I decided a new thread was in order, as this is the final release, with full instructions. This originally started in this thread:
http://pdaphonehome.com/forums/samsu...e-picture.html
Information and Background:
In Windows Vista, there is a new software called Windows Mobile Device Center (WMDC), which replaces ActiveSync to synchronize your files and information to your handheld (Example 1). On the WMDC is a large photo of a device. By default Microsoft included some illustrated generic images for either Smartphone or Pocket PC (Example 2) (which is a nice looking graphic, don't get me wrong). This is well and good, but us that want to customize this are left in the dark as to how to change the image.
Example 1:
Example 2:
I watched a few of the online videos demonstrating the WMDC and in one of them it was mentioned that OEMs (the people who release the devices) are capable of switching the graphic to a "custom" graphic. I immediately searched the web trying to find information on how to change the graphic. Nothing was found, just the fact the "OEMs can change the graphic". So next
I searched the PC for any indication of the image, both in the registry and the file system and determined that an icon was created in the profile directory here:
c:\users\(your username)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\ActiveSync\Profiles\(your profile key)\
That graphic was "sync.ico". So I opened my favorite ICON editing software and changed the graphic to a photo of the Samsung i730. Saved the graphic, loaded in on the PC, in the profile directory, and then rebooted the computer.
Once it rebooted, I opened WMDC, success (so I thought, see Example 3), as the i730 ICON I created showed up in the WMDC. Next I threw my i730 on the cradle and synced, but as soon as it connected to my device it changed back to the standard graphic.
Example 3:
So I tried many other things. Loading the ICON file in the root directory of the device, loading it in the Windows Directory, modifying registry entries on the i730 and on the PC. Nothing changed the graphic when it was syncing. Next I decided to ask for help, and contacted a friend at Microsoft, who reported back some interesting information. I was basically told the ICON file needs to be in the Windows directory of the device (tried that already), and it needs to be there on initial load of the drivers (well I had already synced my device, and loaded the drivers), and I was basically told to remove the device and re-add it, which would then show the graphic on each sync.
Sure enough that worked....