System Requirements
----------------------------------------------------
Windows 7 x86 or Windows 7 x64
with default shell (i.e. Windows Explorer.)
Note: not tested on Windows Server 2008 R2.
Features
----------------------------------------------------
1. Change your start orb WITHOUT changing explorer.exe. This prevents unnecessary UAC prompts.
2. Choose different start orb for each user.
3. DPI-aware.
Install/Uninstall Guide
----------------------------------------------------
Uninstall of version 1.0: run the loader (renamed to explorer.exe), press 'Unload' button, and delete it. Current version is not compatible with ver. 1.0, so uninstall old loader before using current release.
Install of version 1.1: run the loader (w7soldr.exe in the zip, and you can rename it as you want), check 'Options' > 'Enable start orb loader' and press 'Save changes' button. Read usage section for details.
Uninstall of version 1.1: run the loader, uncheck 'Options' > 'Enable start orb loader', uncheck 'Options' > 'Shell integration' and press 'Save changes' button. This will restore all changes done to your system. Delete the loader then you're done.
Summary of Usage (Check details in readme.txt!)
----------------------------------------------------
1. Extract w7soldr.exe and run w7soldr.exe.
2. Check 'Options' > 'Enable start orb loader'.
3. Press 'Browse' button to choose the location that contains start orbs you want to use.
4. Choose a start orb you want to use.
5. Press 'Save changes' button to save changes.
* Checking 'Options' > 'Shell integration' appends a menu item labed 'Start orb' on the context menu of desktop background.
* .resources files are language files. If there's no .resources files, English is displayed by default. See Localization Guide for details.
----------------------------------------------------
Windows 7 x86 or Windows 7 x64
with default shell (i.e. Windows Explorer.)
Note: not tested on Windows Server 2008 R2.
Features
----------------------------------------------------
1. Change your start orb WITHOUT changing explorer.exe. This prevents unnecessary UAC prompts.
2. Choose different start orb for each user.
3. DPI-aware.
Install/Uninstall Guide
----------------------------------------------------
Uninstall of version 1.0: run the loader (renamed to explorer.exe), press 'Unload' button, and delete it. Current version is not compatible with ver. 1.0, so uninstall old loader before using current release.
Install of version 1.1: run the loader (w7soldr.exe in the zip, and you can rename it as you want), check 'Options' > 'Enable start orb loader' and press 'Save changes' button. Read usage section for details.
Uninstall of version 1.1: run the loader, uncheck 'Options' > 'Enable start orb loader', uncheck 'Options' > 'Shell integration' and press 'Save changes' button. This will restore all changes done to your system. Delete the loader then you're done.
Summary of Usage (Check details in readme.txt!)
----------------------------------------------------
1. Extract w7soldr.exe and run w7soldr.exe.
2. Check 'Options' > 'Enable start orb loader'.
3. Press 'Browse' button to choose the location that contains start orbs you want to use.
4. Choose a start orb you want to use.
5. Press 'Save changes' button to save changes.
* Checking 'Options' > 'Shell integration' appends a menu item labed 'Start orb' on the context menu of desktop background.
* .resources files are language files. If there's no .resources files, English is displayed by default. See Localization Guide for details.
:origin()/pre00/f269/th/pre/i/2010/226/c/f/windows_7_start_orb_loader_by_stkov.jpg)
:origin()/pre00/3054/th/pre/i/2010/131/6/8/system_file_replacer_by_xuliikoo.png)
:origin()/pre00/d725/th/pre/f/2015/200/3/8/7_library_icon_changer_v7_by_frank1n-d36ioue.jpg){kind=icon}
:origin()/pre00/1252/th/pre/i/2012/090/7/d/7conifier_by_wronex-d2xsha2.png)
:origin()/pre00/e83f/th/pre/i/2011/005/e/e/aerotuner_by_hb860-d3183sb.jpg)
:origin()/pre00/9322/th/pre/i/2010/269/b/a/metroviewer_v1_1_final_release_by_salvog92-d2vr7wz.jpg)
:origin()/pre00/9d94/th/pre/i/2010/106/2/0/windows_7_battery_bar_by_kishan_bagaria.jpg)
:origin()/pre00/bec7/th/pre/i/2011/354/3/e/oem_configurator_2_0_for_windows_by_vishal_gupta-d38an59.png)
:origin()/pre00/063a/th/pre/i/2010/337/1/c/custopack_tools_by_david_pieron-d314f2n.jpg)
:origin()/pre00/49bd/th/pre/f/2013/117/7/1/right_click_context_menu_adder_by_vishal_gupta-d41b3ll.png)
:origin()/pre00/59de/th/pre/i/2010/350/7/8/fluentnotepad_rc_by_salvog92-d2u6s61.png)
:origin()/pre00/29b2/th/pre/i/2011/332/f/f/7orb_customizer_by_davidm147-d3hmme9.png)
:origin()/pre00/2c31/th/pre/i/2010/242/6/c/win7_start_orb_loader_v1_1_1_by_stkov-d2x7mnx.png)
BitDefender has blocked a virus!
Virus Name: Trojan.Generic.6493520
Accessed by: w7soldr
Loacation: C:\Windows\System32\explorer.exe
This is a false positive and is safe right?
I've something to ask. I'm working on a theme for Windows 7 (using the official Aero theme, but with other changes which do not modify system files). I want to make the installation fully automatized, and also to add a custom Start Orb.
I know what your software does to change the Orb. Could I integrate your "Windows 7 Shell Loader" (the explorer.exe file created in Windows\System32) into my installation file? I will credit you without problem. Thank you in advance.
It is difficult to hack them because dll files can be dynamically loaded/unloaded into the memory while exe files are loaded into the memory just once. Also dll files can be shared among several processes.
I tried to redirect copy/move operations so that the modified resources of shell32.dll are still being used and the operations use the unmodified copy of shell32.dll to solve the UAC popups, by modifiying the registry. Unfortunately I failed
Currently I am not working on this project. =Kishan-Bagaria adopted this memory patch method to his program and he is still active. If you need to get some help, you may ask him.
http://www.techspot.com/downloads/6198-windows-7-start-button-changer.html
i browse
i select the folder
no start orbs appear in the location allotted
(Running Win7 SP1 x64 dpi 125%)
Available start orbs are uncompressed 32-bit bitmaps with ARGB channels whose dimension is 54*162 when 100%≤DPI＜125%, 66*198 when 125%≤DPI＜150%, 81*243 when 150%≤DPI＜200%, 106*318 when 200%≤DPI.
Make sure that the size of your orb is 66*198. I guess your example is the one in my favourites. Its dimension is 54*162, so it doesn't fit for your system.
Actually many custom start orbs do not support for larger DPIs. You may resize the image but it becomes a little blurry when resized
[link]
But I can't remeber where I got this orb.
Since the app doesn't effect explorer.exe, is it able to show 106x318 orb in 100% DPI? It is should be cool!