Folder Backgrounds - Customizing

Folder Backgrounds - Customizing

Select the folder you want to use for your background wallpaper. You MUST convert the folder you want to use to
a SYSTEM folder. At the command prompt screen (Start/Run/CMD) which looks something like this: c:\> type this command: attrib +s c:\myfolder and then hit the return key.

Copy and paste the script below into Notepad and change the line that says IconArea_Image to point to the directory
and the file that you want to use for the background image.

[ExtShellFolderViews]
{BE098140-A513-11D0-A3A4-00C04FD706EC}={BE098140-A513-11D0-A3A4-00C04FD706EC}

[{BE098140-A513-11D0-A3A4-00C04FD706EC}]
Attributes=1
IconArea_Image=C:\YOUR LOCATION\OF\ANY\IMAGE.JPG
IconArea_Text=0x00000000

The last line in the script tells Windows what color the font will be when you read the files in that folder. For instance:

0x00000000 = black
0x00FF0000 = blue
0x0000FF00 = green
0x000000FF = red
0x00C000C0 = purple

Now save the file you just created as desktop.ini and place it into the directory you just converted into a system folder.
Now close that folder and then reopen. (From a Newsgroup post made by Alberich)

Tip: If a folder uses the wrong background picture and you can't change it: Start/Run/Regedit and remove this key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags.

Added Note:

Question: One of my special folders (e.g. My Documents, My Music, My Pictures, Shared Documents, etc) has lost
its name, lost its icon, or has the wrong Task Pane template, how can I get it back?

Answer: This problem can occur if the hidden desktop.ini file in the special folder is corrupt or missing. Here are the
steps to fix this problem:

Open the special folder, then in the address bar type \desktop.ini at the end of the path and press enter. This will open Notepad.

If, instead of opening Notepad, you get a message saying Windows cannot find the file right click in the folder and select properties, then go to the Customize tab and click Change Icon then click OK and click OK again. This will create a desktop.ini with the correct Hidden and System attributes. Now you can repeat the first step.

In Notepad change the text of the file to the correct text specified below (My Documents, My Music,
My Pictures, My Videos, Favorites, Shared Documents, Shared Music, Shared Pictures, Shared Videos).
Then save the file and exit Notepad.
Log Off all the way and then Log In.

Note: When the text of one of these files contains Douglas Thrift replace it with your own user name.




My Documents
[DeleteOnCopy]
Owner=Douglas Thrift
Personalized=5
PersonalizedName=My Documents

My Music
[DeleteOnCopy]
Owner=Douglas Thrift
Personalized=13
PersonalizedName=My Music
[.ShellClassInfo]
InfoTip=@Shell32.dll,-12689
IconFile=%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll
IconIndex=-237

My Pictures
[DeleteOnCopy]
Owner=Douglas Thrift
Personalized=39
PersonalizedName=My Pictures
[.ShellClassInfo]
InfoTip=@Shell32.dll,-12688
IconFile=%SystemRoot%\System32\mydocs.dll
IconIndex=-101

My Videos
[.ShellClassInfo]
InfoTip=@Shell32.dll,-12690
IconFile=%SystemRoot%\system32\SHELL32.dll
IconIndex=-238
[DeleteOnCopy]
Owner=Douglas Thrift
Personalized=14
PersonalizedName=My Videos

Favorites
[.ShellClassInfo]
IconFile=%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll
IconIndex=-173
LocalizedResourceName=@shell32.dll,-12693

Shared Documents
[.ShellClassInfo]
LocalizedResourceName=@shell32.dll,-21785

Shared Music
[.ShellClassInfo]
InfoTip=@Shell32.dll,-12689
IconFile=%SystemRoot%\system32\SHELL32.dll
IconIndex=-237
LocalizedResourceName=@shell32.dll,-28995

Shared Pictures
[.ShellClassInfo]
InfoTip=@Shell32.dll,-12688
IconFile=%SystemRoot%\system32\mydocs.dll
IconIndex=-101
LocalizedResourceName=@shell32.dll,-28997

Shared Videos
[.ShellClassInfo]
InfoTip=@Shell32.dll,-12690
IconFile=%SystemRoot%\system32\SHELL32.dll
IconIndex=-238
LocalizedResourceName=@shell32.dll,-28996

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