How to COMPLETELY hide the cursor at startup and shutdown.

[Kman]

Ok here's how you hide the cursor completely at startup of Windows XP... Remember who gave you this solution.

The standard cursors are stored in the User32.dll file. And to make things worse the user32.dll is backed up in dllcache.
We'll edit the user32.dll and replace it in it's original place and in the dllcache.

You'll need the following..
1.) A blank cursor, or the smallest one you can live with showing at bootup and shutdown.
2.) A Windows XP install CD.
3.) ResHack program get it here ----> http://www.angusj.com/resourcehacker/
4.) Administrator password to the PC (if any).

In this example I'll call the cursor for blank.cur.

Put you blank.cur in the cursors folder in your windows directory. (c:/windows/cursors)
Just so you know where you have it.

Download and extract Reshack to any folder. Run the "ResHacker.exe" from that folder.

Click on "File" and then "Open". Browse to the user32.dll file (c:\windows\system32\user32.dll) and open it.

Expand the cursor folder, here you'll find all standard cursors neatly setup in their own folders.
find the cursors you'd like to change. I chose to replace the "arrow" and the "arrow and hourglas".
Rightclick on the flower-icon for the cursor you'd like to replace and choose "replace resource".
Replace it with the blank.cur that we placed in c:\windows\cursors.
Repeat with any other cursors you'd like to replace.
The next IMPORTANT step is to select "SAVE AS"!!! NOT "save"!!
Save it as user32new.dll in the c:\windows\system32 folder.

Next step is to replace the user32.dll file(s).

Insert the WinXP CD-ROM into the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive and then restart the computer.
Select any options that are required to start the computer from the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive
if you are prompted to do so.

When the “Welcome to Setup” screen appears, press R to start Recovery Console.
Here you might be asked to enter the admin password.
At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER:
cd windows\system32

To rename the User32.dll file, type the following command, and then press ENTER:
ren user32.dll user32.bak

Then rename the User32new.ddl to user32.dll by typing the following command, and the press ENTER:
ren user32new.dll user32.dll

The final step is to replace the backup windows stores in the dllcache folder.
copy your user32.dll to the dllcache folder by typing the following command, and then press ENTER:
copy user32.dll c:\windows\system32\dllcache\

Press "Y" to overwrite the file and your done.
Take out the Windows XP cd and type exit in the prompt to exit the Recovery Consloe and restart your PC.

Now the arrow cursor at startup will be replaced with your blank.cur.
Note that when you enter Windows the cursor that's set in cursors in your control panel WILL be shown. (unless your using the default ones., I think)
Just set all cursors there to blank.cur and you've completely hidden the cursors in Windows.

ENJOY!

[delusional29]

I just changed mine to something cool like an animated pacman and cherry. That way, you see it, but it's arcade related!

Here's what I use: http://www.severdhed.com/images/arcade/ ... -arrow.ani

Read more on some custom arcade icons you can download here:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=90130.0

~ DeLuSioNaL

[Kman]

I used this way to "remove" the cursor at startup, and then have it as a really, really small, gray arrow when Windows starts up MA.
It's a shame no one has tried this out yet. I'm really looking forward to seeing some posts of people who've tried it out... It's raelly quickly done and not difficult at all.
A word of adwise to all you out there who'd like to try... DON'T hide ALL your cursors..It's not easy getting around Windows or MA Prefrences without one. Just hide it as startup and shutdown (ie. the one in user32.dll)

Good Luck!

[nickynooch]

I'm about to test this out in the next couple days. Just a quick question... is it easy to change the cursor back to something after you make it invisible?