Quick way to replace many icons in shell32.dll ?

Hi everybody.

I used Resource Hacker (I don't know how old or new the version is, it's 3.3.4.75) to replace the icons in shell32.dll (I have Windows XP with SP 2 installed).
It was a really painful process to replace each and every icon and took me many hours. But finally it looked good.

Now my friend told me I should get the newest online security update from the Microsoft Website ... I did that ... downloaded it and installed it ... and it seems as if it replaced the shell32.dll ..... grrr ... all my changes are lost (of course I kept a backup copy of my custom shell32.dll but I don't think I can just go and copy it over the new Microsoft system file).

Now here is my question:
how do you replace lots of icons in a system file? Do you use Resource Hacker or another program? And I'm sure many of you also regularly download the Miscrosoft Security Updates ... so do you keep redoing all your system files over and over again as well?

I'm looking forward to your comments!
Stefan

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Corky_O

Join Date 04/2004

Fadskal,

I just use IconPackager full version and a comprehensive Icon Package to replace most of the icons on my system (XP Pro). I prefer the graphics quality and ease of application, so do not mind that all the shell icons are not changed - and I can change most of the ones that are not changed manually.

Sounds like the program you are using does the job for a given ".dll" file.

You could try moving the current (original) "shell32.dll" file to a location outside the "C:\WINDOWS" directory, and replace it with your saved (modified) file.

Create a system restore point before doing so, and if it does not work - first try replacing the original back in the directory, then System Restore if that fails.

I am thinking that the security update saw the modified "shell32.dll" file, and repaired it automatically.

That's it for me, good luck.

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