How-To Change Boot Screen on Win7

[ZeBobo5]

How-To Change Boot Screen on Win7

- First, Use ResHack with %windir%\system32\bootres.dll file

- Extract the RCData resource.

- So you have two files, one *.rc and another one *.bin

- Rename the file *.bin into *.wim (not win!!)

- Use 7zip to extract your *.wim file

- In the extracted files you have an xml witch describe the second file witch is the boot logon bitmap animation!!!

Now you can modify the logon animation! But be carefull, to have a correct xml description file!!!

After modifications, do the inverse procedure, with a backup of your original bootres.dll file.

I advise you to try on a virtual machine before!

PS : Microsoft do not recommend to change it!!!

[Buendia]

I don't think there can be better looking boot screen than the default one.

[mpg187]

In XP it was simple, boot.bmp file and edit boot.ini.

I had a program that made the file for Vista from a BMP...

[closetgeek]

I really like the bootscreen, the logon however.... :p

Out of interest, however, what format is the animation?

[RBCC]

I really like the bootscreen, the logon however.... :p

Out of interest, however, what format is the animation?

it is a Windows Bitmap file!

Ok, how do I unglue the animation and save it with different file names? John

[usmanity]

it is a Windows Bitmap file!

Ok, how do I unglue the animation and save it with different file names? John

Bitmap files can be animations!?

[Angel Blue01]

I'm assuming this is the glowing Windows logo?

A bitmap can be "animated" by containing "frames" of the animation next to each other, the application reads a "frame" every so many pixels across or down the file. That's just speculation for me, I don't have Win7 RTM to try this out with.

[daryl_summers]

The boot screen is defiantly the best, but I don't stare at it long enough to warrant changing it. Although customizing the system would be greater especially for computer manufacturers.

[Soldiers33]

Y bother? that screen is there only for 5 seconds if not less

[Black Leopard]

How to do it on 7 ultimate x64?

[Pam14160]

If you want to change the logon screen then google the following: Windows 7 Logon Background Changer 1.3.4. This is a nice little app that allows you to use any jpeg, bmp, etc. as a logon screen. Enjoy.

[Black Leopard]

nvm. Found the file. Now one thing. What format is the *.wim archive? When I try to add the image back to the archive it says "incompatible interface", what it means?

[Black Leopard]

How-To Change Boot Screen on Win7

- First, Use ResHack with %windir%\system32\bootres.dll file

- Extract the RCData resource.

- So you have two files, one *.rc and another one *.bin

- Rename the file *.bin into *.wim (not win!!)

- Use 7zip to extract your *.wim file

- In the extracted files you have an xml witch describe the second file witch is the boot logon bitmap animation!!!

Now you can modify the logon animation! But be carefull, to have a correct xml description file!!!

After modifications, do the inverse procedure, with a backup of your original bootres.dll file.

I advise you to try on a virtual machine before!

PS : Microsoft do not recommend to change it!!!

1) How do I put the modified image back into the *.wim archive (7zip shows an error message that reads "incompatible interface")?

2) How do I put the *.rc and *.bin (*wim renamed back into *.bin) back into the bootres.dll?

[mls67]

If you want to change the logon screen then google the following: Windows 7 Logon Background Changer 1.3.4. This is a nice little app that allows you to use any jpeg, bmp, etc. as a logon screen. Enjoy.

I second this, super easy to use!

[Black Leopard]

I second this, super easy to use!

This tutorial isn't for changing the logon screen. It's for changing the boot animation (the one with the 4 colored balls merging and forming the windows logo).

[Black Leopard]

EDIT: Instead of extracting the *.wim with 7zip (7zip can't compress *.wim archives) it's better to mount it r/w with gimagex (you'll need to download the WAIK first), copy the *bmp file out, modify it, put it back into the archive and unmount it with the "commit changes" option.

I'm still wondering how to put the *.bin (*.wim archive) and *.rc files back into the bootres.dll.

[QuadSurfer]

I have been able to extract, manipulate and repackage this files. My question is this:

How are you certifying the file as proper by MS standards? I have been able to pull out the CERTIFICATE but after inserting it into the DLL, the system still won't recognize it properly (I am assuming this based on outcome of the process, Vista loading worm only).

The other option is this:

If you were to select NOGUIBOOT as in previous versions of Windows, what could we use to load a static image? Any thoughts on this?

Even better....how about a replacement for the Vista loading worm? any ideas on THIS? All I really need is for a static image to display in reasonable resolution. Anyone know of a location to "load" an image to get this to happen?

I am not opposed to searching google either. I have run a laundry list of searches that have given a thousand results, none specific enough to be considered really helpful. Figured I would bounce this off where I found the most helpful information.

-Surfer