Learn how to change *.exe files, in 5 easy steps:
1) Don't try to modify a program by editing his source in a disassembler.Why? Because that's for programmers and assembly experts only.If you try to view it in hex you'll only get tons of crap that you won`t understand.First off, you need Resource Hacker(last version). It's a resource editor- very easy to use.
2) Unzip the archive, and run ResHacker.exe.
3) You will see that the interface is simple and clean. Go to the menu FileOpen or press Ctrl+O to open a file. Browse your way to the file you would like to edit. You can edit *.exe, *.dll, *.ocx, *.scr and *.cpl files, but this tutorial is to teach you how to edit *.exe files, so open one.
4) In the left side of the screen a list of sections will appear.
The most common sections are
-String table;
-RCData;
-Dialog;
-Cursor group;
-Bitmap;
-WAV.
*Icon: You can wiew and change the icon(s) of the program by double-clicking the icon section,chossing the icon, right-clicking on it an pressing "replace resource". After that you can choose the icon you want to replace the original with.
*String table: a bunch of crap, useful sometimes, basic programming knowladge needed.
*RCData: Here the real hacking begins. Modify window titles, buttons, text, and lots more!
*Dialog:Here you can modify the messages or dialogs that appear in a program. Don't forget to press "Compile" when you're done!
*Cursor group: Change the mouse cursors used in the program just like you would change the icon.
*Bitmap: View or change images in the programs easy!
*WAV:Change the sounds in the program. with your own.
5) In the RCData, Dialog, Menu and String table sections you can do a lot of changes. You can modify or translate the text change links, change buttons, etc.
TIP:
- To change a window title, search for something like: CAPTION "edit this". TIP: After all operations press the "Compile Script" button, and when you're done editing save, your work @ FileSave(Save as).
- When you save a file,the original file will be backed up by default and renamed to Name_original and the saved file will have the normal name of the changed program.
- Sometimes you may get a message like: "This program has a non-standard resource layout... it has probably been compressed with an .EXE compressor." That means that Resource Hacker can't modify it because of it's structure.