Software Mod (Windows XP)

[XcOM]

Hi all,

I just had to re-install my laptop, and while going through my backup drive i found my old explorer mods,

so i had a look, and updated them:

http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/2748/madxa2.jpg

I have decided i will completly mod the system (OS WISE)

and post here as i do it, i might ask for some help with graphics.

[Trace]

Oh yea! I remember doing this a while back. I showed my brother and he took credit for it at school lol

[XcOM]

yea, nasty.

but im working my way through the icon groups now,

also i have heard that you can script res hacker, does anyone know how to do this?

EDIT:
Never mind, i found it.

[XcOM]

ok, i thought i would keep a worklog of what i do and how i do it here:

First off, Some parts of windows can't be replaced while its running, one of which is shell32.dll,

even in safemode you can't replace it, so i was going to use my CD to use recovery console, but it takes too damm long to load, so while i was doing some research on the internet, i found that you can install the recovery console on your hdd,

just insert your windows cd and open run, and type:
d:\i386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons where d is the drive letter for the CD-ROM drive

now you get the option to start reocvery console when your start your pc.


First things first, make a backup of shell32.dll, and make a copy of the one im going to edit,

Next, download about 5k free icons, find some i like, and get hacking.

the first icon in my list:
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/xcom/worklogs/icons1.PNG

and where i've got to get to:
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/xcom/worklogs/icons2.PNG

this is going to take some time

Needless to say i wanted a quick fix to see that my changes look better than the standard windows,

so i made a image, and added it to shell32.dll, and then played around with the dialogs, and have come up with this:
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/xcom/worklogs/run.PNG

[XcOM]

i bloddy hate spam,

dam spammer,

Anyway, i killed my machine with modding the windows files, so i have reverted back to a previous version, still modded but i think its cool, better than it was.

[chaksq]

I used to mod XP severely then realized I was killing performance with all the apps I added so I just reformatted all the machines I use.

I still think replacement shells are cool, although I'm too lazy to use them anymore. If someone does try a replacement shell I recommend litestep, worked good and very customizable.

[noopypoop]

I might make an msstyle for xp....does that count?

[LiTHiUM0XiD3]

bblean ftw

[XcOM]

mine are not shell replacements or skinners,

i was acctually replacing parts of windows so windows loaded them asif they were the orgionals