adding modified shell files to an installation CD (batchscript availab

[piett]

hello everyone!

i have finaly managed to make a shell32.dll replacement for windows 2000 (it includes the XP icons without the alpha transparant versions) i did the same for user32.dll mydocs.dll and explorer.exe.

and next to that i have a modified bootscreen inside ntoskrnl.exe

for testing i copied them all trough the Recovery Console without any problems.

2000 looks pretty cool and modern now (without losing processor speed on window blinds and software like that)

ive tried to add those files to a windows setup directory.

using makecab and replaced the excisting shell32.dl_ user32.dl_..... files

at first it wont work (i needed to change the checksum of 2 of them) but after that the setup will copy them during the first stage of the windows setup.

but for some reason windows wont boot (it will freeze during the bootscreen).

so my question is what went wrong?

is there a better way of adding replacement system files?

is there more then only a checksum i should worry about?

oh and if anyone would like to have the modified files for there own use just tell me

ive added a screenshot of how it looks.

Edited July 22, 2006 by piett

[The Glimmerman]

You did good. But after altering the dll's and before makcab you should run modifype

modifype shell32.dll -c

oh you already did that. My mistake.

Maybe you should skip ntoskrnl.exe and test it again.

You did it ok. I do it the same way.

Edited July 18, 2006 by The Glimmerman

[piett]

You did good. But after altering the dll's and before makcab you should run modifype

modifype shell32.dll -c

thanks i will try that!

but what exactly does modifype do?

EDIT: is this a tool included by windows? cos i dont think i have it

Edited July 18, 2006 by piett

[The Glimmerman]

It alters the checksum

modifyPE.exe

modifyPE.exe

[piett]

It alters the checksum

modifyPE.exe

thanks

@echo off

modifype shell32.dll -c

modifype user32.dll -c

modifype mydocs.dll -c

modifype explore.exe -c

modifype ntoskrnl.exe -c

mkdir output

makecab shell32.dll output/shell32.dl_

makecab user32.dll output/user32.dl_

makecab mydocs.dll output/mydocs.dl_

makecab explorer.exe output/explorer.ex_

makecab ntoskrnl.exe output/ntoskrnl.ex_

pause

is this batch file up to the job?

[Nepali]

sth wrong with ntoskrnl.exe,,

be sure u have just changed the bitmap but not alter with version and HEX editing.

were u able to login into safemode ?

try once without ur modified ntoskrnl.exe

Edited July 19, 2006 by Nepali

[piett]

sth wrong with ntoskrnl.exe,,

be sure u have just changed the bitmap but not alter with version and HEX editing.

i only replaced bitmap 1 with reshack, i assume thats ok?

[Nepali]

u have done in perfect manner,,

but try booting into safe mode first,,

have u checked in ur hardware or just in vmware ..

hope u haven't used any other version of files,,

[piett]

hope u haven't used any other version of files,,

i think not, but since i still have to slipstream SP4 on the cd i need to re create the files anyway.

or uSP5 to be exact

ill post my results asap

[dirtwarrior]

How is it coming with your files?

[piett]

How is it coming with your files?

im not at home today (visiting gramps).

when i get back i will slipstream sp5 and install on vmware (via RIS cos im lazy)

after that i will edit the system files again

all very easy but i think all those icons inside shell32.dll can be a pain in the a**

but that is nothing compaired how long it took to remove all XP alpha transparant versions of the icons

but (thank god) i still have the source files (i will zip them and add them to the topic maybe somone likes them)

btw: anyone knows some more dll's containing icons that i should replace with XP ones?

[dirtwarrior]

Do you think you can get alpha blending to work? This would be great for 2k.

[JoeMSFN]

You did good. But after altering the dll's and before makcab you should run modifype

modifype shell32.dll -c

oh you already did that. My mistake.

Maybe for some, but no need to say sorry for the redundancy to me... I learn alot from that.

[piett]

Do you think you can get alpha blending to work? This would be great for 2k.

no that is something only XP can do, the 2000 shell is just not up to the job (afaik)

should be something in explorer.exe or another system file but i dont think we can reshack or hexedit it.

i once tried the xp explorer.exe inside windows 2000 but it would need a lot of XP dlls 2k does not have.

but i agree it would be great

[piett]

update:

i have created an neat batch file that replaces the 2k style icons with there XP equalivant.

included in the zip file:

input (copy your explorer.exe, shell32.dll, user32.dll and mydocs.dll inside this folder)

output (inside this folder you will find the resulting files after the patch)

output/i368 (same as above but packed as cab files so you can include them in windows setup folder)

source (the icon files itself are inside this folder)

make.bat (run this batch to patch the files inside input)

not included but needed:

ResHacker.exe (http://www.angusj.com/resourcehacker/)

modifyPE.exe (http://w-server.newram.wh.tu-darmstadt.de/freeware/windows/system-tools/xpisobuilder/modifyPE.exe)

GoRC.exe (http://www.jorgon.freeserve.co.uk/)

EDIT: woops still to big to upload here, ask me if you want it i will email it to you

Edited July 21, 2006 by piett