NOTE: This tutorial has been featured by Microsoft. AskVG.com was the first website posting this unique trick.
If you can remember the good old Longhorn days when Windows Vista was under Beta testing, the Details Pane in Windows Explorer used to show at top just below the Command Bar. But in Windows Vista RTM (Final version), the Details Pane was moved to bottom. Same thing applies to Windows 7 as well.
There are many people who still want to get the Details Pane at top as shown in our AeroVG theme preview picture:
You can also change the "Details Pane" position from Bottom to Top in Windows Vista and 7 Explorer using following simple steps:
1. We'll have to edit "%windir%\System32\Shell32.dll" file. So first take ownership of this file using following tutorial:
Add Take Ownership Option in File / Folder Context Menu in Windows Vista and 7
2. Now open the file in Resource Hacker.
3. Goto "View -> Find Text" (or press Ctrl + F). It'll open Find box.
4. Now type following String in textbox:
layoutpos="bottom"
5. Click on "Find Next" button and it'll show the line containing this text. It should be in UIFILE section.
6. You have to just replace "bottom" word with "top".
7. When you have done, click on "Compile Script" button.
8. Now press "F3" key and it'll show the next line containing the same text. Again do the same mentioned in 6th step.
9. Remember! You have to replace "bottom" word with "top" only in following locations (i.e. keys under UIFILE section):
3, 4, 5, 6, 19, 20, 21
10. If you also want to show the Details Pane at Top in Browse/Save/Open dialog boxes, then replace "bottom" word with "top" in 27 and 28 keys too.
11. That's it. You have done. Now save the file at some other location, for example in D: drive.
12. Rename original "Shell32.dll" file present in "System32" folder to "shell32_backup.dll".
13. Now copy your new modified "shell32.dll" file to "System32" folder.
14. Restart your system and after restart Windows will start using your new modified file and you'll get details pane at Top.
This article was posted by VG in following section: Resource Hacker, Windows 7, Windows Vista.
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VG
@Joey
I'll advise you type manually layoutpos="bottom" in the find box instead of pasting the string.
Ronald
Dear Vishal,
If he got as far as opening the file to do the ctrl+f function , then maybe he can just scroll right till the text comes into view and then just change it that way. I recal it is not that far from the beginning text. I had a lil trouble myself with this and it probably was the fact that i had copied it to my clipboard from here as well, but then i went looking for it visually .
Sebastian
Neumím moc anglicky,proto jen krátce...THX!!!
Cristiano
Hi again!
I'm stille here, searching for a solution...
I've tryed to see another thing, I think it's interesting:
1. Edited original shell32.dll with ResHack
2. Changed the string "layoutpos="bottom"" to "layoutpos="top"" in one of the seven locations
3. Compiled script
4. Changed again the same string from "layoutpos="top"" to "layoutpos="bottom"", so the file should have been like the original
5. Compiled script again
6. Saved file
7. I noticed that file is 1kb less than original, even if there was no real change inside!
8. Replaced original shell32.dll with the one compiled in ResHack (with no real changes)
9. Windows Media Player MP3 playback + X-Fi issues are here again!!!
So, the problem is not related to top detail pane, but my system doesn't accept shell32.dll compiled by ResHack or similar!!!
The question is: why the file compiled by ResHack is 1kb lighter even with no real changes inside? Is there a way to edit the file without those unwanted changes?
VG
Yep. Your media player has nothing to do with the moving details pane at top trick. Your problem is really weird. I have no idea about it. If I come across a solution, I'll let you know.
Joey
Ha, i am Back again... how do you get the taking ownership thing into Reshacker? It says it is not Win32 exacutionable... i have been working on this forever and i still have NOT figured it out!!! DANGIT!
VG
^^ Its a reg file which can't be opened in Resource Hacker.
Joey
OK one last thing, i did it all the way i go to the saving part, whenever i try to save it it says it cannot so it is canceling the saving... how do i save it than, because i save as than i restart.... and it acts as if i had not done anything...
VG
^^ Please read All About Resource Hacker tutorial in "Resource Hacker" section. I have mentioned the solution of this problem there. It happens when you try to save a file which you have already saved in resource Hacker in past. You'll need to delete its backup file before saving again.
Josh
I tried to use this but it did not work. If I check in the file Shell32.dll it has been changed to "top" in all of the right places but the details pane is still at the bottom. I checked to see if my folder options were set to classic like the above poster but this was not the case.
Could this issue have to do with me running Vista 64-bit?