[Guide] How to customize Windows 7

[Samdb]

Windows 7 Customization

 

 

Today I will be teaching you how to customize you Windows 7 to your liking. This will involve modding of Windows files so ensure that you have made a backup. Disclaimer, I am in no way responsible for any damage done by following this guide as all of you actions are of your own doing.

 

To start you will want to grab yourself some tools that you will need to get the job done.

Universal Theme Patcher: http://deepxw.blogspot.com/2008/11/universal-theme-patcher.html

Windows Start Orb Changer: http://www.door2windows.com/windows-7-start-button-changer-change-your-windows-7-start-button-with-one-click/

Navigation Button Changer: http://www.door2windows.com/windows-7-navigation-buttons-customizer-change-windows-7-navigation-buttons-easily/

Themes (Choose one that you like): http://www.deviantart.com/?q=windows+7+themes

Start Orbs (Choose one that you like): http://www.deviantart.com/?q=windows+7+start+orb

 

Step 1 - Patching Files

 

Run Universal Theme Patcher as administrator choose your language and press "OK"

 

Another dialogue box will pop up, similar or the same as this, click "Yes" to patch your files.

 

You will be greeted with another dialogue box, patch all three of the files. You may need to restart your computer for this to take effect.

 

Step 2 - Installing Themes

 

Once you have a theme downloaded, unzip the contents and move them to the Themes folder. (C:\Windows\Resources\Themes) Here you will see all of the stock Windows themes, I have several themes in my folder so it will look slightly different.

 

Extract your theme and move the contents into the Themes folder.

 

Your theme should now be installed, to make sure, go to your Desktop > Right Click > Personalize and check that your themes are there, if so, apply a theme, if not, ensure that you have followed the steps above.

 

Step 3 - Changing the navigation buttons (Optional)

 

Run Navigation Button Changer as administrator otherwise you will not be able to change the buttons. Yours will have the default buttons, I have already changed mine so it will look slightly different.

 

Click the button you want to change, click "Change Selected Bitmap" and navigate to your theme folder that has the navigation button files. The file is often called "Explorerframe" and the files will have to be in Bitmap format. After you have changed all of the buttons, it should look like the image above.

 

Step 4 - Changing the Start orb (Optional)

 

Run Windows & Start Orb Changer v5 and you should be greeted with this dialogue box

 

Click "Change" and navigate to the Start orb that you have downloaded. The file must be a Bitmap file and you may have to restart for the new orb to take effect. Mine is blank as it is built into the theme.

 

Step 5 - Taskbar Icon change (Optional)

 

Look around for some taskbar icons that you like, Deviantart is great for this. You may have downloaded a .PNG file, this is not a problem, simply go to http://www.convertico.com/ to get .ICO files.

Take the program you want to change the icon of, right click > send to > Desktop. You will then have a shortcut on your desktop.

 

Right click the shortcut and navigate to the "Shortcut" tab. You should see a "Change Icon" button at the bottom, click it, you will be greeted with this dialogue box.

 

Click "Browse" and navigate to where you saved your icons, ensure the file is a .ICO file or you will get this error message.

 

Click "OK" until you are back to your desktop and you should see your custom icon.

 

Right click your custom icon and click "Pin to taskbar", if the program is already on the taskbar, unpin it and pin it agian, you should have your custom icon all set.

 

Repeat until all of your icons are customized.

 

Step 5 - Changing Icons within Explorer (Optional)

 

Drives

To change the icon of your drives you will need to use .inf files. In the root of your drive, create a file called autorun.inf containing the following text:

Copy the icon your want to use into the root of the drive.

 

You will need to restart your computer for this to take effect.

 

Folders

 

We will be using regedit.exe to change all of the files instead of one by one. You will need to be logged into an administrator account.

 

Press Win + R and type "regedit.exe".

 

 

Navigate to "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer"

 

*Right click on Explorer > New > Key. Name this folder "Shell Icons"*

 

In the empty space of Shell Icons (right), right click > New > String Value. Name this "3" and press enter.

 

Right click on 3 and select "Modify"

 

In "Value Data" paste the destination of your custom folder icon like the one above.

 

If you have 64 bit Windows, you will need to go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer and repeat from the asterisk (*).

 

To see any effect your will either have to log off and on or restart your comptuer.

 

Desktop Icons (My Computer etc.)

 

Go to your Desktop > Right Click > Personalize. On the right pane, click "Change Desktop Icons"

 

 

Choose an icon then click "Change Icon".

 

Navigate to where you have your icons saved, remember that the icons will have to be a .ICO to work, if it is a .PNG go to http://www.convertico.com/ to get your .ICO files. Do this for the rest of the icons.

 

You will need to restart for it to take effect.

 

 

That's it, you're done!

Go ahead and download some nice wallpapers to go with your theme and icons, maybe even try out Rainmeter if you would like some additional information on your desktop, feel free to post yours below to see different themes, icons, skins etc.

If I have missed anything, please do not hesitate to let me know so I can fix or add it.

 

Cheers,

Sam

[autorun]
icon="the name of your icon.ico"

[ERSCreeper]

Awesome!

[Levent]

try 7Conifier it helps A TON with icons 

[TheRoss0411]

How does windows explorer look like that ?

[TheGamingBarrel]

Large block of text, will not read.

[Samdb]

How does windows explorer look like that ?

 

Like this? http://puu.sh/8wohl.png

 

It's a combination of a theme, navigation buttons, custom icons and a different font.

[TheRoss0411]

Like this? http://puu.sh/8wohl.png

 

It's a combination of a theme, navigation buttons, custom icons and a different font.

Will it work on Windows 8.1 ?

[Samdb]

Will it work on Windows 8.1 ?

 

I don't know, this was made with Windows 7 in mind.

[TheRoss0411]

I don't know, this was made with Windows 7 in mind.

Can you link to some of the ways to make windows explorer like that ?

Such as nav button packs

[Samdb]

Can you link to some of the ways to make windows explorer like that ?

Such as nav button packs

 

As far as I know, you can't really customize Windows 8.

[Name Taken]

WinAero have many Windows tweakers and 7+ Taskbar Tweaker is also a useful tool.