. Compared to the button in XP, it is much more efficient and allows you to finish the job with just one click. The button contains the following functions: change user, block, log out, sleep, reboot, hibernate.

How to change the Windows 7 Start button: appearance

1. To do this, download the Win 7 Start Button Changer application.
2. Next, unpack the archive and save the resulting files somewhere in a secluded place (just don’t forget where).
3. Run the application "Win 7 Start Button Changer.exe". If you do not run it as an administrator, the program is not guaranteed to work.
4. Click "Select&Change Start Button" and browse through sets of beautiful new buttons (some are included by default in this wonderful utility).
5. Go to the "Sample Orbs" folder that came with the program and select the desired collection of buttons. Next, the program will automatically save a backup copy of the “explorer.exe” file and replace the old collection of pictures with a new one.
6. Well, if you don’t like the updated Start button, you can easily restore the default icons by clicking on the “Resote Original Explorer Backup” button.

I hope this article answered your questions and will help you in the future. And if one of your friends, for example, still doesn’t know how to change the Start icon, invite them to read our article.