Here is another interesting topic for Resource Hacker lovers. In this topic, we are going to mention a few system files in Windows 7 which can be modified to change look of various Windows components like login screen, dialog boxes, menus, etc.
You'll need Resource Hacker to modify these files.
So here is a list of various system files in Windows 7 which can be easily hacked using Resource Hacker:
Approx. all Windows 7 system icons -> %windir%\System32\imageres.dll
Login Screen Background -> %windir%\System32\imageres.dll
Login Screen image resources -> %windir%\System32\authui.dll
Startup Sound -> %windir%\System32\imageres.dll
Start ORB images -> %windir%\Explorer.exe -> Bitmap -> 6801 - 6812
Windows Version Image in "About Windows" dialog box -> %windir%\Branding\Basebrd\basebrd.dll
Windows Version Image in bottom of Login Screen -> %windir%\Branding\Basebrd\basebrd.dll
Control Panel Left Sidebar Image -> %windir%\System32\Shell32.dll -> Bitmap -> 632 & 633
Getting Started (aka Welcome Center) Images -> %windir%\System32\oobefldr.dll
Laptop Battery Meter image resources -> %windir%\System32\batmeter.dll
Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) Resources -> %windir%\System32\ieframe.dll
Windows Media Player 12 (WMP12) Resources -> %windir%\System32\wmploc.dll
Above mentioned system files/locations are new to Windows 7 and were not present in earlier Windows versions, like XP. If you want to change look of other menus, dialog boxes like RUN, Progress, System Properties, Start menu, Taskbar Properties, etc, you'll have to edit some other system files which you needed to edit in Windows XP. But there is a little difference, now those files don't contain the resources but their .MUI files do.
For example in Windows XP, RUN dialog box resources were present in "%windir%\System32\Shell32.dll" file but in Windows 7, the resources are present in "%windir%\System32\en-US\Shell32.dll.mui" file.
All these .MUI files are present in any of following 2 locations:
%windir%\en-US\
%windir%\System32\en-US\
To know about other system files which are same for all Windows versions and contain resources of various dialog boxes, menus, etc, you'll need to visit following links:
List of Files to be hacked using Resource Hacker
List of Resource Locations to be Hacked Using Resource Hacker
All these file names and resource locations are same in XP, Vista and 7.
Complete list of AskVG articlesThis article was posted in Resource Hacker, Windows 7.
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hb860
Very useful. Thanks
mithi
how to replace actual file with new hacked file
Redmile
Very helpful !
Vipul
@mithi
Use resource hacker tool
You will find it here
http://www.askvg.com/downloads/
cclloyd9785
If i am on a x64 system, for example, authui.dll. Would i replace the system32 one or the SysWOW64 one?
MAGNUMHEART
@mithi take ownership of the original files before you can replace/modify them.
do this by setting permissions for the current account user.
it is better to make a backup of the original first. ^^
then proceed on placing the hacked file on it's original windows directory.
Ryan
Resource Hacker won't install on Win7!! Help?
Thanks,
Ryan
Siddhant Sharma
i m using windows 7 32 bit. when i use resource hacker to hack file it rename's the existing one past a new one there which my OS dosen't allows to do.What can i do.
Animers
hi VG, you really know a lot about windows.
i am now using windows 7 32 bit, i have some questions here :
1. it is possible to hacked windows 7 bootscreen ? , if possible, what file i must hack ?
2. How to make windows 7 explorer looks like XP, i mean it is not about the look about windows explorer, but in windows XP, you can see the picture in the right below, the picture can show if we enter a picture folder, video folder, or music folder.
In windows XP, we can change the picture by hacking shellstyle.dll in the themes folder
When i see in windows 7, i can see shellstyle.dll too in the themes folder
but i cannot see that picture like explorer in windows XP, when i open movie folder, picture folder, or music folder
so, it is possible to make that picture appear in windows seven explorer ?
VG
^^ There is no known way to hack Windows 7 Boot screen yet. Regarding image in folders, this feature has been removed.