List of VISTA System Files to be Hacked Using Resource Hacker

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 don't 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:

List of Files to be hacked using Resource Hacker

List of Resource Locations in Windows XP, Vista and 7 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.

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This article was posted in Resource Hacker, Windows Vista.

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51 Comments

Reggie

How will I change Windows Explorer into Vista Look Using the Resource Hacker?
VG

^^ Please follow this tutorial:

http://www.askvg.com/transform-your-windows-xp-in-windows-vista-without-any-customization-pack/
invaderjohn

the shell32.dll.mui doesnt work to hack.. i hacked the run dialog and i saved it and all.. restarted my comp even.. but nothing gets changed :/

even tried the notepad.dll.mui but doesnt work either. is there some other files i need to change aswell ?
VG

^^ It seems to not work in SP1. I'll try to update you if I come across any solution.
invaderjohn

ok so it worked after a few days and some reebots. same with notepad menu hack.. took a a cupple of reboots to be like that. and now ive resource hacked the classic start menu in vista, and it still havent changed and that was like 2 days ago.. so it seems rly odd, some things work and some not.. its like u have to reload the mui files in some way Oo, dunno how to.. but my run dialog and the notepad did get what i wanted but not direclty

and now i would rly want to know if theres some way to remove the navigation buttons in explorer?
or even the whole adressbar (like it minimalistic)
too bad they removed options to remove that from explorer like in xp.
invaderjohn

ok. so when u resourcehack .mui files u need to reboot in failsafe first then reboot normally to make it take effect.

now i would rly love to know how to disable the navigationbuttons/adressbar in vista explorer pls let me know if someone knows how to do that!
VG

^^ Good find mate. I'll let you know if I get success in removing Navigation buttons and addressbar.
invaderjohn

heh yeah. im a desktop modder/vista visual designer so i need to know more about everything with vista.. its just to little about it all. like hex editing and resource editing.

well well.. if u found out let me know.

and the rightclick menu for vista.. i found out how to hack it.. but that was only the classic one :/
did just work in failsafe.

well well i found out the most things.
its just the navigation buttons and adressbar thingy i would love to know how to remove.

ve heard its somewhere in the regedit?
cant find it tho :/
VG

^^ Great. Keep playing with it.
invaderjohn

http://invaderjohn.deviantart.com/art/VICO-desktop-96815296 so far so good