In this tutorial, I’ll tell you about various system files in Windows Vista, which can be hacked using Resource Hacker / Resource Tuner to change the look of Windows dialog boxes, menus, login screen, boot screen and many other things. So here we start the tutorial:
Approx. all Windows Vista system icons -> %windir%\System32\imageres.dll
Login Screen Background -> %windir%\System32\imageres.dll
Startup ORB animation images -> %windir%\System32\authui.dll
Startup ORB Sound -> %windir%\System32\imageres.dll
Shutdown/ lock, etc. buttons in Startmenu -> %windir%\Explorer.exe -> Bitmap -> 7051 - 7056
Windows Version Image in About Windows dialog box -> %windir%\Branding\Basebrd\basebrd.dll
Windows Version Image in Login Screen bottom -> %windir%\Branding\Basebrd\basebrd.dll
Classic Start button flag and Classic Start menu left side image -> %windir%\Branding\Shellbrd\shellbrd.dll
Control Panel Left Sidebar Bottom Image -> %windir%\System32\Shell32.dll -> Bitmap -> 632
Back & Forward, Search, Stop, Refresh buttons in Windows Explorer -> %windir%\System32\browseui.dll
Back & Forward, Search, Stop, Refresh, Progress animation, tabs, tab close, etc. buttons in Internet Explorer -> %windir%\System32\ieframe.dll
Welcome Center Images -> %windir%\System32\oobefldr.dll
Boot Screen background image in “No GUI boot” condition -> %windir%\System32\en-US\Winload.exe.mui
Windows Media Player Resources -> %windir%\System32\wmploc.dll
Above are the new system files/locations in Windows Vista which were not present in earlier versions, like XP. But if you want to change look of various dialog boxes like RUN, Progress, System Properties, Startmenu and Taskbar Properties, etc. Then you’ll have to edit the same system files which you used to edit in Windows XP. The difference is, now those files dont contain the resources but their .MUI files do.
So if you want to edit RUN dialog box which was present in “%windir%\System32\Shell32.dll” file in XP, is now present in “%windir%\System32\en-US\Shell32.dll.mui” file in Windows Vista.
So in following list, I’ll tell you where all those files are present in Windows Vista:
All those files are present in any of following 2 locations:
%windir%\en-US\
%windir%\System32\en-US\
To know about those various system files containing dialog boxes, menus, etc. resources, please visit following link:
TUTORIAL: List of Files to be hacked using Resource Hacker
TUTORIAL: List of a few Locations in Windows XP System Files to be Hacked using Resource Hacker
All those file names and resource locations are same in XP and Vista.
I hope you guys will like it.














M4573R said:
Yay Thanx!! Gr8!!
VG said:
^^ Welcome.
peper said:
Hi VG,
I’ve a Japanese Windows Vista Premium. Using your tweaks, will i be able to have all the menus in english (knowing that premium does not allow to use the Multilingual User Interface for changing the language)
thanks for your great stuff
VG said:
^^ Hi
Its not possible with these tweaks but you can try to change the country and language from “Regional Settings” applet in Control panel. You can direct run it from RUN by typing “Intl.cpl”.
Arnab said:
i knew these ! but one question regarding
Windows Version Image in Login Screen bottom -> %windir%\Branding\Basebrd\basebrd.dll
Replacing with a simple image is not working for it. (I think some masking is there…) Can u send me the tutorial how to make a pic to replace it.
Zygo said:
it wont let me replace any of the files and i canot change any of the names of the login screen.
please help
VG said:
^^ You’ll need to take ownership of the files. Please apply the registry code given in following article:
Link
And then take ownership of the file.
Anthony Tsaukpaetra said:
VG said:
^^ Cool. Thanks.
Zygo said:
it still whouldent let me change da login info’s after i took ownership. i want it to say Zygo’s Laptop instead of (c)Microsoft Corperation