Windows 7 Themes

Do you want to replace the Explorer.exe? Some Windows 7 themes that you can download on this site will come with a file “explorer.exe”. This is a very important system file, so please be careful, make a backup and follow the instructions closely when you learn how to replace the explorer.exe.

Read this tutorial once before you do anything!

Copy your new explorer.exe to C:\

Take Ownership of new Explorer.exe

Next, we take control of it!

You can either download this script: Download TakeOwnership.zip (it will add the option “take ownership to your context menu) or you can do it manually.

I usually do it manually:
Enter cmd.exe into the search field on the Start menu and right-click on cmd.exe, click on “Run as administrator”.

• Enter cd C:\
• Enter TAKEOWN /F explorer.exe

Terminate Explorer.exe

Open up the task manager (CTRL+ALT+DEL) and right-click on Explorer.exe and terminate it:

New Task (Run…)

Don’t be shocked, your taskbar will disappear. You can always make it reappear again by launching a new task and entering “explorer.exe”.

Now click on “New Task” and enter:

• runas /u:Administrator cmd.exe (this will launch cmd.exe as administrator)
  

You will be prompted for your password, enter it.

Take Ownership of old Explorer.exe

5. Take ownership of the real explorer.exe and grant permission to administrators to modify it :

• cd C:\Windows\
• TAKEOWN /F explorer.exe
• ICACLS explorer.exe /grant administrators:F

Final Step: Rename and move Explorer.exe

Rename the explorer.exe and paste the new explorer.exe into the Windows folder:

• Enter rename explorer.exe explorer.exe_old
• Enter move C:\explorer.exe C:\windows\

Back in the taskmanager click on “New Task” and enter “explorer.exe”. Voilà, you just replaced your explorer.exe!

Explorer.exe: Class not registered

If you receive the error “Class not registered”, you might want to try this:

Start > Run > regsvr32 ExplorerFrame.dll