Add A Image As The Entire Of A Icon And Not Within Folder?

I got folders of manga series i use like put the front sheet as the folder image as it helped me recognize witch one each one was easier, i use to do this on XP on my external and it was a simple roperties> customize > chose picture : and the image would be the entire folder icon and in nice quality , but after i moved to windows 7 (ultimate 64x) most folders it wont even allow customize and ones it will allow i have changed different files, default icon, icon, and other things, and the icon wont change the most i got one to change was that is made the image the first in line with the weird folder open icon with images, but i don't even want that open folder thing Is there a easy way to make it like it was, image as full folder icon without open folder effect thing  Edit: i tried making icon files and changing the folders icon but this only changes them to open folders that wont shows anything anymore till i restore defualt icon  + i placed the icon file into the folder and tried change it again, a desktop.ini file gets created and i have messed around with it trying different combinations but the folders icon stays as a default open yellow folder entire the desktop.ini is deleted  ~ i figured a way make it work but it takes multiple tries, i placed the icon in the folder with HA attributes and pasted in a desktop.ini with[.ShellClassInfo]InfoTip=IconResource=ico.ico......and cant have any inherited permission stuff, and then sometimes have change the icon again in properties customize and then edit the ini again, and if the folder has Asia letters in it then need use another files ico and then switch over?