Using Customizer God to change system icons

Atom99 · Aug 11, 2023

I have already read your previous post and will therefore not touch the Shell32 under any circumstances. my question was more in the direction of which .dll with icons still have signatures so that i don't accidentally change them and also which .dll have the most important icons that you get to see every day. In another thread, someone related this .dll to icons:

%systemroot%\system32\imageres.dll
%systemroot%\system32\shell32.dll
%systemroot%\system32\pifmgr.dll
%systemroot%\explorer.exe
%systemroot%\system32\accessibilitycpl.dll
%systemroot%\system32\ddores.dll
%systemroot%\system32\moricons.dll
%systemroot%\system32\mmcndmgr.dll
%systemroot%\system32\netcenter.dll
%systemroot%system32netshell.dll
%systemroot%\system32\networkexplorer.dll
%systemroot%\system32\pnidui.dll
%systemroot%\system32\sensorscpl.dll
%systemroot%\system32\setupapi.dll
%systemroot%\system32\wmploc.dll
%systemroot%\system32\wpdshext.dll
%systemroot%\system32\compstui.dll
%systemroot%\system32\ieframe.dll
%systemroot%\system32\dmdskres.dll
%systemroot%\system32\dsuiext.dll
%systemroot%\system32\mstscax.dll
%systemroot%\system32\wiashext.dll
%systemroot%\system32\comres.dll
%systemroot%\system32\mstsc.exe"]

spapakons · Aug 12, 2023

The only files you need to modify are:
Imageres.dll.mun. (almost all system icons)
batmeter.dll.mun (battery/power icons)
pnidui.dll (network icons)
SndVolSSO.dll.mun (sound icons)
stobject.dll.mun (USB safely eject icon)

All are in C:\Windows\SystemResources and you must copy to another folder to modify, see earlier posts. The file pnidui.dll is in C:\Windows\System32 and you can modify that directly, no need to copy to another folder.

You can also modify two other files, don't remember exact path and names, in order to replace the Windows 10/11 logo in Windows Version info. But since you hardly see them, it is not absolutely necessary.

Atom99 · Aug 12, 2023

Alright, thx.

Cause i use ipackbuilder i dont have to struggle with copy files and cmd^^

I think you are talking about Basebrd.dll and Shellbrd.dll?

spapakons · Aug 12, 2023

Yes these two.

Atom99 · Aug 12, 2023

understood.
Quick question by the way, are there any other ways to ungroup the 3 icons other than explorerpatcher or startisback? because they can only do this by restoring the old win10 taskbar. I would like to stay with win11 Taskbar.

spapakons · Aug 12, 2023

Unfortunately not as I know of. I have the same issue. I was at build 22621.1992 and I installed some pending updates up to build 22621.2134 Then Explorer Patcher made File Explorer crash every 1-2 seconds, even without clicking on anything. After several crashes Explorer Patcher suggested to uninstall itself, so I did that to temporarily solve the bug. So the network/sound/power icons grouped and all customised icons were hidden showing the original flat ugly icons. Even worse, File Explorer returned to Windows 11 tabbed style and the beautiful blue title background now has a rather ugly cyan underneath for showing the tabs. I just wait for the next version of Explorer Patcher that hopefully will fix the crashing bug in order to reinstall Explorer Patcher.

Atom99 · Aug 13, 2023

Iam sorry to hear.

I have windows 10 privacy so that such situations do not arise because microsoft has to change something all the time. also works for win11. actually it is meant to turn off telemetry, but it can also stop windows feature updates. Security updates keep coming through.

I would be really interested to know why you can't change the combined icon. I can imagine that this 3-icon is not first composed of the 3 individual icons, but that it is a single icon that is stored somewhere that nobody has come up with yet.

spapakons · Aug 28, 2023

Hello!
I recently updated to build 22621.2215 and I realized that all system icons (drive icons. folder icons etc) were back to Windows 11 default icons. Modifying the C:\Windows\SystemResources\imageres.dll.mun file apparently has no effect. Also the C:\Windows\System32\imageres.dll file contains no icons (according to Customizer God, haven't tried Resource Hacker), so there is no way to replace the system icons anymore, except for the This PC, User folder, Network and Recycle Bin icons. Anyone knows any new workaround, please share!

I just tried to modify the C:\Windows\SystemResources\imageres.dll.mun file again and this time worked! I must have done something wrong before...

Edwin · Aug 28, 2023

I no longer have the patience to feck around with all those system files!

I still use Icon Packager, one click does it all!

spapakons · Aug 28, 2023

Does Icon Packager allows you to modify all icons at the same time (batch mode or whatever) ? If you have to replace them one-by-one is not really convenient.

Edwin · Aug 28, 2023

spapakons said:
Does Icon Packager allows you to modify all icons at the same time (batch mode or whatever) ?

Absolutely! That's why they are loaded as Icon Packs...

Atom99 · Aug 28, 2023

For Win11? Based on the stardock manufacturer forum, icon packager is only compatible with win10. Works also with 11 but there are often problems. Also i havent found a Win7 Icon pack for this software and its 12 bucks. I have the same Problem. Every kumulative update reset the mouse cursors.

Using Wumt and Grc incontrol for only installing security updates.

spapakons · Aug 28, 2023

In theory you could load the Windows 7 icons as custom sets, but why pay for Icon Packager when Customizer God does it for free? To get the Windows 7 icons, you need to extract them from the respective Windows 7 .dll files. To extract the icons select one or more icons (or all of them with CTRL+A) and then click on the arrow button at the bottom right to show more options. There is an "Export selected resources" button. If you have an old system (or a virtual machine) running Windows 7/8/8.1, go at C:\Windows\System32 folder to find the following files:
batmeter.dll all power/battery icons
imageres.dll all system icons (drive/folders and miscellaneous icons)
pnidui.dll all network icons
SndVolSSO.dll all audio icons
stobject.dll USB safe removal icon

Just make sure you extract each .dll icons at a separate folder, don't mix them or you'll have hard time replacing them.

Edwin · Aug 28, 2023

Atom99 said:
Works also with 11 but there are often problems.

No problems here.

spapakons · Aug 28, 2023

Edwin said:
No problems here.

View attachment 69215

If you want to replace the blue Windows logo in Windows Version use Resource Hacker. I don't remember which files right now. I have replaced mine with the good old Windows orb (Vista and 7 start button). If anyone knows how to replace the blue Windows logo while booting in Legacy BIOS mode (not UEFI), please share. I would like to replace it with the colorful Windows 7 logo. If it can be at least a static image is OK, I can live without the Windows 7 animated logo.

Edwin · Aug 28, 2023

spapakons said:
If you want to replace the blue Windows logo in Windows Version use Resource Hacker.

Naw..., that doesn't concern me..., I'm only concerned with the aesthetics of elements that I interact with on a daily basis.

3dsmax · Feb 28, 2024

spapakons said:
How to replace the system icons without restart:

You copy the .MUN files to another folder since you cannot modify them directly (see previous posts). You change the icons with Customizer God or similar utility. Now you open the C:\Windows folder, navigate to the SystemResources folder and right-click, select Properties. Go to the Security tab. I don't remember to guide you exactly, but you have to change the owner of the folder from TrustedInstaller to Administrators. Then you change access rights for Administrators from Read-list to Full permissions. Having done that, open the SystemResources folder and find the .MUN files you want to replace. In each one of them repeat the above, that is change the owner to Administrators and then give full access to Administrators. This will allow you to modify the files. The files are used by Windows Explorer, so you need a third-party file manager or use the Command Prompt. End task Explorer in Task Manager so the files are released . Then from a third-party file manager or Command Prompt you have to rename the original files (to keep a backup copy) and then copy the modified files into the SystemResources folder. Once ready start a new task, Explorer, and voila! Without restart plus it can be done remotely, confirmed with AnyDesk!

Hello, I have done what you say but now the folders no longer show what they have inside.I have used imageres.dll.mun from Windows 11, replacing the icons from imageres.dll from Windows 7 as you indicate.Do you think there is some way to have image preview on folders again?