Rename My Recent Documents?

[Jonathan Finney]

Is it possible to rename the My Recent Documents link on the Start Menu?

I know I'm not alone in finding Microsoft's insistence on naming things 'My'
whatever. Is there a resource of information on how to change this?

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Hi Jonathan,

Only way to rename the "My Recent Documents" link in the Start menu is to
hack the shell.

Start menu challenge - MSFN Forums:
http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=25759

Resource Hacker:
http://www.angusj.com/resourcehacker/

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Is it possible to rename the My Recent Documents link on the Start Menu?

I know I'm not alone in finding Microsoft's insistence on naming things 'My'
whatever. Is there a resource of information on how to change this?

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

And most importantly, first backup the original copy in a safe location.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Hi Jonathan,

Only way to rename the "My Recent Documents" link in the Start menu is to
hack the shell.

Start menu challenge - MSFN Forums:
http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=25759

Resource Hacker:
http://www.angusj.com/resourcehacker/

 

[Manny Borges]

Why is it such an issue for you?

Standardization and logical naming = a common interface for people.

--
Manny Borges
MCSE NT4-2003 (+ Security)
MCT, Certified Cheese Master

There are 10 kinds of people in the world. Those who do understand binary
and those who don't.

 

[Jonathan Finney]

It's not exactly an issue, Manny, and I'm all for standardisation, but the
'My' preceding these names is neither logical nor desirable IMHO. I
understand that in Vista this has been dropped. Can you see some advantage
to it?

--
Jonathan Finney

Why is it such an issue for you?

Standardization and logical naming = a common interface for people.

--
Manny Borges
MCSE NT4-2003 (+ Security)
MCT, Certified Cheese Master

There are 10 kinds of people in the world. Those who do understand binary
and those who don't.

 

[Jonathan Finney]

Hi Ramesh.

Thanks for this. It looks like it should do the trick, but I need some
help.

The post at http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=25759 was very
brief and didn't make it very clear. After backing up explorer.exe and
opening it in ResHack, I can navigate to the string in 'String
Table/515/1033' and remove the 'My '. I then click Compile Script, but I'm
not sure what to do then. I can't just save the file as this isn't allowed.

How do I save the change?

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

In the right side, where the STRING TABLE items are listed, simply select
the text "My Recent &Documents" and type your own text there. Click "Compile
Script" and save the file (overwrite existing explorer.exe) Note that the
System File Protection will issue a fresh copy of explorer.exe immediately.
So, you may need to modify the explorer.exe present in the DLLCache folder
first. *Be sure to backup the original file at any case*.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Hi Ramesh.

Thanks for this. It looks like it should do the trick, but I need some
help.

The post at http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=25759 was very
brief and didn't make it very clear. After backing up explorer.exe and
opening it in ResHack, I can navigate to the string in 'String
Table/515/1033' and remove the 'My '. I then click Compile Script, but I'm
not sure what to do then. I can't just save the file as this isn't allowed.

How do I save the change?

 

[Sharon F]

It's not exactly an issue, Manny, and I'm all for standardisation, but the
'My' preceding these names is neither logical nor desirable IMHO. I
understand that in Vista this has been dropped. Can you see some advantage
to it?

If weighing the aggravation of a two letter word against hacking an
executable core operating system files... I would find a way to live with
the two letters.

And yes (!), it looks like they will be dropped in Vista.

 

[Jonathan Finney]

Hi Ramesh.

As you say, the file gets recreated immediately. That's the problem.

I don't know where my DLL cache folder is. Is it just a matter of repeating
the changes in this file? How does this get round the automatic recreation
of explorer.exe?

--
Jonathan Finney

In the right side, where the STRING TABLE items are listed, simply select
the text "My Recent &Documents" and type your own text there. Click
"Compile
Script" and save the file (overwrite existing explorer.exe) Note that the
System File Protection will issue a fresh copy of explorer.exe
immediately.
So, you may need to modify the explorer.exe present in the DLLCache folder
first. *Be sure to backup the original file at any case*.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Hi Ramesh.

Thanks for this. It looks like it should do the trick, but I need some
help.

The post at http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=25759 was very
brief and didn't make it very clear. After backing up explorer.exe and
opening it in ResHack, I can navigate to the string in 'String
Table/515/1033' and remove the 'My '. I then click Compile Script, but
I'm
not sure what to do then. I can't just save the file as this isn't
allowed.

How do I save the change?

--
Jonathan Finney

Hi Jonathan,

Only way to rename the "My Recent Documents" link in the Start menu is to
hack the shell.

Start menu challenge - MSFN Forums:
http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=25759

Resource Hacker:
http://www.angusj.com/resourcehacker/

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Is it possible to rename the My Recent Documents link on the Start Menu?

I know I'm not alone in finding Microsoft's insistence on naming things
'My'
whatever. Is there a resource of information on how to change this?

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Jonathan,

It's located here:

c:\windows\system32\dllcache

Backup the existing copy to a safe location. Then alter the explorer.exe
(DLLCache folder) and see if the changes are applied on next reboot. If not,
copy the file to C:\Windows (overwrite the existing file when prompted).

If that does not help, see this newsgroup posting:
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsxp.customize/msg/d12295af9fa37e61

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Hi Ramesh.

As you say, the file gets recreated immediately. That's the problem.

I don't know where my DLL cache folder is. Is it just a matter of repeating
the changes in this file? How does this get round the automatic recreation
of explorer.exe?