How to change icon of an executable that was not created by me?
Say I have a executable program received from somewhere.
How do I change the icon that is displayed for it now?

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replace icon with resource editor, say, reshacker

This is like a cracking question... Shoorick's answer is right but with packed executables the change couldn't be so simple. And if the change you made goes a wrong way, you can invalidate your executable.

no cracking!
i have a program. but it's icon i don't like!
so i thought maybe it's possible to change icons

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create link with another icon

shoorick, it does not help!
the program appears on the system tray ( with that ugly looking icon )

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then only reshack or other tool for direct resource editing must be used. if application is packed/protected - then big hack needed or just do not pay much attention to it

shoorick i am sorry for my stupidity
i should have mentioned it before. but anyway the program is Yahoo Messenger.
and when it appears on system tray then every one can see it. and know that i am chatting ( in my office ). which is obviously not allowed!

so is there a simpler way?

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the simpliest way i can suggest: go to the taskbar & start menu settings, set on "use tray icons hiding", press "configure", find yim icon and choose to it "hide always" option from combobox. (you may have different names for these options as i have only russian interface here)

thanks a lot shoorick!
it worked

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Most Admins have a complete log of any .exe's run on the computers. Our school employs a similiar program...

really!
AlexP is there a better way to avoid detection while i chat?

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rename yim.exe to excell.exe and fix all related links and registry settings... (a lot of work... )

shoorick why rename yim.exe to excell.exe only?
can't i name it anything else?

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because excell.exe will look like excel.exe in logs generally i'm not sure it is really best way - it depends on your situation don't you have friends among admins? they may cover you against chief - not sure if your chief reads logs by himself, or i could be wrong

shoorick i think that it's better that i avoid or do as little chatting as possible

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i know...

two women were in the prison many years in one camera together, they were free at the same day... then they were talking near prison gate about couple of hours, and only then gone each with own way