Replacing the Shell (Program Manager)

Last reviewed: November 2, 1995
Article ID: Q100328

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Win32 Application Programming Interface (API) included with:
```
    - Microsoft Windows NT versions 3.1, 3.5, and 3.51
```

SUMMARY

To replace the current shell, change the following registry key:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\
      SOFTWARE\
      Microsoft\
      Windows NT\
      CurrentVersion\
      Winlogon\
      Shell

Note that Program Manager combines the functionality of Program Manager and Task Manager (the Task Manager installed is not actually run). Therefore, you must take this into account. In Windows NT 3.1, if the new shell does not replace the Task Manager functionality, the replacement string should contain both the new shell name and TASKMAN.EXE, separated by commas. In Windows NT 3.5, the new shell should either spawn TASKMAN.EXE or your own task manager, specified in

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\
      SOFTWARE\
      Microsoft\
      Windows NT\
      CurrentVersion\
      Winlogon\
      Taskman

The value does not exist by default, it must be added. The value type is REG_SZ.

To update the string that is retrieved when you call GetPrivateProfileString(), change the string in the following registry key:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\
      SOFTWARE\
      MICROSOFT\
      Windows NT\
      Current Version\
      WOW\
      Boot\
      Shell

The duplicate entry is for compatibility with Windows 3.1.

MORE INFORMATION

WritePrivateProfileString() changes the following registry key:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\
      SOFTWARE\
      Microsoft\
      Windows NT\
      CurrentVersion\
      WOW\
      Boot\
      Shell

It does not have the desired effect of actually changing the Shell.

Additional reference words: 3.10 3.50
KBCategory: kbprg
KBSubcategory: BseMisc

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Last reviewed: November 2, 1995
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