Devices and Printers - Change Device Icons with Custom Icons

Page 1 of 8 123 ... LastLast
    Devices and Printers - Change Device Icons with Custom Icons

    Devices and Printers - Change Device Icons with Custom Icons

    How to Change Icons in Devices and Printers with Custom Icons
    Published by
    Designer Media Ltd


    How to Change Icons in "Devices and Printers" with Custom Icons

       Information
    This tutorial will cover how to change the icons in Devices and Printers with a custom icon of your choosing and be device specific, eliminating resource hacking and/or overwriting Windows 7 default icons.

       Note
    You'll need to be familiar with making multi-resolution icons to complete this tutorial. Many tutorials already exist, and one can be found at SevenForums here. Please take the time to familiarize yourself with the procedure before moving onto this tutorial.

       Tip
    The icons used in this method must contain the following sizes:

    256x256 32bit + Alpha

    48x48: 32bit + Alpha
    48x48: 8bit 256
    48x48: 4bit 16

    32x32: 32bit + Alpha
    32x32: 8bit 256
    32x32: 4bit 16

    24x24: 32bit + Alpha
    24x24: 8bit 256
    24x24: 4bit 16

    16x16: 32bit + Alpha
    16x16: 8bit 256
    16x16: 4bit 16

    More information about icon design can be found on MSDN.


    Final Example: Custom Computer Icon
    Devices and Printers - Change Device Icons with Custom Icons-final.jpg



    Step 1.
    Create a multi-resolutioned icon, containing the appropriate sizes, using the tutorial mentioned in the Note pane above.
    Step 2.
    Download and install the Devices and Printers Metadata Authoring Wizard from MSDN.
    Step 3.
    Once installed, you'll have an added option called 'create metadata package' in your context menu for each device. Choose that option for the device icon you'd like to change.
    Devices and Printers - Change Device Icons with Custom Icons-metascreen.jpg
    Step 4.
    Drag your created icon to the drop target area of the Icon Tab.
    Devices and Printers - Change Device Icons with Custom Icons-dndicon.jpg
    Choose Next.
       Information
    If your icon doesn't meet the required criteria, you'll be met with the following window. Adjust your icon as necessary.

    Devices and Printers - Change Device Icons with Custom Icons-badicon.jpg
    Step 5.
    Fill out the fields in the Description Tab to your liking.
    Devices and Printers - Change Device Icons with Custom Icons-descrip.jpg
    Choose Next.
    Step 6.
    Under the Categories Tab, select the category appropriate for your device. In this example, we're replacing the Desktop Computer icon.
    Devices and Printers - Change Device Icons with Custom Icons-category.jpg
    Choose Next.
    Step 7. - See Other Devices section, below, for devices other than the Computer.
    Under the Associations Tab, choose the proper association(s). For this example, the Computer icon, choose the 7 ComputerMetadata strings at the top of the Hardware ID list.
    Devices and Printers - Change Device Icons with Custom Icons-assoc.jpg
    Choose Next.
    Other Devices
    To determine the Hardware ID string for devices other than the Computer, use the following method to locate it.
    A. From the Devices and Printers window, Right-Click your device and choose properties.
    Devices and Printers - Change Device Icons with Custom Icons-props1.jpg
    B. From the Properties window, seclect the Hardware Tab at the top, and choose the Properties Button at the bottom.
    Devices and Printers - Change Device Icons with Custom Icons-props2.jpg
    C. In the Properties Window, select the Details Tab at the top, and from the Property Pulldown menu, select Hardware Ids.
    Devices and Printers - Change Device Icons with Custom Icons-hids.jpg

    Devices and Printers - Change Device Icons with Custom Icons-hidstring.jpg
    D. Using the Id from the previous step, you can verify the proper strings in the tool if multiple's are listed.
    Devices and Printers - Change Device Icons with Custom Icons-verified.jpg
    Step 8.
    You can select your locale from Options Tab. If you prefer USB, hot-swappable, etc. devices to be shown while disconnected, tick the Show device in disconnected state. For our example we'll leave it unchecked.
    Devices and Printers - Change Device Icons with Custom Icons-options.jpg
    Choose Next.
    Step 9.
    From the Finish Tab, make sure to tick the Copy package to your system's local metadata store if you would like this to take immediate effect upon a refresh of your Devices and Printers window.
    Devices and Printers - Change Device Icons with Custom Icons-finish.jpg

       Tip
    A backup of the package will be copied to your Documents folder for later use, i.e. after clean install. Copy the package to the following directory to install it if you didn't choose to tick Copy package to your system's local metadata store.
    Code:
    %PROGRAMDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceMetadataStore

    That's it!
    Ageeb









  1. Posts : 14,606
    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 7600
       #1

    nice tutorial, will give this a try later.
    thanks
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 12,120
    Win 7 Pro x64 / Win 10 Pro
       #2

    Very nice tutorial.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 200
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64
    Thread Starter
       #3

    boohbah said:
    nice tutorial, will give this a try later.
    thanks
    Bongo said:
    Very nice tutorial.
    Thanks alot guys!
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 1
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64
       #4

    Nice tutorial, sir!
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 200
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Thank you, and welcome to SevenForums kulbida!!
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 5
    Windows 7 x64
       #6

    Nice easy to follow tutorial. Only have one issue/question... the new/custom icon shows up in Devices and Printers just fine, but in My Computer, it's still the old/stock icon. Any way to change this?

    Thanks for your help.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 1
    Windows 7 Pro X64
       #7

    Is there a way to go back to the default icons if you decide to go back?
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 1
    w7 ultimate 64 bits
       #8

    I can not finish the process ... get a window saying:
    "unhandled exception in the application ... Object reference not set to an instance of an object"
    I have no idea ... looks like a bug of framework 2.0?
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 1
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32bit
       #9

    HELP! problem with new Metadata Package


    Hi, sorry for being a newbie here.
    re. problem after creating a new Metadata Package

    I followed the tutorial word for word but after finishing the package now the mouse icon has changed - the same as the new package.

    Did I select too many File Associations?
    I was confused - your advice didn't specify whether they all need to be selected, or just some. In the end I just selected ALL...and there were dozens and dozens of them, maybe a hundred or more...was that my error?

    Will it affect the rest of my computer?
    Do I need to undo this metadata package?
    If so, how?
    Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
      My Computer


 
Page 1 of 8 123 ... LastLast

  Related Discussions
Our Sites
Site Links
About Us
Windows 7 Forums is an independent web site and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation. "Windows 7" and related materials are trademarks of Microsoft Corp.

© Designer Media Ltd
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:38.
Find Us