How to change explorer's sidebar

[ANewGuy]

Hello!
I'm new here, and not sure if i'm posting into the correct place.

I always wanted to revert Seven back to Beta visuals, i already have the Fish wallpaper, and know apps to change the logon screen, but i discovered something that i can't figure out how to change it. That's the Explorer's sidebar on the left side which was blue back then and not silver like in the RTM. Any idea?

 

[Bongo]

Welcome to the Seven Forums

That is bitmap images #632 and 633 in the shell32.dll in C:\Windows\System32

You would need to find the bitmap images from the beta.

If you get them let me know and I can tell you how to change them.

Jerry

 

[ANewGuy]

Got it!
I used a virtual computer and i extracted shell32.dll from the beta.
I think reshack is the correct tool for the job, but i'll wait for your recommendation...

BTW, i only found #633 in the old dll, #632 is the reflection graphic in the RTM's dll

 

[Bongo]

Any resource hacker would probably work just fine, I believe you are right one of those two images is just a reflection. Just export the image from the beta and then imported into your shell32.dll.

Hint: put a copy of the shell32.dll on your desktop and modify that one so you did not corrupt the original.

Hint #2: make a http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/697-system-restore-point-create.html before you get started just in case.

To properly change a system file you need to take ownership give yourself permission and rename the old file and then copy in the new one look at Post #6 of this thread will tell you how to do it http://www.sevenforums.com/customization/179502-basic-networking-information.html#post1525656

Jerry

 

[ANewGuy]

Thanks! I'll try it when my new PC ha built. I won't risk with the current, because my mother will kill me for that

 

[Bongo]

If you do not want to edit system files try How to use theme resource changer it works very well for this.

If you need help let me know.

Jerry

 

[ANewGuy]

Ok, so i installed Theme Resource Changer and made everything as it is described in the readme, but it doesn't seems to be working. Can you describe me a bit more exactly how should i do this?

 

[Bongo]

Switch to the Windows Classic theme then logoff/logon then do the following.

Make a new folder in C:\Windows\Resources\Themes\Aero folder and name it shell32.dll


Now open the 633.bmp in a image editor(Gimp is free) and save it as 633.png then put it in the shell32.dll folder you just made.


Switch to the aero theme.

Jerry

 

[ANewGuy]

Almost done, now just need to change the fonts to white on the left

 

[Bongo]

The only way I know how to change that text color on the left side is to use Ave's Windows7 Style Builder

Jerry

 

[ANewGuy]

And which value is it?

 

[Bongo]

Styles > ControlPanelStyle > TaskLink > TEXTCOLOR:COLOR

Styles > ControlPanelStyle > NavigationPanelLabel > TEXTCOLOR:COLOR

Jerry

 

[ANewGuy]

Something is wrong.
I change the theme to WinClassic to avoid corruptions, changed the value in the theme file, saved and applied the aero theme again, but the windows and the taskbar remains classic (luckily i copied the theme file to the desktop before)

 

[Bongo]

I change the theme to WinClassic to avoid corruptions

This is the way to do it, you can not be using the theme you are editing, but you need to logoff/logon after switching to Classic theme then edit.
So you do not corrupted the default aero theme you should start a new theme look at Post # 38 http://www.sevenforums.com/customization/135985-start-menu-color-change-4.html#post1358071Here it will show you how.
You will need to do 1 of these 2 ways of Enabling custom themes for it to work.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/34579-enabling-custom-themes-windows-7-a.html
Or
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/28377-theme-how-apply-custom-themes.html?filter

Jerry

 

[ANewGuy]

Nice! *@#!

I used the "Theme - How to Apply Custom Themes" link then i tried the post #38, but this just messed up the whole system.
Again, i changed to classic theme to replace the files and i logged out. After logging out the logon screen appeared, but it just said "Please wait" for an unreasonably long time and the screen turned black and "Please wait" screen again. This is repeated with shorter waiting times between "Please wait" and the black screen. Restarting the computer didn't helped. Finally i made a recovery.

I won't try this again. But i won't blame you for that, because you helped me a lot, and i was on half way to be completed. BTW, as i said, i won't try it again. I rather keep looking forwad to upgrade my laptop to Windows 8