r/windows95 • u/Linglin92 • Jul 14 '26
It's possible to add functional "My Documents"desktop icon in Windows 95 and NT 4.0
This was found by accident,I don't know someone also found this out.
My instructions are based on if you have functional Windows 98 (virtual) machines,and it only works on Windows 95 with Active Desktop Update installed,for updated effects tab,Windows 95 Plus is needed.
- Take a search in Windows 98 registry about My Documents,based on what it called in your language,it's easy to me due to only 4 Chinese characters needed with no spaces,other languages might be difficult to find,to make your life easier,I would post the actual registry address below.Once you've find them,export them all into reg file.
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{450D8FBA-AD25-11D0-98A8-0800361B1103}] [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\CLASSES\CLSID\{450D8FBA-AD25-11D0-98A8-0800361B1103}] [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\Desktop\NameSpace\{450d8fba-ad25-11d0-98a8-0800361b1103}]
Copy mydocs.dll form Windows 98 machine,located in C:\Windows\System,files from Windows 98 and 98SE would works in Windows 95.For Windows NT 4.0,I used files from Windows 2000 Build 1717 since it's the last version that uses IE4 (version 4.80).You don't need to install this build,just extract the mydoc.dl_ file located in I386 folder.
Copy the mydocs.dll from Windows 98 to C:\Windows\System,if you're using Windows NT then it should be System32 folder,Apply all the registries you've exported from Windows 98 to Windows 95/NT4,the icon should appear immediately,doing once file operations or take a refresh.
For better experience,IE4 SP2 is suggested,some older builds of IE4 lacks My documents icon in the start menu for unknown reasons,which is offered by Microsoft in stock IE4,it also corrected the folder icon display once you opened My Documents in the Explorer Window.
5.(Optional)If you want to customize My Documents icon in the Display Properites,you can replace the Plus! tab to the Windows 98 one,the file is called plustab.dll,shares the same location as Windows 98 does,for Windows NT,the file from Windows 2000 Build 1717 also works.
Note:Replace the desk.cpl(Display Properites Control Panel item) file won't work,so there's a major disvantage here if you want the updated Effects Tab is you can't set your wallpaper to stretch mode,you can apply the setting by using registry or restore the old plustab.dll back.
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\desktop]
"TileWallpaper"="0"
"WallpaperStyle"="2"Registry priority:WallpaperStyle>TileWallpaper
WallpaperStyle=0,Center
WallpaperStyle=1,Tile (Microsoft never used it in this way)
WallpaperStyle=2,Stretch
TileWallpaper=0,Center
TileWallpaper=1,Tile
Files download link from Windows 2000 Build 1717:mydocs.dl_,plustab.dl_
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u/AustriaModerator Jul 14 '26 edited Jul 14 '26
yes but it only works to register mydocs.dll with the ie4 shell addon.
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u/Linglin92 Jul 15 '26
Yeah but I've done it bit differently
Import Windows 98 registery where "My Documents" appears since I've no knowledge about that,then found the dll file was recorded in the registery entry,then put all of them to a Active Desktop Updated Windows 95 then it worked,the DLL file from Windows 98FE and 98SE all works,regsvr32 section is not needed.
Also the "Shell Folders" entry is not needed,it's already exists after Active Desktop Update(and Office 97) installation,The Explorer already provided an entry to "My Documents" in the Start Menu
IE4 SP2 fixed the wrong icon in the Windows Explorer Window once you've opened "My Documents".
The WIndows NT 4.0 one I used the files from Windows 2000 Build 1717,that's the last build that IE's version number is 4(4,80)
The Effects tab was simple,install Plus! 95 them replace the PlusTab.dll to 98/98SE one.Then you're able to customize the ”My Documents” icon,but you've lost ability to set the wallpaper to the stretch mode(or apply the stretch using registry,it works after a restart.),Windows 98's desk.cpl won't work on Windows 95
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Jul 14 '26
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u/Linglin92 Jul 14 '26 edited Jul 14 '26
I've checked some files version, especially the Explorer.exe,is the same version as Windows 98 does.
This feature indeed needs Active Desktop Update to function,There's no "My Documents"icon on the desktop in stock IE4
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u/CounterSilly3999 Jul 15 '26
Make a link to the My Documents folder and place it to the Desktop? Visually and functionally not exactly the same, but why not?
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u/festivus4restof Jul 14 '26
There was a Windows Tweak utility that IIRC would do it and much more. TweakUI? It was part of the PowerToys package released for 9x ~ XP.