Customize folder background in Windows XP

Windows 98 comes with a utility named Customize Folder Wizard (ieshwiz.exe) using which you can customize folders easily. The Customize Folder Wizard automates the Desktop.ini and Folder.htt editing process. This utility works fine in Windows XP as well.

Download ieshwiz.zip and save it to the Desktop

Extract ieshwiz.exe to the C:\Windows\System32 folder

Open a Command Prompt window (cmd.exe) and type:

IESHWIZ

For example, to customize the folder D:\Tools, replace placeholder with D:\Tools

Select the background image for that folder, and click Next

Close and re-open the folder.

Note that the text color in a folder can be customized using the wizard. All of the these settings are stored in a file named Desktop.ini within that folder.

The changes are stored in the desktop.ini file. Here are the sample contents:

[ExtShellFolderViews]
{BE098140-A513-11D0-A3A4-00C04FD706EC}={BE098140-A513-11D0-A3A4-00C04FD706EC}
[{BE098140-A513-11D0-A3A4-00C04FD706EC}]
Attributes=1
IconArea_Image=C:\WINDOWS\winnt.bmp
[.ShellClassInfo]
ConfirmFileOp=0

For more information on Desktop.ini files, see MSDN article Customizing Folders with Desktop.ini.