How to make folder backgrounds in WinXP
 

First you need to make a folder within whatever folder you want a background image, and name this folder Folder Settings. Inside it, place any Bitmap (.bmp) image you want to use as the background, and name it Background. Remember, it has to be a Bitmap image!

Next, open up Wordpad and copy/paste this:
<hr>
[ExtShellFolderViews]
{BE098140-A513-11D0-A3A4-00C04FD706EC}={BE098140-A513-11D0-A3A4-00C04FD706EC}
{5984FFE0-28D4-11CF-AE66-08002B2E1262}={5984FFE0-28D4-11CF-AE66-08002B2E1262}

[{BE098140-A513-11D0-A3A4-00C04FD706EC}]
Attributes=1
IconArea_Image=Folder Settings\Background.bmp
IconArea_Text=0x00FFFFFF

[.ShellClassInfo]
ConfirmFileOp=0
IconFile=%USERPROFILE%\place address of icon you want to use right here--see below.ico
IconIndex=0

[{5984FFE0-28D4-11CF-AE66-08002B2E1262}]
PersistMoniker=file://Folder Settings\Folder.htt
PersistMonikerPreview=%WebDir%\folder.bmp
<hr>
IconArea_Text can be any color you want. 0x00FFFFFF will make the text of files/folder names white. Experiment with 0 (zero) & F combinations until you find something you like.

For IconFile, simply find an icon on your system that you like, right-click on it, and copy the location to the correct place in the Wordpad document. Don't copy the drive letter, such as C:\. Only copy what comes after C;\. For instance, here's one from my system: Documents and Settings\BoCoMoFo\My Documents\Icon Library\Logos\tfp.ico

Once you've done that, you need to save the text file with the extension .ini. It's full name should be desktop.ini. When it's saved, the icon of the text document will be a piece of paper with a gear on it. After you've done this, hit refresh (F5) or close the folder and re-open it. You should now have a custom background! Once everything is working correctly, right-click Folder Settings & desktop.ini and mark them both as Hidden.

Let me know if you need any more help. Also note that for some unknown reason, this won't work for every folder. :rolleyes: Don't ask me why.

<center>Here's an example:

http://www.boomspeed.com/sixate/FolderBackground.jpg

For some strange reason I already know how to do this. I wonder why? :D

i tried to do this but didn't get it to go - maybe i need to try another folder? it was a sub sub folder of my pictures...

Make sure the text file is saved as a .ini file, not a .txt file!

This no worky for me either. Where should the desktop.ini file be saved?

Copy all that shit up there. Then got to Tools---> Folder Options---> View. Now make sure that Show hidden files and folders is ckecked and make sure hide protected operating system files is not checked. You'll get a warning when you apply it. Don't worry about that, just remember to change it back when you're done. Now you shoud see a file named Desktop. Paste the new text in there. Make sure you back it up first. Then in the Folder settings folder that was hidden add a Bitmap picture and name it Background. Now fefresh the folder. Trust me, it works. I've done it in quite a few of my folders also.

Thanks for adding the part I forgot to mention, sixate. :)

Ok, I got it to work, but is there anyway to make a 'non moving' background? Everytime I scroll down, my background scrolls down too.

he;lp

edit: i guess i can just make the .bmp image really big

Are y'all doin this in WinXP Home or Pro? I don't see either the Folder Options or Destop.ini items in XPPro.

XP pro here. Did you make sure all the hidden files are shown?

Do this: Copy all that shit up there. Then got to Tools---> Folder Options---> View. Now make sure that Show hidden files and folders is ckecked and make sure hide protected operating system files is not checked. You'll get a warning when you apply it. Don't worry about that, just remember to change it back when you're done. Now you shoud see a file named Desktop. Paste the new text in there. Make sure you back it up first. Then in the Folder settings folder that was hidden add a Bitmap picture and name it Background. Now fefresh the folder.

Very Kewl, But I keep no Icons on my desktop, thx tweakui, and I run a wallpaper changer so my desktop is a 24/7 slide show. ;)

can we make the background of the folder a stretch one? you see,the background generated from this desktop.ini is tiled... get my point??