Replacement Windows XP GUI

[cdoverlaw]

Ok, how do I go about making a replacement Windows XP GUI in visual basic .net standard, is there any open source ones i can have a look at to see how to do it

Jonathan

 

[ThePentiumGuy]

in VB.NET?? I highly wouldnt recommend using vb.net as it is very slow for these things, your GUI would lag behind....

id use C++, but i realy cant help you there because i dont know it well myself,

 

[Procaine]

I disagree with the very slow for these things comment.

Making a new shell for XP isnt hard. Any application can be made in to a shell by setting is as the shell (replacing the current explorer.exe).

Perhaps this MSDN article will help.

 

[cdoverlaw]

well i want to use visual basic .net, is their any way to do it with out replacing explorer.exe as i dont want to replace system files, i want it to still allow the new gui to be disabled

 

[Procaine]

Sorry, I didnt explain that very well - you dont actually replace the file, but you use your EXE as a replacement for loading up explorer.exe as the shell.

In XP, this is done in a registry setting:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon] Shell = explorer.exe

You can change explorer.exe to your EXE file. Restart windows XP and itll load up your EXE instead of explorer.exe.

Note that you can easily screw up your machine doing this. To switch it back youll need to be able to run regedit in your shell (or automatically change the registry setting back). Dont hold me responsible if you mess it all up!

In windows 9x it was a lot easier - you just changed the c:\windows\system\system.ini file so [shell=] pointed to something else.

 

[cdoverlaw]

are there any open source vb.net windows xp guis which i can look at to see where to start, because i aint 100% sure,

Jonathan

 

[Procaine]

Not that I know of. There are quite a few in VB though. Check on pscode.com.

But to start, I suggest you make an EXE file with a command button and textbox on it. When you click the command button, it executes whatever is in the textbox (basically it mimics the Run... dialog).

Then set it to the shell, and reboot. XP should load up your program. You can then run regedit from your program to change things back.

 

[Jay1b]

Correction:

"You can then HOPEFULLY run regedit from your program to change things back."

 

[Procaine]

Naturally I suggest you test your program before booting to it as a shell.

If it works before its a shell, theres no reason I can see that it wont work running as a shell.

And you can always run explorer.exe as well.