How To Change / Create Start Button ( Orb )

How To Change / Create Your Start Button ( Orb )

Have you come across a Windows 7 theme which you feel could have been better if the Start Orb was different? Don’t let the Orb stop you – it can be changed.

I- Windows 7 Start Orb Changer is a program that allows you to change the circular Start Menu Orb on Windows 7 task bar. The program comes with a collection of 33 different Orb designs to start with. You can also design your own or use Google to find more.

How to use .. Simply open the program’s executable file, create a backup of Windows Explorer to be safe and then click the Change Orb button. Now browse to the Sample orbs directory and apply one of the Orb designs. If you are lucky, I’m saying lucky because the program crashed on me, the Orb will get replaced once Explorer restarts .. really it is worth a try.

The Orbs are nothing more than bitmap files of the correct dimension. Each Orb file has three Orb images - the Orb at the top gives the default look, the second one appears on mouse hover and the third Orb appears when the Start Menu is open.
The program also accepts JPG, PNG and GIF image file types. If you want to restore the original Start Orb, just change the Orb to the first sample start Orb bitmap in the Sample Orbs folder.





II- StartOrbz ( Start Orb Creator ) is a freeware program that allows you to create Windows 7 Start Buttons. It can also change the Orb but only with buttons created using this program .. Its Features :

• Perfect alpha bitmaps created.
• Orbs are resized to the proper dimensions required by explorer.
• Orb bio info like artist name and orb title are embedded into the images. This cannot be edited making sure all artists to get their credit.
• Import/Export Orb sets.
• Rating system. The more you apply an orb, the higher it gets rated. This is not changeable by the user.
• Category system to let users manage there orbs.

Enjoy!

More great Windows 7 Articles coming soon!

Since Windows 7 has been released...

Since Windows 7 has been released, I've had the pleasure of using the retail version of Windows 7 Ultimate and I have learned a LOT about the new Microsoft Operating System which in my opinion is the best one ever released by Microsoft. I've learned a LOT of tweaks, tips, tricks, and other things for Windows 7 which will be very useful to anyone who is running this OS on their computer, or plans to.

Due to some unfortunate circumstances I haven't been able to post on this blog in a while (I was in a car accident back in Feb). I am now well enough to get this blog going and get you all of the best Windows 7 information, tweaks, tips, tricks, etc... Stay tuned for updates. I'll be posting a LOT of stuff really soon.

-James

Welcome to my Windows 7 Blog.

Hello, and welcome to my new Windows 7 Blog. I have been using Microsoft's new Windows 7 since the first beta release and putting it to the test. In this blog, I will post articles, news, reviews, hints, tricks, tips, tweaks, and more. Stay tuned for some great Windows 7 stuff!

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-jtrag