Hide the start button logo in XP - w/o hacking explorer.exe

By neljan
in Tips, Tweaks & Customization

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Neowinian

neljan

Posted
Posted

Hey geeks :)

 

Does anyone know how I can hide the start button Windows logo in XP via the visual style and without hacking explorer.exe?

 

I'm thinking there must be a true/false value within the visual style to turn it on/off? (similar to hiding userpic).

 

It must be possible, since every visual style I've downloaded doesn't display the original start button logo - even if I'm still using the original explorer.exe.

 

I have Resource Hacker, ResBuild and StyleBuilder.

 

Thanks very much for any help.

Grand Master

farmeunit

Posted
Posted

Just joined up, first post, and you start with Hey geeks?

 

I don't really see the problem....

 

As far as the topic, I'm not sure if you can turn it off or not.  My question would be why?  In XP, what would be the purpose?  Unless you're using some kind of dock or alternative menu system.

Grand Master

The Evil Overlord

Posted
Posted

So?

I get it, you don't like me, that's fine, why not just put me on ignore?

 

(A little politeness doesn't cost anything)

I don't really see the problem....

 

As far as the topic, I'm not sure if you can turn it off or not.  My question would be why?  In XP, what would be the purpose?  Unless you're using some kind of dock or alternative menu system.

Just trying to do my part in a more civil and polite neowin

Grand Master

McKay

Posted
Posted

I get it, you don't like me, that's fine, why not just put me on ignore?

 

(A little politeness doesn't cost anything)

Just trying to do my part in a more civil and polite neowin

 

I can see where you're coming from, personally I'm not offended because I consider myself a nerd/geek whatever. 

  • winrez, hamslammer and The Evil Overlord
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Grand Master

McKay

Posted
Posted

Have you tried this? I can't test because I don't have my XP VHD's anymore. Says it's for XP/2000 though.

 

http://download.cnet.com/Hide-Start-Button/3000-2094_4-10582225.html

 

Just beware of bloatware when using CNet.

Mentor

Karl L.

Posted
Posted (edited)

I can't find a group policy setting or registry entry that would let you completely disable the start button in Windows XP, but if you are willing to create or edit a custom visual style, you could probably replace the start button image with a 1x1 pixel image that is the same color as the task bar. I'm not entirely sure that method will work - the "Start" text that you are unwilling to edit explorer.exe to change might force some space to still be taken, or worse you could end up with an unstable Windows Explorer as a direct result - and I am not willing to try it. Good luck!

 

Edit: McKay beat me by a minute, and his solution looks better. I concede.

Edited by xorangekiller
Mentor

Karl L.

Posted
Posted

There was an app for XP that did this called Start Killer. not sure if it can still be found. Hope that helps!

 

That sounds like an even better solution. It looks like the current version of Start Killer works on Windows XP, Vista, and 7. The developer even has Metro Killer for Windows 8. I had no idea before today that some people actually want to remove the start button, especially considering the backlash at Windows 8 for removing it, but it's nice to see a good, free program to remove it for those who do.

Neowinian

neljan

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks for all your responses!

 

...I'm not sure if you can turn it off or not.  My question would be why?  In XP, what would be the purpose?  Unless you're using some kind of dock or alternative menu system.

I don't want to hide the start button completely, just the windows logo (sorry if I wasn't clear).

The windows logo on the XP start button is stored in explorer.exe and the start button background is an image (without the logo) which is part of the Visual Style, so even if I change the start button image in the VS, the logo is still present.

As I said, I think there must be a way for the VS to disable the logo (or a workaround to cover it) since most VS's I've tried do not use the standard XP start button logo and instead have a vista style button etc. I did wonder if they just designed the start button image to perfectly align with the explorer.exe logo (which is in a fixed position unless you edit the image) but none of the styles I've tried have their start button aligned with the original logo. Also, the start button image files within the VS's have logo's on them anyway (it's only Luna based styles that actually use the explorer.exe logo from what I can tell) so they're definitely hiding it somehow. Perhaps there's a way to move the logo into the background, idk.

 

Have you tried this? I can't test because I don't have my XP VHD's anymore. Says it's for XP/2000 though.

 

http://download.cnet.com/Hide-Start-Button/3000-2094_4-10582225.html

 

Just beware of bloatware when using CNet.

 

There was an app for XP that did this called Start Killer. not sure if it can still be found. Hope that helps!

Thanks guys, but I'm looking to do it via the Visual Style.

 

I can't find a group policy setting or registry entry that would let you completely disable the start button in Windows XP, but if you are willing to create or edit a custom visual style, you could probably replace the start button image with a 1x1 pixel image that is the same color as the task bar. I'm entirely sure that method will work - the "Start" text that you are unwilling to edit explorer.exe to change might force some space to still be taken, or worse you could end up with an unstable Windows Explorer as a direct result - and I am not willing to try it. Good luck!

 

Edit: McKay beat me by a minute, and his solution looks better. I concede.

 

Appreciate your time in looking for me my friend.

As I said to farmeunit, I'm not looking to disable the button -- just the logo.

Yes that's what I'm doing (making a VS) but even if I change the start button image to 1px by 1px the logo will still be there since it's a part of explorer.exe and not the style :)

Here's an image of a changed start button with the explorer.exe logo over the top to show you what I mean:

01_Jun_28_21_49.jpg
 

Just joined up, first post, and you start with Hey geeks?

Hmm do you really think I meant that as an insult? Is "geek" an insult? I'd say it was quite the contrary! ("nerd" is a different matter) ;)


Anyway, I meant no offence... nerds!

(ffs kidding!)

Mentor

Karl L.

Posted
Posted

Appreciate your time in looking for me my friend.

 

As I said to farmeunit, I'm not looking to disable the button -- just the logo.

Yes that's what I'm doing (making a VS) but even if I change the start button image to 1px by 1px the logo will still be there since it's a part of explorer.exe and not the style :)

 

In that case I have absolutely no idea how to help you. Although I used custom visual styles when I ran Windows XP (Watercolor and Luna Element were my favorites), I stopped when I moved to Windows Vista. I have never even attempted to create a VS. I originally joined this thread to try to steer it back on topic, and because I had an untested theory based on a misunderstanding of your question. However, Seahorsepip is a Neowin MVC who has developed some very nice themes for Windows. If anyone here can give you the advice you seek, it is probably him. I suggest that you PM him, and politely ask for his help.

Mentor

Karl L.

Posted
Posted

 

That method would work, but the OP already stated explicitly that he does not want to modify Windows Explorer, which is probably a good idea. He wants to implement that change in his visual style.

Grand Master

f0rk_b0mb

Posted
Posted

That method would work, but the OP already stated explicitly that he does not want to modify Windows Explorer, which is probably a good idea. He wants to implement that change in his visual style.

 

mmm...good point. Trying another theme like you suggested might be in his best interest.

Grand Master

Lee G. Veteran

Posted
  • Veteran
Posted

It's been a long time since I last edited an XP visual style, but I think there's a setting to change the positioning of the Windows flag. You'd need to set the position so that it's outside of the start button, so that it's invisible.

Grand Master

Seahorsepip Veteran

Posted
  • Veteran
Posted

It's been a long time since I last edited an XP visual style, but I think there's a setting to change the positioning of the Windows flag. You'd need to set the position so that it's outside of the start button, so that it's invisible.

Yeah it's exactly as you say, lemme lookup how to do it again :P
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