In this guide, I will be teaching you all how to replace the shitty, standard Notepad with the much more effective, efficient, powerful, and just more aesthetically pleasing Notepad2!
Okay, before you call me a hypocrite and whatnot - there's nothing like SELF-ADMISSION. I *know* you can find this guide on Google very easily, I'm basically just adding pictures and explaining what each the steps does. Here is a link where you can find this guide: http://blogs.msdn.com/omars/archive/2004/04/30/124093.aspx, but without the pictures and explanation. The explanation can protect you from doing something really stupid that screws up your computer.
This guide OVERWRITES the standard Notepad with Notepad2, which is much better for stuff like Java coding (and finding errors in scripts), while not using up much RAM at all. And it looks much better, while maintaining ALL the standard features and much, much more.
So, let's begin!
Step 1) Download Notepad2, and extract the .exe anywhere [you can just drag Notepad2.exe to the desktop]. I saved it to my Desktop for easy access. Does this step *really* need images? Didn't think so. You can find Notepad2.exe here.
Step 2) Navigate to C:\WINDOWS\System32. Of course, it depends on what drive you've installed Windows XP onto, but for most people it should be the C drive. Once you've done this, in Windows Explorer, hit Tools -> Folder Options;
In Folder Options, |UNCHECK| "Hide Protected OS Files" and hit Apply/Okay.
Step 2.5) You should see a new folder in your System32 folder called "dllcache". Open that folder [it should be sort of "transparent" on the Explorer screen].
This folder stores all the VITAL system files, so you want to be very careful when messing around in here. This is ALL you should do in here. Just keep in mind, though, that you can edit many of the standard programs such as Paint, Minesweeper, etc. with better versions of them by following a simple, similar procedure.
Step 3) Keep C:\WINDOWS\System32\dllcache open. Remember Notepad2.exe? The one we just extracted to the desktop? Rename it to "Notepad.exe" (without the quotes, of course).
Right click it, and select "Copy"
Back in the dllcache folder, select "Edit -> Paste".
If you are prompted to replace the ~61KB Notepad with the ~260KB Notepad [I don't have a screeny of this, since I've already rewritten mine], you are on the right track. If not, you must have done something wrong. Make sure you have a file called Notepad.exe in the dllcache folder, and that you've renamed Notepad2.exe as Notepad.exe. I *know* you could have just done Control+C, Control+V, but when you're modifying stuff in such vital Windows folders, why risk selecting the wrong file or something like that? Better safe than sorry. The dllcache folder tells Windows what files to revert back to if anything gets modified, so now we have told Windows to use Notepad2 after it restarts if anything else gets changed.
Step 4) We're almost done! Still in the dllcache folder, hit "Up" in Windows Explorer to navigate back to C:\Windows\System32. [OPTIONAL: If you think you'll ever want your Notepad back -- why would you??
Once you are here, paste Notepad2 (still where you extracted it - named Notepad.exe) in this folder as well (so copy it, then paste it again). Once again, choose to replace the file. This time, you should be prompted:
Hit "Cancel" and this pops up:
Select "Yes"!!!!! Voila! No more SHITTY Notepad! You will now see that when you open up .txt, .java, or any other file you would have previously opened in Notepad, it will open up with Notepad2, which has all the features of Notepad and much, much more
You can find out more about Notepad2 here.
If you want, you can now go back to Windows Explorer and re-check "Hide Protected OS Files" for the safety of Windows system folders, but that is optional. Keep in mind that you can use any other upgraded Notepad and just use the exact same method. You can also change many other standard Windows features.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
For Windows Vista users, the process is almost identical. [I will be adding pictures when I get a chance to get on a Windows Vista computer.] According to this website, here are the basic differences:
1) The folders in which you need to replace Notepad with Notepad2 (using the same rename/replace process) are: C:\Windows, C:\Windows\System32, and C:\Windows\Syswow64.
2) In each of these folders, you must make sure you "take ownership" of each of these files (Notepad.exe in each of these folders). This step is not entirely necessary, because most of the time this comes standard with the administrator files. But in case something weird has happened, here is a guide I found on how to do so: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/67717-take-ownership-file.html. This guide is great, because it is easy to follow and has two different methods of doing it, and also includes great pictures.
3) Once you have ownership of the old Notepad.exe in all three directories, you should be able to replace Notepad with Notepad2 (which of course you renamed as Notepad.exe).
I will add pictures when I find a computer with Vista, but not for the "How to Take Ownership" tutorial, because that one is just plain great.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Suggestions? Comments? Don't hesitate to post them! I know this guide is simple and found on Google, but I felt like sharing it with you guys and adding some pictures/clarification.
Okay, before you call me a hypocrite and whatnot - there's nothing like SELF-ADMISSION. I *know* you can find this guide on Google very easily, I'm basically just adding pictures and explaining what each the steps does. Here is a link where you can find this guide: http://blogs.msdn.com/omars/archive/2004/04/30/124093.aspx, but without the pictures and explanation. The explanation can protect you from doing something really stupid that screws up your computer.
This guide OVERWRITES the standard Notepad with Notepad2, which is much better for stuff like Java coding (and finding errors in scripts), while not using up much RAM at all. And it looks much better, while maintaining ALL the standard features and much, much more.
So, let's begin!
Step 1) Download Notepad2, and extract the .exe anywhere [you can just drag Notepad2.exe to the desktop]. I saved it to my Desktop for easy access. Does this step *really* need images? Didn't think so. You can find Notepad2.exe here.
Step 2) Navigate to C:\WINDOWS\System32. Of course, it depends on what drive you've installed Windows XP onto, but for most people it should be the C drive. Once you've done this, in Windows Explorer, hit Tools -> Folder Options;
In Folder Options, |UNCHECK| "Hide Protected OS Files" and hit Apply/Okay.
Step 2.5) You should see a new folder in your System32 folder called "dllcache". Open that folder [it should be sort of "transparent" on the Explorer screen].
This folder stores all the VITAL system files, so you want to be very careful when messing around in here. This is ALL you should do in here. Just keep in mind, though, that you can edit many of the standard programs such as Paint, Minesweeper, etc. with better versions of them by following a simple, similar procedure.
Step 3) Keep C:\WINDOWS\System32\dllcache open. Remember Notepad2.exe? The one we just extracted to the desktop? Rename it to "Notepad.exe" (without the quotes, of course).
Right click it, and select "Copy"
Back in the dllcache folder, select "Edit -> Paste".
If you are prompted to replace the ~61KB Notepad with the ~260KB Notepad [I don't have a screeny of this, since I've already rewritten mine], you are on the right track. If not, you must have done something wrong. Make sure you have a file called Notepad.exe in the dllcache folder, and that you've renamed Notepad2.exe as Notepad.exe. I *know* you could have just done Control+C, Control+V, but when you're modifying stuff in such vital Windows folders, why risk selecting the wrong file or something like that? Better safe than sorry. The dllcache folder tells Windows what files to revert back to if anything gets modified, so now we have told Windows to use Notepad2 after it restarts if anything else gets changed.
Step 4) We're almost done! Still in the dllcache folder, hit "Up" in Windows Explorer to navigate back to C:\Windows\System32. [OPTIONAL: If you think you'll ever want your Notepad back -- why would you??
Once you are here, paste Notepad2 (still where you extracted it - named Notepad.exe) in this folder as well (so copy it, then paste it again). Once again, choose to replace the file. This time, you should be prompted:
Hit "Cancel" and this pops up:
Select "Yes"!!!!! Voila! No more SHITTY Notepad! You will now see that when you open up .txt, .java, or any other file you would have previously opened in Notepad, it will open up with Notepad2, which has all the features of Notepad and much, much more
You can find out more about Notepad2 here.
If you want, you can now go back to Windows Explorer and re-check "Hide Protected OS Files" for the safety of Windows system folders, but that is optional. Keep in mind that you can use any other upgraded Notepad and just use the exact same method. You can also change many other standard Windows features.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
For Windows Vista users, the process is almost identical. [I will be adding pictures when I get a chance to get on a Windows Vista computer.] According to this website, here are the basic differences:
1) The folders in which you need to replace Notepad with Notepad2 (using the same rename/replace process) are: C:\Windows, C:\Windows\System32, and C:\Windows\Syswow64.
2) In each of these folders, you must make sure you "take ownership" of each of these files (Notepad.exe in each of these folders). This step is not entirely necessary, because most of the time this comes standard with the administrator files. But in case something weird has happened, here is a guide I found on how to do so: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/67717-take-ownership-file.html. This guide is great, because it is easy to follow and has two different methods of doing it, and also includes great pictures.
3) Once you have ownership of the old Notepad.exe in all three directories, you should be able to replace Notepad with Notepad2 (which of course you renamed as Notepad.exe).
I will add pictures when I find a computer with Vista, but not for the "How to Take Ownership" tutorial, because that one is just plain great.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Suggestions? Comments? Don't hesitate to post them! I know this guide is simple and found on Google, but I felt like sharing it with you guys and adding some pictures/clarification.
Ah well, I like it here ^_^
