I can't change the file Icon in Vista

Is there anyway to change the file icon in vista like XP ?

 

Try following the guide on this webpage.

 

That's not a solution to the OP's problem.
It explain how to change the icon of a shortcut, not that of the file itself.
Sadly, Microsoft developers chose to exclude Vista's users from the customization of the OS. They also made the file association (and icon association) procedure more obscure.

As far as I know, the only way to change icons associated with files, apart from messing directly with the registry, is by means of a third party software. What a joke of an OS!

Most software that do that needs you to shell out money. A few are shareware with trial versions. One that I've found to be free (albeit with some limitations thanks to vista's quirks) is FileType Manager. (It might be worth putting a reference to it in the ever growing list of free software). I successfully used on my niece's Vista Premium.

Here's the source of my knowledge.

 

Instead of being so snarky, you might try to be a little more useful - providing the link was a good start, but certainly doesn't outweigh the snarkiness.

Another utility that might help the OP could be the File Type Doctor function in Creative Element's Power Tools. While the Creative Elements website doesn't indicate whether or not File Type Doctor can change icons, the screenshot of that ulitity in this webpage from annoyances.org certainly appears to indicate that you can change the file type icon using File Type Doctor. Creative Elements Power Tools can be used for 45 days free, after which registration and payment of $18 is called for.

BTW, I don't see you writing an OS that's even remotely comparable, so I'd tone down the "joke" comments.

 

I can't install FileType Manager xD
Yes, File Type Doctor cans do it, but it's not free xD

 

Two methods to do it: hard-and-free or easy-and-costly.

Hard-and-Free

*You must logon as an administrator or run regedit with an administrator account.

Start -> regedit -> Browse to HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes

From there, you will see all the file types and extensions. To change the icon of a file type/extension, you will need to create a subkey under it with the name DefaultIcon. Then add an Expandable String Value and put the path of the icon you want to use.

Example:



Easy-and-Costly

Like Shyster1 stated, use a 3rd party software. I haven't tried the Power Tools myself, but according to the screenshot Shyster1 posted, you can use that program to change the icons.

What I have experience with is a program called Vista Manager by Yamicsoft. I don't use it to change icons, but it has a very easy to use Icon Manager where you can change almost all the icons in Vista. I'm saying almost because it couldn't change the icons from hooligan001's thread for the inserted optical medias.

 

What should I have done?
Take a plane, go to the OP's apartment and change the icon for him?
I gave two links: one with a free (free as in free beer, and free as in free speech) program to do what was requested, and one with a page full of programs to do that.

You did not follow the links, did you?

Windows 95 was far better than Vista when it comes to customization.
As for a 'comparable' OS, well you might want to try XP Pro.
If you think it's old, well, there's Linux.

You can change icons there, too.
Not like Vista.

cheers.

 

I did install FileType Manager on Vista premium.
You should run it as administrator, or disable UAC.
In the link it is said to be compatible with Vista 32 and 64.
I'd give it another try.

 

This method can fail if the user is on UAC and/or has more than one user account. I think that there could be some other branch of the registry that need to be changed (after loggin in as Administrator - and after enabling the Administrator account) under "Users" or something like that. If the user has tried to change the icon before, a key with the file extension should appear under the local classes branch.

I'm saying this just in case the Op tries this and finds out it did not work.

 

Sorry I didn't mention, but I assumed a user who wants to change the icons of some file types/extensions must have administrative rights. As for UAC, you will just get a prompt for consent to open the regedit utility.

Now, for your concern about more than one account/profile and other branches, making changes to HKLM (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE) will apply to everything regardless of different user accounts/profiles. It will also add to other branches automatically if needed.

 

What I experienced with Vista is the possibility to open the registry utility (regedit), apparently write to the registry but actually not writing anything. UAC can work in mysterious ways.
Another quirk I had found: to modify certain keys you had to be Administrator (not only "run as administrator"), but when logged in as Administrator the changes applied to the administrator account. I consider those quirks shortcomings on my part since I did not have the time to read the whole 'registry sorcery' developer documentation. It's worth mentioning since the OP might not succeed in applying the changes.

Things are certainly simpler when one has only one full administrator account with UAC disabled.

I am not so sure about that. Because that would mean that when user A changes the icon associated to a certain file type every other users gets the new icon. And I have seen with my very eyes a vista system with different icons associated with the same file type for different users.
The 'propagation of changes' to registry keys applies to most branches but I think (yet I do not know for sure, that's what I meant when I wrote the procedure is a bit obscure) there must be something able to override the general setting.

 

Vista Manager can't do it !
Ok guys, I'm using File Type Doctor without any problem

 

If you logged in with administrative rights and let UAC to allow regedit to run, you will be able to edit it.

Yes, that's what HKLM (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE) is all about, it changes for the entire Windows, regardless of the user accounts.

If you make changes to HKCU (HKEY_CURRENT_USER), then the changes will apply only to the user account that you're currently logged on to.

 

May I ask which specific file icon you were trying to change?

 

That's what I expected. But it was not so.Perhaps some keys or branches were protected.

EDIT: no wait: "loggin in with administrative rights" is not what an ordinary user does. I looged in as user (the user of HK_CURRENT_USER) and gave the admin password at the UAC prompt.

Ovverriding the HKLM ones?
So there are two places that need to be changed?

 

Yes, some keys and branches are protected, like some keys under HKEY_CLASS_ROOT.

Normally, what you add or change in HKCU will be added as "addition" to override the machine's default settings. Of course you can also create policies to force every account to follow the default account settings.

 

You need to login as an administrator to make changes to the registry. Like I said, I didn't mention it because I assumed a user knew this already, which I was wrong, so I will add this reminder to the instructions that I posted earlier.

 

How can one (un)protect keys under HKEY_CURRENT_USER, when the current user has no admin privileges? Do those keys show up under the USERS branch in the Administrator registry?

So, THERE ARE other branches that needs to be modified! ;-)

 

You just can't edit the registry without admin rights.

No! I don't think you understand. Making changes to HKLM applies to all accounts, it will also push down to HKCU if necessary. Now, after you've made the changes to HKLM, if you want to apply something "different" to a specific account, you can make more changes in HKCU afterward. But for the OP's request, this isn't neccessary. He or she didn't ask to make changes to only a single or specific account. So applying to HKLM will make everything change for all the accounts. There is nothing else you need to change, unless you want a specific account to have a different setting than the machine setting.

 

Ok, I don't know if my previous posting has been sent: I tried to cancel it.
EDIT (it seems to have never arrived, in fact).
It seems that what I experienced was due to some sort of protection on certain keys or sub-branches. I was under the impression that once a local specialized branch existed, changes to HKLM would not propagate down to the user's preferences but needed to be changed in that USERS sub branch of the registry.
In fact I had to delete (the prolly protected) entries in that branch to have the changes applied for that user.

 

Sure *.ts/*.mkv
I tried vista manager, but it couldn't change it !
It just cans change some undefined icon file types.