Explorer from Windows Vista in 7

[sh4d0w]

Hi, I have Windows 7 Professional x64 and I'm not happy with the way the Windows 7 file explorer looks. I would prefer the one from Windows Vista, it just looks better and the explorer from 7 lacks the little Icons the Vista explorer has on the ribbon bar. Also, the list at the left looks different(and better to me) in Vista.

I've been wondering if I can get the Vista explorer in Windows 7 if I just take the explorer.exe files from Windows Vista and replace the Windows 7 versions with the one from Vista. I also have Windows Media Player 11 up and running in Windows 7 because that one just looks better and I would just do the same for the File explorer. The problem about this is the fact I can't replace the explorer while using the explorer to do such because that would be like trying to replace my car tires while driving.

I have been thinking about using a custom Windows Explorer after shutting explorer.exe down in Task Manager. Would that work, and would I be able to run the Vista explorer successfully and fully functional in Windows 7 Pro x64 if I took the explorer.exe files from a Windows Vista Pro x64 installation?

Also, is there any other way to make the Windows 7 file explorer Vista-accurate? I know there's a program called "OldNewExplorer" for Windows 8 which replaces the file explorer from Windows 8 with the file explorer from Windows 7, but I didn't really find anything when I searched the internet for something similar.

Also, I apologize for any grammar mistakes if I made any, English isn't my first language and I still make some spelling mistakes from time to time. Thank you for reading my post if you made it this far already!

 

[TechnoMage2016]

I don't know about Explorer, but you can transplant Windows Mail from Vista to Win-7, and it works fine.


The Windows mail that comes in Win-7 is disabled, and will not run.


Good Luck,
TM

 

[sh4d0w]

I know and I already did that, but that doesn't really have to do anything with the Windows explorer which makes me wonder why you even posted a reply in here just to tell me about something completely different.

 

[LMiller7]

I would not expect this to be easy, if it is possible at all.

The explorer process is responsible not just for Windows Explorer but for the managing the desktop and the start menu as well. It is not self contained in the explorer.exe process but also in many system DLLs. A large part of it is in shell32.dll and Windows does not take kindly to it being changed. Years ago I tried to update this DLL in NT4 with a somewhat newer version designed for NT4. The system failed to boot.

If you wish to experiment with this you should have a full image backup of your system and know how to use it. You will likely need it.

 

[sh4d0w]

Thank you for your reply, do You know which other files than Shell32 belong to the explorer? Some .mui-files? I will need to know them all, but I will try it in a virtual machine before I do this.

 

[townsbg]

Windows explorer is so deeply integrated into the OS that if you where able to do it, it would likely be incredibly unstable. You might try a Vista-like theme but you probably won't get exactly the same effect. https://www.askvg.com/download-windows-vista-theme-for-windows-7/


As for replacing the files, Windows explorer is running all of the time, including in safe mode. So I don't see how you would be able to replace the files. I wouldn't touch it.

 

[sh4d0w]

Windows explorer is so deeply integrated into the OS that if you where able to do it, it would likely be incredibly unstable. You might try a Vista-like theme but you probably won't get exactly the same effect. https://www.askvg.com/download-windows-vista-theme-for-windows-7/


As for replacing the files, Windows explorer is running all of the time, including in safe mode. So I don't see how you would be able to replace the files. I wouldn't touch it.

Well, I would boot up into something like Linux or another Windows with an USB stick and replace the files from there. And I already have a Vista Theme but I just want to make it 100% accurate.