Changing the Default Icon

[OREALLY]

I know you can change an icon for a file type in folder options etc. But
what about changing the DEFAULT ICON for a file type for any given program?
Any way to do this in XP?

Oreally

 

[Rich Barry]

See if this helps any.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310192

 

[OREALLY]

Thanks.....but I'm referring to default file icons....so as to prevent
programs from changing your favorite icons assigned to these files when you
change file associations.

 

[ju.c]

To change an app's icon you'll have to replace the icon
inside of the EXE or DLL file using one of these freeware
tools:

Resource Hacker
http://www.angusj.com/resourcehacker/

XN Resource Editor
http://www.wilsonc.demon.co.uk/d10resourceeditor.htm

Always make backups as it doesn't always work. Try
Resource Hacker first. If it fails, try XN Resource Editor.


ju.c

 

[OREALLY]

Thanks.....Unfortuntely the help menus in both these programs are
empty....as is the icon folder in WMP. Would you know where I can find the
icons for WMP?

Oreally

 

[ju.c]

WMP icons are contained in this file:

C:\Windows\System32\wmploc.dll


ju.c

 

[Tim Meddick]

Oreally,
you cannot "hack" or otherwise modify the file wmploc.dll without
disabling Windows File Protection (WFP), which will jump in and replace your edited
file with a backup copy as soon as it has been "saved"

So, thereby undoing any changes you may have made to this file.

I do not recommend that you disable WFP.


If you have a number of file types that you have a custom icon for then you could
make a number of reg-files for use if a program goes and changes them.

You just double click on these reg-files to change them back again to the way you had
it before.

What you have to do for each reg file, is open [regedit.exe] and locate the first key
that corresponds to the file extension that you want to save the default icon setting
for - i.e. [.mp3]

Under this key (e.g. .mp3) there is a "default value" (e.g. mp3file )

So look up the second key (mp3file) and you will find another key under this one
called [DefaultIcon]

This is the key you right-click on and choose "Export" to save it's contents to a
reg-file.

Name the saved reg-file "MP3Icon" or something similar, to remind you what icon it
will restore for you.

Now if the icons for MP3 files are changed by some other program - all you have to do
is double-click on this reg-file to restore the icon you preferred...

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.