Access Denied?

[erniehogan]

Vista RC1, C:\documents and settings - access denied. Application data - access denied. Shell32.dll copied and attempt made to change icons with Microangelo but Vista will not allow the file to be changed. Shortcut arrows, any one know how to get rid of them? How to access the files mentioned above or to be able to change the shell32.dll file?

 

[linney]

This is part of the text I received from Microsoft inquiring about those folders you mention.

"this is a known and reported issue. It was resolved as won't fix. Here is the reason behind it. "The junctions are there to only provide appcompat for legacy apps and aren’t meant for a user to traverse through. The junctions have been explicitly set to block read through them by setting Everyone Deny Read. The main reason here is because these are just links to the actual location, so you dont want backup tools and other tools operating on your data twice, once from the original path and once via the junctions. There are scenarios where some of these junctions actually form a loop to support the appcompat for the old namespace in comparison to the new and in those cases allowing read through them is disastrous, for e.g. setup was broken for a week when the file system wasnt honoring the deny read.

Also as far as a user goes, you will never see these as they are system hidden, and you will need to take explicit action to see them by default."

You may have to change the shell32.dll file, out of, and away from, the Vista operating system.

126631 - Removing Arrow on Shortcut Icons

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;126631&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/t1033747432

http://www.winguides.com/registry/display.php/75/

 

[erniehogan]

I appreciate your effort to help Linney.

I found a rather esoteric setting in Microangelo that allowed me to save the shell32.dll file after changing the icons I wanted to change. That particular file always needs to be copied outside windows to make any changes. Using a Russian boot disk (I'm American)and Volkov Commander contained therein, I was able to swap the shell32.dll file I had altered for the original. The icons I changed are the start menu icons, programs, help, search, settings, etc. After doing the same thing in 98 or XP I had to use tweakui to rebuild the icon cache to actually see the replaced icons. However, I've hit a wall in Vista as I have no idea how to go about getting the icons to change without the aid of tweakui. Tweakui will not install on Vista.

The links you proffered for information about getting rid of the shortcut arrows were old and referenced both 98 and XP but do not apply to Vista.

As for Microsoft's explanation, it's written in a strange brand of English that would do justice to the obfuscations of a barrister's writ.

 

[linney]

The old MSKB articles were obviously written well before Vista, but certain Registry settings remain constant throughout the changes of operating systems, I was hoping this might be the case? Did you try it (after backing up the Registry)?

File icons are being discussed here, maybe you can add to it.

http://shellrevealed.com/forums/thread/1812.aspx

Or just look at the the site in general.

http://shellrevealed.com

 

[erniehogan]

Linney, in your effort to assist me with my queries, I must say that you are a most diligent individual.

I have used ERUNT to back up my registry for a long time now. However, when I installed it yesterday in the computer where Vista is the OS, it would not work, so I uninstalled it and presumed that it needed an upgrade to function in Vista. Your query about my backing up the registry prompted me to peruse the ERUNT website in search of a possible update. The website stated that it would work in Vista. So I reinstalled it for another attempt and it worked just fine. It must have installed erroneously the first time.

I then installed Registry Crawler and used it to find six instances of “IsShortcut”. I deleted all of them and the shortcut arrows were no more. Thank you.

Now all I would like to know is just what did Tweakui do when one used the “rebuild icons” option. The start menu icons that I changed in shell32.dll were programs, settings, search, help and run. Interestingly one of them, search, displays the new icon but the others remain the same. I did a double check in the shell32.dll file to verify that the changed icons were indeed changed – they were.

If you or anyone else can tell me what Tweakui did when it rebuilt icons, then perhaps I can then emulate its actions and display the icons as they now are in shell32.dll.

 

[linney]

See if you can locate this probably hidden and system file,
C:\Users\USERNAMExxxx\AppData\Local\IconCache.db

I am not sure how you rebuild the iconcache in Vista (but try the XP way), eventually I'm sure Vista type TweakUI programs will hit the market.

Check out this XP article for some further clues.
Icon problem after using TweakUI
thread779-715732

 

[erniehogan]

Linney,

I deleted the IconCache.db file and followed Bill Castner's advice by adding the suggested string values to the registry and then rebooted the computer. Still no change in the icons I want to change. As mentioned earlier, one of the icons was changed but the others remain as they were. I would suspect that there's another version of shell32.dll, or its equivalent, hidden somewhere were it not for the fact that one of the icons did reflect the change. Beats hell out of me.

I agree that another version of TweakUI will emerge in due time as will the efforts of many individuals who will seek and find ways to alter Vista for its betterment. This has happened with all previous versions of Windows and will again happen with Vista.

 

[linney]

You can have a look in this folder and see if you have a Shell32.dll in there. I wouldn't know of its significance, but I have it on a clean install of Vista.

C:\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft-windows-shell32_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.5728.16387_none_b4efe164df2ed5b8

 

[erniehogan]

Linney you are correct, I also have a shell32.dll file in the location you specified. This too, was a clean installation of Vista. Until I opened the newly found shell32.dll file with Microangelo to have a look at the icons contained therein I presumed that we may have found the elusive answer. No such luck, this copy of the file is just that. An exact duplicate of the one in C:\windows\system32 as it contained the same changed icons. The file was last accessed and modified about the last time I ran the OS.

Vista must access at least some of its icons from another file as the original icons, with one exception, appear in the start menu. Neither of these shell32.dll files contain the originals and the iconcache.db file has been deleted and rewritten. The "needle in a haystack" cliché seems an appropriate summation of this dilemma.

You're a persistent individual Linney, I appreciate your help.