beautiful icons...how to appply them...as default..

i have downloaded some very beautiful icon packages which were in zip format...
when i extracted them there were all ...*.ico files..and some png files which i think r for preview..
now the problem is the style xp 3.18 tht i m using only ..lets u apply icon packages ie. (*.iconset ,*.iconzip ,*.iptheme etc.) ..i am not able to apply the single icons...if i want to change a single icon..i need to go to-

display properties >>customize desktop>>and change the my comp.network places ..my docs...and other icons...

in this case i am only able to change a few desktop icons...and not all icons..
i have new icons..for all folders..files...and the cd drive..dvd drive..recycle bin...
almost..everything.. including the folder icons..
and i want to use all of these icons..so how do i do it !!
is it a way to put them in the root shell icons ??
or can i download some software to combine these icons to a icon set..like ( (*.iconset ,*.iconzip ,*.iptheme etc.)...and then apply using style xp..

please please..help me...if i am done with this....i will surely share these very beautiful icons with u all.ppl...(if u wish to )

If you don't mind 3rd party software, get Iconpackageror tune-up utilities. Both of them let you change the icon for almost any item. If you want to do it solely through windows, it's hard. You have to go to each folder and cutomize the icons. Also, you can change recycle bin icons at the same place you change network places icons.

Yes you need to manually replace each icon

Use IconChanger or IconPackager for that. Its better if you can find a premade pack of the one you like!

Either use any s/w like Tuneup Utilities, which allow u to change approx. all icons in the system.

Or in Folder Options, change the icons of desired filetypes including folders.

Or use Resource Hacker to edit Shell32.dll and 2 or 3 more files, and replace the default icons with the new one!

You can apply icons manually by Icon Packager,remember never use Style XP,it sucks.

Its atleast not as crappy with integration as WB5 gets

Wb Rocks !

Apply manually from : Tools > Folder Options > File Types ... or better .. Get Icon Packager . ..

WB is actually quite good. I started out using styleXP before I switched to WB. I noticed a huge difference

Use IconTweaker,it's freeware and does the job perfectly.

WB has many features such as able to change windows copy-paste animation,tilebar.etc,Also I like the glass effect of WB skins.

Yupp .. Another vote for IconTweaker .. It is a freeware clone of Icon Packager .. Very easy to use and got good features ..