The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Change Windows 7 Logon Background

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by findvikas, Mar 23, 2009.

  1. findvikas

    findvikas Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    272
    Messages:
    1,184
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    56
    Many of us have used LogonStudio in past to change the logon screen’s background image since Windows XP days
    There is a good news with Windows7 & Server 2008 R2.

    I have discovered a new registry key in Windows7 & Windows Server 2008 R2 which allows you to choose any background image of your choice.
    Source: http://www.withinwindows.com/2009/0...lly-support-logon-ui-background-customization

    To make it simple I have come up with this simple batch file (ahh… old DOS memories)

    Save the below script as ChangeLogonUI.bat

    Code: 
    [B]@ECHO OFF
@REG ADD HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Authentication\LogonUI\Background /v OEMBackground /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
@MKDIR %windir%\system32\oobe\info\backgrounds
@COPY %1 %windir%\system32\oobe\info\backgrounds\backgroundDefault.jpg[/B]
    Run it as C:\>ChangeLogonUI.bat c:\myimage.jpg

    I have saved this Batch file to SendTo folder for easy access. Now just right click any JPG file under 256kb and send it to the changelogonui.bat file.


    To restore the original, which you might not want to do

    Save this in a separate file, RestoreToOriginal.bat may be

    C:\>RestoreToOriginal.bat
    Code: 
    [B]@ECHO OFF
@REG ADD HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Authentication\LogonUI\Background /v OEMBackground /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
[/B]
    Hope you find it useful & handy

    Here is a screenshot of one of my Logon Screens (worst VGA camera ever)

    [​IMG]
     
    findvikas, Mar 23, 2009
    #1
  2. andygb40

    andygb40 Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    99
    Messages:
    755
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    I wonder if this is restricted to the Beta versions and whether it will work for the RTM version. Excellent find though.
     
    andygb40, Mar 23, 2009
    #2
  3. findvikas

    findvikas Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    272
    Messages:
    1,184
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    56
    It should stay there... this is there to help OEM so that they can give you all those boring logon UIs :)
     
    findvikas, Mar 23, 2009
    #3
  4. davepermen

    davepermen Notebook Nobel Laureate

    Reputations:
    2,972
    Messages:
    7,788
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    205
    hm. thinking of coding a small utility that does essencially what the batches do, but with a setup and a nice send-to name and such.. hm.. :) maybe if i'm bored.

    then again, i don't use win7, and possibly won't for a long time..

    then again, coding small apps is fun..

    hm.. :)
     
    davepermen, Mar 23, 2009
    #4
  5. findvikas

    findvikas Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    272
    Messages:
    1,184
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    56
    Coding is nuF... oops that was a bug :)
     
    findvikas, Mar 23, 2009
    #5
  6. davepermen

    davepermen Notebook Nobel Laureate

    Reputations:
    2,972
    Messages:
    7,788
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    205
    my apps are bugless.. *cough* :) (but that's the nice thing about tiny apps. those can easily be bugless..)

    but what's nuF?
     
    davepermen, Mar 23, 2009
    #6
  7. findvikas

    findvikas Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    272
    Messages:
    1,184
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    56
    nuF = Fun (with design bugs)
     
    findvikas, Mar 23, 2009
    #7
  8. davepermen

    davepermen Notebook Nobel Laureate

    Reputations:
    2,972
    Messages:
    7,788
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    205
    hehe okay :)

    still thinking about it.. :)
     
    davepermen, Mar 23, 2009
    #8
  9. Kocane

    Kocane Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    395
    Messages:
    1,626
    Likes Received:
    15
    Trophy Points:
    56
    Meh.. not really easier than in Vista
     
    Kocane, Mar 23, 2009
    #9
  10. davepermen

    davepermen Notebook Nobel Laureate

    Reputations:
    2,972
    Messages:
    7,788
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    205
    uhm yes, much easier. a simple reg-edit instead of binary hacking some dll.
     
    davepermen, Mar 23, 2009
    #10