Change default (explorer.exe) shell in XP

[Shaidar]

I remember that it is possible, I just can't find how to do that anymore ...

so, how do I change the default shell (which is explorer.exe) of Windows XP?

I think it was a registry key, where you could replace 'explorer.exe' with another program, and that that program acted like shell. E.g. you change that value to "cmd.exe" and XP would boot up without start menu, my computer, just a command prompt ...

Does anyone remember this?

Edited March 4, 2005 by Shaidar

[Normality]

I haven't heard of this method before, only thing close to that would be the tweak to change the text in the start button.

[speedforneed]

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

Change the "Shell" key, and your set. Just restart and whatever you changed it to should load up.

[Shaidar]

Thanks a million gazillion!!!

[sryo]

  speedforneed said:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

Change the "Shell" key, and your set.  Just restart and whatever you changed it to should load up.

585567546[/snapback]

change current_user instead of locl_machine if you dont want the shell to be applied to all the usersn, and dont forget go to

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer and change DesktopProcess to 1 (0 for explorer, 1 for the other shells)