Change Folder Icon

[risk_reversal]

Trying to change the folder icon but running into problems.

I found a post which gave the 2 following locations which need to be changed.

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\Advanced\Folder]

"Bitmap"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\SHDOC401.DLL,4"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\Advanced\Folder\Hidden]

"Bitmap"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\SHDOC401.DLL,4"

I pointed to the new *.dll with correct dll,x (ie C:\Windows\Desktop\Xpicons.dll,3 but the folders remained unchanged.

In the first instance are the above 2 registry locations correct?

Many thanks

[MDGx]

FYI:

There is another way, without touching the registry [each folder can have different icon]:

http://www.mdgx.com/newtip6.htm#NEWFOLD

and similar for drives/partitions:

http://www.mdgx.com/newtip6.htm#NEWDRIVE

And this is the MS recommended way:

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=253689

which requires creating a shortcut to each folder you want to change icon for.

I never tried to do this the registry way per your post [this way all folders have same icon].

I've looked at my Win98 SE registry, the entries are same as yours, which means this should work theoretically:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\Advanced\Folder]
"Bitmap"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\SHDOC401.DLL,4"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\Advanced\Folder\Hidden]
"Bitmap"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\SHDOC401.DLL,4"

Make sure you have SHDOC401.DLL in %windir%\SYSTEM [%windir% = usually C:\WINDOWS].

Also, if you try this the registry way, environment variables [like %windir%] are not supported by Win9x registry APIs.

HTH

[risk_reversal]

Many thanks for your reply MDGx.

Well it seems that the registry hack for this will not work and will have to resort to individual folder as per your advice.

In respect of drive icons ie HDD, opticals & A:\

I was using this registry hack which I found and which I am sure you have seen before and seems easier.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrenTVersion\Explorer.

If a subkey named driveicons is present, open it; if not, right-click in the right-hand pane, select New | Key and name the key driveicons. Under the driveicons key, find or create a subkey named C (or the letter of the drive whose icon you want to change). And under this C key find or create a subkey named DefaultIcon. Double-click the (Default) entry in the right-hand pane and set its value to the full pathname of the icon-holding file, a comma, and the icon index.

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\DriveIcons]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\DriveIcons\C]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\DriveIcons\C\DefaultIcon]

@="C:\\WINDOWS\\Desktop\\Xpicons.dll,8"

etc for other HDD, opticals and floppy

Many thanks for your help

[eidenk]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\Shell Icons]

"3"="C:\\Windows\\ClosedFolder.ico,0"

"4"="C:\\Windows\\OpenedFolder.ico,0"

This should replace the default icons for folders with those specified.

You can do this without resorting to edit the registry by hand using a tool such as Desktop Architect for example.

Edited February 21, 2009 by eidenk

[risk_reversal]

Many thanks for the registry entries eidenk as well as for the prog.

all the best

Cheers

[marxo]

This, actually the dialog from XP to allow this is a feature in upcoming Windows Lupus Project Alpha 4.

You can see a screenshot here:

http://www.winprj.net/board/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=42#p3659