Change Filetype-icon in Vista

[Andreas]

In XP one could change the standard filetype icon (WinExplorer, Tools, Alt,
Filetypes...)

In Vista this seems to have been changed.

How can I change the icon for.... .avi, .jpg, etc.?

[Kristan M. Kenney [MVP]]

You can change the icon type for files using the Windows Registry Editor.

IMPORTANT: Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make
sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For
information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, please see
the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/256986/ - Description of the Microsoft
Windows Registry

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious
problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. I cannot
guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor
incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

1. Click on Start, and in the Start Search field type "regedit.exe" and then
press Enter.
2. If prompted by User Account Control, provide consent or provide the
appropriate credentials.

Next, you will need to locate the file extension you wish to modify. For
instance, if you wish to change the file type icon for .JPG files, locate
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.jpg in the left hand navigation pane. Now, you will see
that it is defined as type "jpegfile", so we must locate "jpegfile" in the
left hand pane to change the icon.

At this point you should have located HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\jpegfile. Below this
key you will notice a subkey with a name of "DefaultIcon". Select this key,
and in the right hand pane you will see a string or expandable string value
named "(Default)". Right click on this string value and click on modify in
order to change the path to the icon.

Once you have finished, close the Windows Registry Editor and log off of
Windows and back in for the changes to take effect.

Please note: some applications will reset their default icon upon launch or
exit, so if you modify the icon in the registry it may not have a permenant
effect.

[Brink]

This tutorial can help show you how to change file extension icons to
what you want them to be. You might also check out the program in the
yellow TIP box there to see if that may help as well.