Since Windows 7 went gold, the Internet has been abuzz with little tips and tricks to improve the end-user experience. One of these tips, originating from back when Windows 7 was still in beta, outlined how to access Super Secret Hidden Wallpapers in the %windir%\Globalization\MCT folder. Sadly, nobody seemed to really understand what these folders are for – and worse, never challenged the steps to gain access the wallpaper. (It’s super easy, keep reading.)
Before we go forward, we need to define some acronyms, clear up some fancytalk, and tie everything together with a simple picture:
- Theme: A collection and configuration of elements – wallpaper, screensaver, sounds, and colors – that work together to provide a specific look and feel.
- MCT: A Market-Customized Theme is merely a Theme tailored for a specific locale (e.g. South Africa).
- Local Pack: A collection of locale-specific elements, typically links, RSS feeds, and a MCT.
Make sense so far? Well, sadly the engineers responsible for this feature complicated things with their abysmal folder configuration. Let’s untangle the mess:
- %windir%\Globalization: A folder supporting Globalization services in Windows 7, such as Extended Linguistic Services (ELS), National Language Support (NLS), and Local Packs.
- %windir%\Globalization\MCT: A (poorly-named) folder containing installed Local Packs.
- %windir%\Globalization\MCT\MCT-XX: Each installed Local Pack follows this (poor) naming convention. MCT-[ISO 3166 two-letter country/region code].
As mentioned earlier, each Local Pack (typically) contains a MCT and a handful of web links and RSS feeds. This translates to the contents of each %windir%\Globalization\MCT\MCT-XX folder:
- \RSSFeed: Contains configuration data defining locale-specific RSS feeds. These are installed into Internet Explorer upon activation.
- \Theme and \(LocaleName): These folders comprise of the actual MCT. The configuration file in the \Theme folder dictates what folder to pull resources from, making the exact name irrelevant. In your everyday-copy of Windows 7, this name matches the locale name (e.g. United States). Themes are made visible via the Personalization applet upon activation.
- \Websites for (LocaleName): Contains shortcuts (.lnk) to locale-specific/popular web sites (e.g. usa.gov). These links are copied into Internet Explorer’s favorites upon activation.
Phew. Now that you’ve been exposed to the purpose of all these files and folders, we can talk about actually using a Local Pack. In a normal end-user scenario, Local Packs are only activated when the user sets his/her location/region via Windows Setup (fresh install) or while tinkering in the Region and Language Options Control Panel applet (existing install). Power users, however, can activate and deactivate Local Packs at their leisure without dicking with permissions, an abusive method used by… pretty much everyone.
To properly tinker with Local Packs on Windows 7, make use of the oddly-named Content Management Engine Tool (mctadmin.exe). (This tool ships with Windows 7 and should not be run as an Administrator.) After issuing the desired command, check your Personalization applet for the new MCT! (Developers can use %errorlevel% within a batch to check for error.)
- To apply (install) a Local Pack, issue mctadmin /a <region>
- To remove a Local Pack, issue mctadmin /r <region>
TIP: If you’re unsure of what to put as a region, refer to this handy list of ISO 3166 codes.
I’m a PC and Windows 7 was my idea. Microsoft stole it, I swear.
What did MSFT steal? Windows?
I wonder when Rafael will be able to write a blog post without slandering someone.
Quite the useful bit of information there…
I’ll still stick to my own pictures, thanks
One question though, do these packs also contain a Logon Screen?
@pizzaboy192: None of these packs have Logon UI changes :(
It’s not really like the user’s supposed to be exposed to the folder structure, and I’m sure the name made perfect sense to the developer. In the same way, RSS is a really poor scheme to write user readable documents, but that doesn’t matter since the software will format it for them.
Otherwise, good article.
@MarkKB: I agree, users really don’t care about the pool of files and folders on disk… but I target a more advanced crowd (e.g. IT pros, security zealots, and hobbits). I don’t believe “users won’t care” is a valid excuse for poor — what amounts to — design.
Normally I’d agree, except I don’t think this was a feature that was intended to be tinkered with at the folder level, even by IT pros or tinkerers. That’s why they provided the (oddly named) tool, right?
The name “MCT” isn’t self-evident, but once one’s gotten over that, each folder has a standard structure and naming scheme (although why every folder is “MCT-xx” instead of just “xx” strikes me as odd.) From a programmatic standpoint, it makes sense, and all things considered, it could be a lot worse.
Addendum: I’m not saying it’s not a mess. It certainly could be a lot better. You’re also entitled to your opinion. And I guess it’s not like you’re going to type out “this folder structure is terrible, but I can see how it’ll make sense to programmers because of this and that and the other thing” every time you encounter a bad folder structure. (Certainly don’t start doing it on my accord. That’s the way *I* think…)
@MarkKB
Your goose was cooked a long time ago! Who wouldn’t want to edit a Windows Theme? Unless, the Windows Theme is PERFECT for EVERYONE, everyone would want to change it for their own needs. The question here is, why did Microsoft make such a mess of it….?
It’s very obviously, Microsoft PLANS to ADVERTISE using Windows Themes! The PAID advertisements will target regions, hence the reason for their layout, to include ISO codes, feeds and links with the product! Microsoft wants to use the DESKTOP as a method of selling, to earn more PROFITS!
Didn’t anyone see this coming, since in Office 2010, advertisements are placed within the product! It’s totally amazing how PAID proprietary software succumbs to PUSHING advertisements as a means of income, when the FREE open source software, like OPEN OFFICE, has NO ADVERTISEMENTS and is FREE! Did I mention how FREE software is FREE, so why PAY for software that comes with ADVERTISEMENTS?
Go see the PROOF, http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/downloads/personalize
Microsoft is using themes to PUSH marketing brands, like “COKE”, Ducati, Ferrari, Porsche, and it’s own Bing, Zune, but NO iPhone or iPod of course! That would be forbidden!
I’m sure we will see an “Obama Theme” coming soon too! Only, will it show the birth certificate, his Indonesia Passport, or any of the records all forbidden by presidential executive order 13489. For those who don’t believe, see for yourself here: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-1712.pdf
Jay: I can’t tell if you’re a genius or just a complete and total moron.
@planetarian – gonna have to go with “complete and total moron.” and the conspiracy theorists wonder why they aren’t taken seriously…
@jay:
I’m assuming you’re a Mac fan, who happens to be booting it off linux because it isn’t “free” enough without it?
MS’s Office 2k10 software that you pay for will be advertisementless, but if you feel like being free, and getting just the basics (which is what is going to replace the MS Works suite, thank God) then you get free, with ads.
Websites aren’t free, hence Ads.
Life isn’t free, hence job.
Sex isn’t free, hence marriage (or STDs, your choice)
Go put your tin foil hat back on, and stand on your corner yelling “the sky is falling”
@Rafael I imagine “Local Packs” were originally coded as just MCTs, and thus the folder name made sense. Later on they added links and rss feeds and renamed the feature, but either due to laziness or poor hard coding of the folder name in 100 places, they decided not to rename the folder. That would make some sense.
And Jay you need to cut back on… whatever substance it is you’re abusing.
Good post… Warning to all people running slower \ older processors.. If you load up windows 7 with every microsoft (official) theme your personalization performance will suffer tremendously.. Core 2 duo 1.6 *Lappy*… Hopefully SP1 will fix this issue..
Slight off-topic, but if you wish a good logon screen changer, look at this
http://www.julien-manici.com/windows_7_logon_background_changer/
@Jay
Conspiracy theory, really? The order Obama signed to revoke Bush’s ability to hide records behind executive priviledge is perverted into some insane birth certificate argument?
Reagan signed in Order 12667 in 1989, which is similar to Obama’s executive Order. It was Bush in 2001 that signed 13233 that changed the Reagan Order and Obama simply changed it back.
Are people really this insane? Or do people think Reagan was hiding his Birth Certificate too?
Rafael,
Do you know why the name of the wallpaper folder (..\MCT-XX\{country name}, e.g. ..\MCT-FR\France) is not the same as the actual folder path (..\MCT-FR\Wallpaper)?
Try this: copy “..\MCT-FR\France” folder to another folder, say “C:\myFolder”. Now copy “..\MCT-JP\Japan” to “C:\myFolder” too. I was expecting that I now have 2 new folders “France” and “Japan” in “C:\myFolder”. But not, Windows complains that “France” folder already exists, merge?
It seems that “France”, “Japan”, etc. are nicknames for “Wallpaper” folder…
@AnthonySPT,
The anti-christ has no age, just a number. That’s what Obama is trying to hide, didn’t you know that? Geez, where have you been? Living in REALITY!?
lol.
-Stephen
No you all have it wrong.. Obama is not the antichrist.. he is preparing the way for me to return.
WHen i come back you will all bow down and worship me and love me as your god.. thats how it should be.
I will take over the world thanks to my friends in Microsoft and Apple and Walmart that have subverted you into nothing more than idol worshipping materialistic pagans.. Then when i have your souls i will rule the universe!
MUAHHAHAHAHHAHAHA