List of Windows 7 System Files to be Hacked Using Resource Hacker

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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

Yellow Shield icon -> %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.

Other similar articles that may interest you:

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

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Ayoosh

Hello sir can u tell me where are the resources of windows 7 iso stored i mean the wizard that comes during the setup i was able to locate spwizmig.dll that stores the background and dialogue box images what i want to know is the location of strings for the values that come in the dialog box like

copying files
expanding windows files
installing features
installing updates
completing installation

any help would be greatly appreciated
John Marshall

how do i hack the "all programs" section of the startmenu? Is there a registry hack? John
Ayoosh

Hello sir can u tell where id the dialog entry for "about windows" box in win7 located
Ayoosh

Hello sir can u tell where id the dialog entry for "about windows" box in win7 located
Ayoosh

Hello sir can u tell where is the dialog entry for "about windows" box in win7 located
Desta

I want to hack system properties in windows 7 that shown my computer specification , like RAM and processor

i want to hack the dialog, i think it's located in system32/En-US/..

but , it's so many MUI file, i try sysdm.cpl like in windows XP but i didn't found it
John Marshall

Which file has the system properties background? also the 'computer' background? John
VG

^^ If you are talking about left side image, its %windir%\System32\Shell32.dll -> Bitmap -> 632 & 633
John Marshall

What I was asking about was the white area ie the background. What folder is system properties in? John
VG

^^ Sorry but afaik its not possible.