HOME | DD
Rudy-XP β 7 Desktop Context Menu for XP
Published: 2010-01-06 19:13:18 +0000 UTC; Views: 40345; Favourites: 24; Downloads: 6148
Redirect to original
Description
Get Windows 7 Desktop Context Menu in XP and Vista (i.e. "Display settings", "Gadgets", "Personalize"...functional and working with commands and icons etc, just like original Windows 7...) + Ability to easily add more custom context menus on any file, folder, and desktop etc in XP, Vista, and Windows 7 with custom commands, applications, icons, separators, etc...It's very simple, fast, safe, and easy to do, without any hack, and without hacking any system file! Just copy the files and folders and double click, done. No special skill is needed at all, and very customizable...
The download has already included "Fast Explorer 2008" (freeware) as a semi-portable application, the Windows 7 context menu script code for both XP and Vista (in .ini file), and some original Windows 7 icons that were originally extracted from Windows 7 RTM build 7600 for the purpose...
Note: the guide/easy instruction (text) for installing the context menus is already included with the code in the downloaded file above.
As you can see the preview above, it's really an XP desktop (with "Luna" theme and the default Win 7 wallpaper) and some new added Windows 7 only context menus: "Display settings", "Gadgets", and "Personalize" on XP (and Vista) desktop completely with icons. The Sidebar's "Gadgets Gallery" was just launched by using "Gadgets" context menu option on the desktop, just like original Windows 7 -> working. You can also customize/add/remove/edit the existing context menus and icons etc as you want...not meant to compare but the results are still better than Vishal Gupta's hacks for XP and Vista context menus imho: [link] , [link] , and [link]
Thanks and Credits:
- Alex Yakovlev for the free application "Fast Explorer 2008" context menu customization tool: Awesome and recommended, big thanks!
- Vishal Gupta for the first original idea and hacks about porting the Windows 7 desktop context menu features to XP and Vista (links above)
- Microsoft for the original features in Windows 7 of course
- Ricktendo64 for Vista Sidebar add on ported to XP: originally by Rafael Rivera and some sidebar command parameters and tweaks etc
- Amirz (AKA ~AMIRSYAHRANI) for some tweaks, batch files and registry scripts from some of his works/tutorials for some Windows command parameters, and variables etc
Note: To add "View" on XP desktop context menu like Vista/Windows 7, you can use Vishal Gupta's hack: [link] but i think it's not too functional since XP desktop is different and caution it would disable the thumbnail button on XP Explorer toolbar permanently! To not have double items ("Personalize" and "Properties") for opening same function: "Display Properties > Themes" in XP and "Personalization" in Vista context menus, you can also remove "Personalize" and reedit/remove separator items etc if necessary in Fast Explorer configuration settings later (the setting is actually saved in FastExplorer.ini), or just hack "Shell32.dll" (XP only) as Vishal Gupta's tutorial to change only "Properties" to "Personalize" and so on in XP desktop context menus: [link] . Also seems there's no clear separation between desktop and folder background menus (and neither is Vishal's hack though), maybe waiting for the next updates. However i think that it's not really a big problem for me anyway, and still OK and not harmful to let/have both all of them appear...
Tips: To configure Windows Sidebar in Vista and XP without "Sidebar" but only Gadgets (just like "Desktop Gadgets" in Windows 7) right click any gadget you want and choose "Detach from Sidebar". Then right click the sidebar and choose "Close Sidebar". To hide Sidebar systray icon, right click taskbar / start menu > properties > taskbar > customize and choose "always hide" for Windows Sidebar item.
If you're an XP user, you can get original MS Windows Sidebar ported to Windows XP (using Alky) by Rafael and Ricktendo64 here: [link]
Just for info, here some command parameters which are used in the context menus (using Fast Explorer 2008, already implemented):
For Windows XP:
- Screen resolution: To open screen resolution tab (XP: Display Properties > Settings):
C:\Windows\system32\rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL desk.cpl ,4
- Gadgets: To open Windows Sidebar Gadgets Gallery window (Right click Sidebar > Add Gadgets...):
"C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\sidebar.exe" /showgadgets
- Personalize: To open Personalization/Desktop properties (XP: Display Properties > Themes):
C:\Windows\system32\rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL desk.cpl
^(you can also change "Properties" to "Personalize" using Vishal's hack above/hacked shell32.dll, but i think it's OK/not so necessary...)
For Windows Vista:
- Screen resolution: To open screen resolution tab (Control Panel > Display):
C:\Windows\system32\control.exe /name Microsoft.Display
- Gadgets: To open Windows Sidebar Gadgets Gallery window (Right click Sidebar > Add Gadgets...):
"C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\sidebar.exe" /showgadgets
- Personalize: To open Personalization/Desktop properties (XP: Display Properties > Themes):
C:\Windows\system32\rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL desk.cpl
^(optional, since Vista has already included "Personalize" item).
Related content
Comments: 21
Hello members can some one post a direct link for the download. Just stranded can't find it
π: 0 β©: 0
I have installed the full WINDOWS 7 COMPLETE FOR XP SP3 SUPERPACK but muy desktop is stillΒ XP blue
what did I do wrong ?
π: 0 β©: 0
Hi Rudy,
Please, could you refresh the link to download?
Very grateful!
π: 0 β©: 0
can someone plz tell me where do i download the sidebar with the gadgets plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
π: 0 β©: 1
π: 0 β©: 0
iam making windows 8 mods in xp watch me to get more info and thanks for the program it do help
π: 0 β©: 0
Very nice! I used Gupta's thingie until I found this. The ability to put the icons there makes it even better. Thanks a ton
Now, if someone could figure out a way to put them all at the bottom above Personalize like the real Windows 7!
π: 0 β©: 0
hjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj
π: 0 β©: 0
No problem mate nice to know that it's useful for you
π: 0 β©: 0
Hey Rudy no problem man btw one small question i've just had is (anyway ya it's still OK though for me) how to remove the same menus on folder background and explorer (or just make it appears on desktop only? e.g. hmmm i want that like one from NVidia/ATI display drivers, for example) or maybe it's only me who thinks about that lol? Yeah i know that even Vishal's hack (on both XP and Vista) would still give us same menus on folder background and/or explorer too. At least it's still OK then, but if it could be done, again surely it would look more perfect anyways
π: 0 β©: 1
^ yeah you're right, at least it's still OK for now lolz
π: 0 β©: 0
thanx bro, be my guess it's nice to hear that it's useful for you and people, actually Alex Yakovlev the FE software author who makes this possible for us (thanks) please enjoy
π: 0 β©: 0
^^ Oh sorry just forgot to say 1st b4 maap lupa ni bro succeeded be cool hahaha 
π: 0 β©: 0
Hei Rudy sobatku tercinta congratz 4 the 1st deviation here haha just noticed that, it's really working boss! Really a great find, functional as you said above thanks.
π: 0 β©: 0