How to Move / Show “Details Pane” at Top in Windows Vista and 7 Explorer?

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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.

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This article was posted by VG in following section: Resource Hacker, Windows 7, Windows Vista.

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Chris

hey vishal

I managed to make the strings in resource hacker but when I want to save it, it comes up with "cannot rename original file. saving cancelled". So i made a copy of shell32.dll and did it to that and it seemed to work. But whenever I try replacing it, it comes up with another error message saying that it's open in another program. How can I sort this out.

By the way great work on "G Revolution" :)
VG

^^ Take ownership of the original "shell32.dll" file. Then rename it to some other name like "shell32_backup.dll". Now copy the new "shell32.dll" file which you saved somewhere else and paste it in "System32" folder. Restart your system and Windows will start using your new file.
Chris

Cheers that seemed to do the trick :D
adit

how to taken onwership
matgenius

I had try the vista theme downloaded from internet.
It seem no changes when I apply the theme on my windows vista.
Can explain it???
Omi

hi VG!!!
last day i tried this & fully workable... bt today looks like same as default...
& resource hacker is nt working & shows "requested operations requires elevetion" ERROR
can u plz solve it... plz dear.. i lov to see that...
thanx VG!!!
is thr any other option..
VG

^^ Try to login as Administrator and then edit the file.
Help

This is weird...

I did everything to edit shell32.dll with resource hack, but unfortunately, I can't save the file. When I press save after complying all the scripts on the dll, it said that it can't rename the original file. I'm not sure what to do right now. Do I have to save the modified file as a patched shell32.dll and overwrite it with the original one in System32? Last time I did that, I failed to do so because I was denied to overwrite System files in windows. I also tried renaming the original file to a .BAK file but that only caused my laptop to have an error after rebooting. Any ideas?
VG

^^ Save the file somewhere else and then rename original shell32.dll file to some other name. At last copy your new modified file to "System32" folder and restart your system.
Abdul RaFy

Thank you...
look great on windows 7