How do i change the standard folder icon for all file folders?

[Guest]

Hi. the only way i know of changing the icon of a file folder is by right
clicking and going to -> proporties -> customize. is there any setting i can
edit whereby all of my file folders use a different icon from the default one
windows gives? i tried editing under the Tools->Folder Options -> File types
tab. but that doesnt work. any ideas?

 

[Ramesh [MVP]]

Serenity Windows 98 Tips & Hacks: From David Candy
http://www.mvps.org/serenitymacros/icon.html

Under "Shell Icons" section there is a zip file:
http://www.mvps.org/serenitymacros/images/openfolder.zip

Unzip the follow the instructions. If you have a custom .ico file, replace that in place of the supplied openfolder.ico file

--
Ramesh, Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell/User
http://windowsxp.mvps.org


Hi. the only way i know of changing the icon of a file folder is by right
clicking and going to -> proporties -> customize. is there any setting i can
edit whereby all of my file folders use a different icon from the default one
windows gives? i tried editing under the Tools->Folder Options -> File types
tab. but that doesnt work. any ideas?

 

[cpemma]

Serenity Windows 98 Tips & Hacks: From David Candy
http://www.mvps.org/serenitymacros/icon.html

Under "Shell Icons" section there is a zip file:
http://www.mvps.org/serenitymacros/images/openfolder.zip

Unzip the follow the instructions. If you have a custom .ico file,
replace that in place of the supplied openfolder.ico file

That reg change worked a charm in 98SE, but I've had limited success in XP
Home, SP2.

The changed open folder icon shows in the 'browse' tree from 'Send to any
folder', etc, but not in Explorer's tree. There must be a non-shell32.dll
icon used by current Explorer, or it doesn't check for any change. The
TweakuiXP shortcut arrow change in the same registry location works OK.

 

[a nonymous]

| Ramesh [MVP] wrote:
| > Serenity Windows 98 Tips & Hacks: From David Candy
| > http://www.mvps.org/serenitymacros/icon.html
| >
| > Under "Shell Icons" section there is a zip file:
| > http://www.mvps.org/serenitymacros/images/openfolder.zip
| >
| > Unzip the follow the instructions. If you have a custom .ico file,
| > replace that in place of the supplied openfolder.ico file
|
| That reg change worked a charm in 98SE, but I've had limited success in XP
| Home, SP2.
|
| The changed open folder icon shows in the 'browse' tree from 'Send to any
| folder', etc, but not in Explorer's tree. There must be a non-shell32.dll
| icon used by current Explorer, or it doesn't check for any change. The
| TweakuiXP shortcut arrow change in the same registry location works OK.


HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Icons
"3"=<path\to\closed-folder.ICO>
"4"=<path\to\open-folder.ICO>

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\DefaultIcon]
@=<path\to\closed-folder.ICO>

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\DefaultIcon]
@=<path\to\closed-folder.ICO>


Then, to update the icon cache:

Control Panel
Display
Appearance
Advanced
Item: Icon
Size: <-decrease-by-1->
OK
OK

Control Panel
Display
Appearance
Advanced
Item: Icon
Size: <-original-value->
OK
OK

 

[cpemma]

That reg change worked a charm in 98SE, but I've had limited success
in XP Home, SP2.

The changed open folder icon shows in the 'browse' tree from 'Send
to any folder', etc, but not in Explorer's tree. There must be a
non-shell32.dll icon used by current Explorer, or it doesn't check
for any change. The TweakuiXP shortcut arrow change in the same
registry location works OK.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell
Icons "3"=<path\to\closed-folder.ICO>
"4"=<path\to\open-folder.ICO>

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\DefaultIcon]
@=<path\to\closed-folder.ICO>

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\DefaultIcon]
@=<path\to\closed-folder.ICO>

The latter 2 changes will (I guess) allow me to change the closed folder
icons but it's the open one I'd like to change.

A search for 'shell32.dll,4' found a couple of likely looking locations, but
they don't seem to have picked up the path change, leastways not in
Explorer.

 

[a nonymous]

| The latter 2 changes will (I guess) allow me to change the closed folder
| icons but it's the open one I'd like to change.
|
| A search for 'shell32.dll,4' found a couple of likely looking locations, but
| they don't seem to have picked up the path change, leastways not in
| Explorer.

I gave you explicit instructions on how to to update the icon cache.

 

[cpemma]

I gave you explicit instructions on how to to update the icon cache.

Which don't work to change the open folder icon in Explorer. The fact that
it *is* changed in 'Send to any folder' tree suggests I've rebuilt the icon
cache, no?

 

[a nonymous]

|
| The latter 2 changes will (I guess) allow me to change the closed
| folder icons but it's the open one I'd like to change.
|
| A search for 'shell32.dll,4' found a couple of likely looking
| locations, but they don't seem to have picked up the path change,
| leastways not in Explorer.

a nonymous wrote:
| I gave you explicit instructions on how to to update the icon cache.

| Which don't work to change the open folder icon in Explorer. The fact that
| it *is* changed in 'Send to any folder' tree suggests I've rebuilt the icon
| cache, no?


Have you done:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Icons
"4"=<path\to\open-folder.ICO>

and then update the icon cache?

I ask this because I do not know exactly what you actually did or did not do.

I use XP SP1. The details that I gave worked for me.

 

[cpemma]

Have you done:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell
Icons "4"=<path\to\open-folder.ICO>

and then update the icon cache?

I ask this because I do not know exactly what you actually did or did
not do.

I use XP SP1. The details that I gave worked for me.

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell
Icons]
"4"="C:\\Windows\\system32\\shell32.dll,110"
"3"=""
"29"="C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\tweakui.exe,3"

Above is the exported reg file - only single backslashes in Regedit and no
quotes. The shortcut arrow diversion added by TweakuiXP works OK.

I tried the different shell32.dll icon (110) to ensure the correct icon
format - it's a folder with a tick so appropriate - but using the download
green folder icon file makes no difference to the results.

After refreshing icon cache and a reboot for good luck, the changed icon
shows if I open 'Send to any folder' from the desktop and browse the tree
view, as http://www.mexbro.co.uk/bit/tick_ok.jpg

However, running normal 2-pane Explorer it's not there in tree view when I
open a folder, and running 'Send to any folder' *in the Explorer pane*, it's
now no longer shown on the browse tree view after opening a target as shown
http://www.mexbro.co.uk/bit/no_tick.jpg

Weird. Any SP2 converts got this working?

My shell32.dll is 8,188k, dated 4 Aug '04.

 

[a nonymous]

:

| [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell
| Icons]
| "4"="C:\\Windows\\system32\\shell32.dll,110"
| "3"=""
| "29"="C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\tweakui.exe,3"
|
| Above is the exported reg file - only single backslashes in Regedit and no
| quotes. The shortcut arrow diversion added by TweakuiXP works OK.
|
| I tried the different shell32.dll icon (110) to ensure the correct icon
| format - it's a folder with a tick so appropriate - but using the download
| green folder icon file makes no difference to the results.
|
| After refreshing icon cache and a reboot for good luck, the changed icon
| shows if I open 'Send to any folder' from the desktop and browse the tree
| view, as http://www.mexbro.co.uk/bit/tick_ok.jpg
|
| However, running normal 2-pane Explorer it's not there in tree view when I
| open a folder, and running 'Send to any folder' *in the Explorer pane*, it's
| now no longer shown on the browse tree view after opening a target as shown
| http://www.mexbro.co.uk/bit/no_tick.jpg
|
| Weird. Any SP2 converts got this working?
|
| My shell32.dll is 8,188k, dated 4 Aug '04.


Is there a reason for the empty string for the "3"= value in
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Icons

If you want the default closed-folder.ICO, delete the "3"= value.

SP2 is even more strange than SP1.