diff --git a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/desktop/desktop.cpp b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/desktop/desktop.cpp
index a37db431f49..76d6735c71e 100644
--- a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/desktop/desktop.cpp
+++ b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/desktop/desktop.cpp
@@ -158,56 +158,37 @@ BOOL IsAnyDesktopRunning()
 }
 
 
-static void draw_desktop_background(HWND hwnd, HDC hdc)
-{
-	ClientRect rect(hwnd);
-
-	PaintDesktop(hdc);
-/*
-	HBRUSH bkgndBrush = CreateSolidBrush(RGB(0,32,160));	// dark blue
-	FillRect(hdc, &rect, bkgndBrush);
-	DeleteBrush(bkgndBrush);
-*/
-
-	rect.left = rect.right - 280;
-	rect.top = rect.bottom - 56 - DESKTOPBARBAR_HEIGHT;
-	rect.right = rect.left + 250;
-	rect.bottom = rect.top + 40;
-
-#include "../buildno.h"
-	static const LPCTSTR BkgndText = TEXT("ReactOS ")TEXT(KERNEL_VERSION_STR)TEXT(" Explorer\nby Martin Fuchs");
-
-	BkMode bkMode(hdc, TRANSPARENT);
-
-	TextColor textColor(hdc, RGB(128,128,192));
-	DrawText(hdc, BkgndText, -1, &rect, DT_RIGHT);
-
-	SetTextColor(hdc, RGB(255,255,255));
-	--rect.right;
-	++rect.top;
-	DrawText(hdc, BkgndText, -1, &rect, DT_RIGHT);
-}
-
-
 BackgroundWindow::BackgroundWindow(HWND hwnd)
  :	super(hwnd)
 {
 	 // set background brush for the short moment of displaying the
 	 // background color while moving foreground windows
 	SetClassLong(hwnd, GCL_HBRBACKGROUND, COLOR_BACKGROUND+1);
+
+	_display_version = RegGetDWORDValue(HKEY_CURRENT_USER, TEXT("Control Panel\\Desktop"), TEXT("PaintDesktopVersion"), 1);
 }
 
 LRESULT BackgroundWindow::WndProc(UINT nmsg, WPARAM wparam, LPARAM lparam)
 {
 	switch(nmsg) {
 	  case WM_ERASEBKGND:
-		PaintDesktop((HDC)wparam);
+		DrawDesktopBkgnd((HDC)wparam);
 		return TRUE;
 
 	  case WM_MBUTTONDBLCLK:
 		explorer_show_frame(SW_SHOWNORMAL);
 		break;
 
+	  case PM_DISPLAY_VERSION:
+		if (lparam || wparam) {
+			DWORD or_mask = wparam;
+			DWORD reset_mask = LOWORD(lparam);
+			DWORD xor_mask = HIWORD(lparam);
+			_display_version = ((_display_version&~reset_mask) | or_mask) ^ xor_mask;
+			InvalidateRect(_hwnd, NULL, TRUE);
+		}
+		return _display_version;
+
 	  default:
 		return super::WndProc(nmsg, wparam, lparam);
 	}
@@ -215,6 +196,38 @@ LRESULT BackgroundWindow::WndProc(UINT nmsg, WPARAM wparam, LPARAM lparam)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+void BackgroundWindow::DrawDesktopBkgnd(HDC hdc)
+{
+	PaintDesktop(hdc);
+
+/* special solid background
+	HBRUSH bkgndBrush = CreateSolidBrush(RGB(0,32,160));	// dark blue
+	FillRect(hdc, &rect, bkgndBrush);
+	DeleteBrush(bkgndBrush);
+*/
+	if (_display_version) {
+		ClientRect rect(_hwnd);
+
+		rect.left = rect.right - 280;
+		rect.top = rect.bottom - 56 - DESKTOPBARBAR_HEIGHT;
+		rect.right = rect.left + 250;
+		rect.bottom = rect.top + 40;
+
+	#include "../buildno.h"
+		static const LPCTSTR BkgndText = TEXT("ReactOS ")TEXT(KERNEL_VERSION_STR)TEXT(" Explorer\nby Martin Fuchs");
+
+		BkMode bkMode(hdc, TRANSPARENT);
+
+		TextColor textColor(hdc, RGB(128,128,192));
+		DrawText(hdc, BkgndText, -1, &rect, DT_RIGHT);
+
+		SetTextColor(hdc, RGB(255,255,255));
+		--rect.right;
+		++rect.top;
+		DrawText(hdc, BkgndText, -1, &rect, DT_RIGHT);
+	}
+}
+
 
 DesktopWindow::DesktopWindow(HWND hwnd)
  :	super(hwnd)
@@ -337,10 +350,6 @@ LRESULT	DesktopWindow::Init(LPCREATESTRUCT pcs)
 LRESULT DesktopWindow::WndProc(UINT nmsg, WPARAM wparam, LPARAM lparam)
 {
 	switch(nmsg) {
-	  case WM_PAINT:
-		draw_desktop_background(_hwnd, PaintCanvas(_hwnd));
-		break;
-
 	  case WM_LBUTTONDBLCLK:
 	  case WM_RBUTTONDBLCLK:
 	  case WM_MBUTTONDBLCLK:
@@ -444,6 +453,9 @@ LRESULT	DesktopShellView::WndProc(UINT nmsg, WPARAM wparam, LPARAM lparam)
 			DoDesktopContextMenu(GET_X_LPARAM(lparam), GET_Y_LPARAM(lparam));
 		break;
 
+	  case PM_DISPLAY_VERSION:
+		return SendMessage(_hwndListView, nmsg, wparam, lparam);
+
 	  default:
 		return super::WndProc(nmsg, wparam, lparam);
 	}
diff --git a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/dialogs/settings.cpp b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/dialogs/settings.cpp
index 2178991b9dd..b06f5f68d73 100644
--- a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/dialogs/settings.cpp
+++ b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/dialogs/settings.cpp
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@ void ExplorerPropertySheet(HWND hparent)
 DesktopSettingsDlg::DesktopSettingsDlg(HWND hwnd)
  :	super(hwnd)
 {
+	_display_version_org = SendMessage(g_Globals._hwndShellView, PM_DISPLAY_VERSION, 0, MAKELONG(0,0));
+	CheckDlgButton(hwnd, ID_DESKTOP_VERSION, _display_version_org? BST_CHECKED: BST_UNCHECKED);
 }
 
 #ifndef PSN_QUERYINITIALFOCUS	// currently (as of 18.01.2004) missing in MinGW headers
@@ -82,9 +84,11 @@ int DesktopSettingsDlg::Notify(int id, NMHDR* pnmh)
 		break;
 
 	  case PSN_APPLY:
+		_display_version_org = SendMessage(g_Globals._hwndShellView, PM_DISPLAY_VERSION, 0, MAKELONG(0,0));
 		break;
 
 	  case PSN_RESET:
+		SendMessage(g_Globals._hwndShellView, PM_DISPLAY_VERSION, _display_version_org, MAKELONG(1,0));
 		break;
 
 	  default:
@@ -96,7 +100,17 @@ int DesktopSettingsDlg::Notify(int id, NMHDR* pnmh)
 
 int	DesktopSettingsDlg::Command(int id, int code)
 {
-	return FALSE;
+	switch(id) {
+	  case ID_DESKTOP_VERSION:
+		SendMessage(g_Globals._hwndShellView, PM_DISPLAY_VERSION, 0, MAKELONG(0,1));	// toggle version display flag
+		PropSheet_Changed(GetParent(_hwnd), _hwnd);
+		break;
+
+	  default:
+		return 1;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/dialogs/settings.h b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/dialogs/settings.h
index 91b0bc5620f..5ef70814218 100644
--- a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/dialogs/settings.h
+++ b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/dialogs/settings.h
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ struct DesktopSettingsDlg : public OwnerDrawParent<PropSheetPageDlg>
 protected:
 	virtual int Command(int id, int code);
 	virtual int Notify(int id, NMHDR* pnmh);
+
+	int	_display_version_org;
 };
 
 
diff --git a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/utility/shellclasses.cpp b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/utility/shellclasses.cpp
index 04d10ff5424..8a1ee47112c 100644
--- a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/utility/shellclasses.cpp
+++ b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/utility/shellclasses.cpp
@@ -89,11 +89,11 @@ void HandleException(COMException& e, HWND hwnd)
 	if (hwnd && !IsWindowVisible(hwnd))
 		hwnd = 0;
 
-	MessageBox(hwnd, msg, TEXT("ShellClasses COM Exception"), MB_ICONHAND|MB_OK);
+	MessageBox(hwnd, msg, TEXT("ShellClasses Exception"), MB_ICONHAND|MB_OK);
 
 	 // If displaying the error message box _with_ parent was not successfull, display it now without a parent window.
 	if (GetLastError() == ERROR_INVALID_WINDOW_HANDLE)
-		MessageBox(0, msg, TEXT("ShellClasses COM Exception"), MB_ICONHAND|MB_OK);
+		MessageBox(0, msg, TEXT("ShellClasses Exception"), MB_ICONHAND|MB_OK);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/utility/shellclasses.h b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/utility/shellclasses.h
index 34b29f2f6f1..cb7dae0e302 100644
--- a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/utility/shellclasses.h
+++ b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/utility/shellclasses.h
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ using namespace _com_util;
 #endif
 
 
- // COM Exception Handling
+ // Exception Handling
 
 #ifndef _NO_COMUTIL
 
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ struct COMExceptionBase
 				LocalFree(pBuf);
 			 } else {
 				TCHAR buffer[128];
-				_stprintf(buffer, TEXT("unknown COM Exception: 0x%08X"), _hr);
+				_stprintf(buffer, TEXT("unknown Exception: 0x%08X"), _hr);
 				_msg = buffer;
 			 }
 		}
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ protected:
 #endif
 
 
- /// COM Exception with context information
+ /// Exception with context information
 
 struct COMException : public COMExceptionBase
 {
diff --git a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/utility/utility.cpp b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/utility/utility.cpp
index 0a56c952d5c..7a52bde22c1 100644
--- a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/utility/utility.cpp
+++ b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/utility/utility.cpp
@@ -326,3 +326,22 @@ BOOL RecursiveCreateDirectory(LPCTSTR path_in)
 
 	return TRUE;
 }
+
+
+DWORD RegGetDWORDValue(HKEY root, LPCTSTR path, LPCTSTR valueName, DWORD def)
+{
+	HKEY hkey;
+	DWORD ret;
+
+	if (!RegOpenKey(root, path, &hkey)) {
+		DWORD len = sizeof(ret);
+
+		if (RegQueryValueEx(hkey, valueName, 0, NULL, (LPBYTE)&ret, &len))
+			ret = def;
+
+		RegCloseKey(hkey);
+
+		return ret;
+	} else
+		return def;
+}
diff --git a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/utility/utility.h b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/utility/utility.h
index 7050bfd8926..86609114f1b 100644
--- a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/utility/utility.h
+++ b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/utility/utility.h
@@ -149,6 +149,9 @@ BOOL RunDLL(HWND hwnd, LPCTSTR dllname, LPCSTR procname, LPCTSTR cmdline, UINT n
  // create a directory with all missing parent directories
 BOOL RecursiveCreateDirectory(LPCTSTR path_in);
 
+ // read DWORD value from registry
+DWORD RegGetDWORDValue(HKEY root, LPCTSTR path, LPCTSTR valueName, DWORD def);
+
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 } // extern "C"
@@ -620,7 +623,7 @@ protected:
 };
 
 
- /// string class for convenience
+ /// string class for TCHAR strings
 struct String
 #ifdef UNICODE
  : public wstring
diff --git a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/utility/window.cpp b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/utility/window.cpp
index e58cb8043d2..e3a37e88ac1 100644
--- a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/utility/window.cpp
+++ b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/utility/window.cpp
@@ -428,6 +428,11 @@ Dialog::~Dialog()
 	unregister_dialog(_hwnd);
 }
 
+LRESULT Dialog::Init(LPCREATESTRUCT pcs)
+{
+	return TRUE;	// set standard focus
+}
+
 int Dialog::DoModal(UINT nid, CREATORFUNC creator, HWND hwndParent)
 {
 	Lock lock(GetStaticWindowData()._create_crit_sect);	// protect access to s_window_creator and s_new_info
@@ -455,7 +460,7 @@ INT_PTR CALLBACK Window::DialogProc(HWND hwnd, UINT nmsg, WPARAM wparam, LPARAM
 	if (pThis) {
 		switch(nmsg) {
 		  case WM_COMMAND:
-			pThis->Command(LOWORD(wparam), HIWORD(wparam));
+			SetWindowLong(hwnd, DWL_MSGRESULT, (LPARAM)pThis->Command(LOWORD(wparam), HIWORD(wparam)));
 			return TRUE;	// message has been processed
 
 		  case WM_NOTIFY:
@@ -478,6 +483,8 @@ INT_PTR CALLBACK Window::DialogProc(HWND hwnd, UINT nmsg, WPARAM wparam, LPARAM
 
 		if (pThis)
 			return pThis->Init(NULL);
+
+		return TRUE;
 	}
 
 	return FALSE;	// message has not been processed
@@ -1137,7 +1144,7 @@ INT_PTR CALLBACK PropSheetPageDlg::DialogProc(HWND hwnd, UINT nmsg, WPARAM wpara
 	if (pThis) {
 		switch(nmsg) {
 		  case WM_COMMAND:
-			pThis->Command(LOWORD(wparam), HIWORD(wparam));
+			SetWindowLong(hwnd, DWL_MSGRESULT, (LPARAM)pThis->Command(LOWORD(wparam), HIWORD(wparam)));
 			return TRUE;	// message has been processed
 
 		  case WM_NOTIFY:
@@ -1165,6 +1172,8 @@ INT_PTR CALLBACK PropSheetPageDlg::DialogProc(HWND hwnd, UINT nmsg, WPARAM wpara
 			if (pThis)
 				return pThis->Init(NULL);
 		}
+
+		return TRUE;
 	}
 
 	return FALSE;	// message has not been processed
@@ -1174,5 +1183,5 @@ int PropSheetPageDlg::Command(int id, int code)
 {
 	// override call to EndDialog in Dialog::Command();
 
-	return FALSE;
+	return 1;
 }
diff --git a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/utility/window.h b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/utility/window.h
index 15efcac3456..acf09c52be3 100644
--- a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/utility/window.h
+++ b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/utility/window.h
@@ -319,6 +319,7 @@ struct Dialog : public Window
 	static int DoModal(UINT nid, CREATORFUNC_INFO creator, const void* info, HWND hwndParent=0);
 
 protected:
+	LRESULT	Init(LPCREATESTRUCT pcs);
 	LRESULT	WndProc(UINT nmsg, WPARAM wparam, LPARAM lparam);
 	int		Command(int id, int code);
 };