Hard Light Productions Forums

Off-Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: Cobra on September 19, 2005, 03:17:00 pm

Title: *wants new, custom startup/shutdown screens*
Post by: Cobra on September 19, 2005, 03:17:00 pm

*muttering* stupid google... giving me screensaver downloads... *notices a microphone* omg, this thing's on! HOLY SH-- *click*

aaanyway, i've been trying to find where startup/shutdown screens are saved or located on my computer, and i really haven't been having any luck. none of the custom screens i've downloaded have readmes or how to's on the sites. google really hasn't been particularly helpful, either. *points to first paragraph*

anyone have any suggestions?

Title: *wants new, custom startup/shutdown screens*
Post by: StratComm on September 19, 2005, 03:20:46 pm

Assuming you've got XP, go get "TweakUI", a "powertoy" available from Microsoft.  It will let you copy your user environment (background, theme, etc) to the login screen, which should cover startup and shutdown.  If you're wanting to replace the Windows logo and scrollbar, I think you're out of luck.

Title: *wants new, custom startup/shutdown screens*
Post by: Cobra on September 19, 2005, 03:24:04 pm

yah, XP Service Pack 2.

i don't want le scrollbar. :p

is it possible to change that Windows startup where it has the 5 or 6 little bars scrolling across a little rectangle? that's one of the things i want to change.

Title: *wants new, custom startup/shutdown screens*
Post by: StratComm on September 19, 2005, 03:50:18 pm

That seems pretty hard-coded.  I have no idea how to get in to that specific portion of the OS; it's only 4- or 8-bit color though so you'd be hard pressed to replace it with anything half-decent even if you could figure out how.  Try mucking through the Windows registry; that's the place this sort of things often gets saved.

Title: *wants new, custom startup/shutdown screens*
Post by: Zuljin on September 19, 2005, 03:57:27 pm

It used to be very simple in earlier versions of windows.
As far as I can remember you only needed to put three files into your root drive, they didn't replace anything but when windows booted it loaded the graphics in one of those and you'd have a nice new boot screen.

In XP there are simpler ways than mucking around the registry atleast.
I'm not sure if the methods used in the earlier windows versions work, but you can use StyleXP to switch to some other boot screens.
I haven't tested it myself, but the option is there.

Title: *wants new, custom startup/shutdown screens*
Post by: redsniper on September 19, 2005, 04:28:41 pm

Quote

Originally posted by Cobra
is it possible to change that Windows startup where it has the 5 or 6 little bars scrolling across a little rectangle? that's one of the things i want to change.

Bootskin (http://www.stardock.com/products/bootskin/) :nod:

Title: *wants new, custom startup/shutdown screens*
Post by: Cobra on September 19, 2005, 04:31:42 pm

hah, stle xp can change that, but i'll try bootskin too.

(stylexp changed my windows theme to a MACINTOSH THEME!! :eek: )

Title: *wants new, custom startup/shutdown screens*
Post by: Roanoke on September 19, 2005, 04:31:53 pm

I sem to recall reading this was spmething that could be changed but could really screw up yer system if you mess it up. Not really worth it for a simple splash screen IMHO.

Title: *wants new, custom startup/shutdown screens*
Post by: Cobra on September 19, 2005, 04:32:37 pm

yah well, i'm tired of defaults. besides, there are ways to do it easily. ;)

Title: *wants new, custom startup/shutdown screens*
Post by: Grey Wolf on September 19, 2005, 06:07:29 pm

I prefer the Win2k start screen. Looks real nice with a render that T1g made in the background...

Title: *wants new, custom startup/shutdown screens*
Post by: Sesquipedalian on September 19, 2005, 06:21:37 pm

Quote

Originally posted by Cobra
hah, stle xp can change that, but i'll try bootskin too.

(stylexp changed me windows theme t'a MACINTOSH THEME!! :eek: )

If that's what you want, go to http://www.osx-e.com/downloads/ and try Flyakite OS X.

Title: *wants new, custom startup/shutdown screens*
Post by: SadisticSid on September 19, 2005, 06:34:13 pm

StyleXP is expensive bloatware. You can use the free (and FAR more reliable, in my experience) cracked uxtheme.dll - there are patchers available - which will allow you to use unsigned themes and visual styles without having to resort to it. Takes a bit of work to install but better than having all your visual styles corrupted ever 100 reboots or whatever.

Title: *wants new, custom startup/shutdown screens*
Post by: Cobra on September 19, 2005, 06:53:43 pm

well well, seems th'pirate word filter be back. :D

bleh, i added a 'Sega' logo for my bootscreen and had to run CHKDSK to resolve a ViewManager error. :wtf:

Title: *wants new, custom startup/shutdown screens*
Post by: Grey Wolf on September 19, 2005, 06:55:57 pm

Aye.

Title: *wants new, custom startup/shutdown screens*
Post by: Bobboau on September 19, 2005, 07:29:29 pm

if you haven't figured it out yet, you don't put the images anywere, you use them with an apropriate program that will genorate an executeable that gets put somewere in your XP directories. if you screw up major fuctness will insue, if you don't screw up it may insue anyway.

Title: *wants new, custom startup/shutdown screens*
Post by: MicroPsycho on September 19, 2005, 09:10:05 pm

ntoskrnl, in the sytem32 folder in the wondows folder houses the boot skin. Use RegHack to open it, extract bitmaps 1, 8, 10 (XP pro) or 1, 7, 9(XP home). Open the saved bitmaps in PS or PSP, use a special pallete and edit the bitmaps. Open reghack, replace bitmaps and save the ntoskrnl someplace. boot in safe mode and replace default ntoskrnl with your new one. reboot and you should be good. It's that simple really and no third-party software is needed to run it. I wish I still had a copy of my Windows SCP bootscreen feature the HTL perseus...