How to install bootscreens and more

First of all: Thank you for downloading my bootscreens on ThemeXP.

There are different ways to install bootscreens. I recommend the method boot.ini. It's a safe and practical method and you have the choice to switch between the customized bootscreen and the original Windows XP bootscreen. If you want change the bootscreens very often or randomizing, you maybe better use a software tool like LogonUI Boot Randomizer or BootXP.

Warnings

Wrong manipulating on the boot.ini or a wrong or damaged ntoskrnl.exe can damage your system and can make it unbootable! I'm not responsible for any damage and resulting problems or costs of your manipulations. You install the bootscreens on your own risk!

It's strongly recommended to read the instructions below carefuly and make a backup copy of your original boot.ini and ntoskrnl.exe before you start manipulating. So you can recover in the "worst case" your original boot.ini and ntoskrnl.exe through the "revovery console" of Windows XP or a second, parallel Windows installation on a other disk partition and repair your system.

You can not use the ntoskrnl.exe of my bootscreen packages, if your system not use the standard ntoskrnl.exe (for example if your have a dual CPU system).

If your Windows XP have another language than english, it should be no problem to use also the in my bootscreen packages included english ntoskrnl.exe. I'm working also with a Windows XP in german language and using the english ntoskrnl.exe without any problems.

Don't worry to much about this warnings. Thousands of people using my bootscreens without any problems, just follow the instructions carefuly step for step.

Service Pack 1 compatibility

The ntoskrnl.exe from Windows XP with installed Service Pack 1 and without installled Service Pack are not compatible. This means if you using a wrong, not to your system corresponding ntoskrnl.exe, the Windows XP will hang or crash while booting!
If the package contains two versions, one is the ntoskrnlSP1.exe in the english version 5.1.2600.1106 (Service Pack 1) and the second one is the ntoskrnl.exe in the english version 5.1.2600.31 (without Service Pack).
If you don't no if your Windows XP have Service Pack 1 installed or not, you can find it out by going to the Start button / System Control / System / folder General.
It's very importent to install the correct, to the installation level of your Windows XP corresponding ntoskrnl.exe to not damaging your system!

Method Software Tools

You can use one of the following software tools to chance the bootscreens (and more). This can be recomended if you want change the bootscreens very often or randomizing.

LogonUI Boot Randomizer (Freeware) developed by UserXP. This is a login and bootscreen manager for Windows XP.
BootEditor (Freeware) developed by UserXP. This is a editor for creating Windows XP bootscreens. BootEditor is recommended if you want create own bootscreens. All my bootscreens are also created with this great tool.
More informations and download of this two tools at: http://members.rogers.com/userxp/

BootXP (Shareware $7.95) developed by Mario Prieto. This is a tool to create and managing Windows XP and Windows 2000 bootscreens.
More informations, download and registering of BootXP at: http://www.bootxp.net or http://www.fvip.net/bootxp/

I hope you understand, that I can not give any support to this tools! If you have any problems, please contact the authors.

By the way: For all graphical work by creating my bootscreens I'm using Jasc Paint Shop Pro. I can very recommend this software for decreasing the bitmaps to 16 colors (4 bit) and edit them.

Method boot.ini

You can add a new line to your boot.ini file, this giving yo u the choice to switch between the customized bootscreen and the original Windows XP bootscreen.

1) Download the .zip file to your computer

2) Extract ntoskrnl.exe or ntoskrnlSP1.exe to a directory other than %windir%\system32 (most likely
C:\windows\system32), for example C:\Temp.

3) Rename the ntoskrnl.exe or ntoskrnlSP1.exe in your C:\Temp directory to another name, in this example to ntosboot.exe

4) Move or copy your ntosboot.exe from your C:\Temp directory to the %windir%\system32 directory (most likely C:\windows\system32)

5) Modify your boot.ini file: Edit your boot.ini file by going to the Start button / System Control / System / folder Extended / Starting and Restore / Adjustments / Systemstart button / Edit
or alternative
edit boot.ini using notepad: you can find it in the system root (normaly C:\)
(note: the boot.ini file normally has hidden and system attributes, open TOOLS>FOLDER OPTIONS menu in Windows Explorer, select VIEW tab, and:
tick 'Display contents of system folders'
tick 'Show hidden files and folders'
untick 'Hide protected operating system files'
You should now be able to see/open boot.ini using notepad from the system root (C:\) )

6) In the boot.ini file you have to copy the line you use normally use for boot (this is usually the last line, eg: multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\Windows="Windows XP" /fastdetect ), and paste this copy underneath.
At the end of this new line, add this text: /KERNEL=ntosboot.exe (The name 'ntosboot.exe' should be whatever you renamed the ntoskrnl.exe to when you extracted it to C:\Temp (in step 3))

7) Change the OS name, for example:
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\Windows="Windows XP" /fastdetect /KERNEL=ntosboot.exe
becomes
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\Windows="Windows XP Bootlogo" /fastdetect /KERNEL=ntosboot.exe

Here is an example of the modified boot.ini, with the last (in this example bold typed) line added:
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\Windows
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\Windows="Windows XP" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\Windows="Windows XP Bootlogo" /fastdetect /KERNEL=NTOSBOOT.EXE

7) Exit & save the boot.ini file

6) Reboot your PC. You should get an option as to which OS you wish to boot into - to test your new bootscreen, select "Windows XP Bootlogo".' Your system should now show the boot picture of your choice while booting!

This is a safe method, because if something goes wrong, you can just reboot and select the original operating system from the boot list. It's also practical, because if you wish to change/test your bootscreen in future, you just have to repeat step 1 to 4.

Method Save Mode

Boot into Safe Mode (hit the"F8" key after the bootmenu and before the bootscreen) or DOS (this not work if the disk partition where is Windows XP installed is with NTFS formated) or if exist, a second, parallel Windows installation on a other disk partition. This are the only possibilities you can actually overwrite/replace ntoskrnl.exe, due to the fact that Windows XP protect this system file and replace it immediatly by his original.

1) Backup (copy) the file %windir%\system32\ntoskrnl.exe (most likely C:\windows\system32\ntoskrnl.exe - the boot screen)

2) Download the .zip file to your computer

3) Extract ntoskrnl.exe or ntoskrnlSP1.exe to a directory other than %windir%\system32 (most likely C:\windows\system32), for example to C:\Temp (if you use the ntoskrnlSP1.exe you have also to rename it to ntoskrnl.exe)

4) Reboot your computer into Safe Mode (hit the"F8" key after the bootmenu and before the bootscreen) or into true DOS (from a boot disk) or if exist, a second, parallel Windows installation on a other disk partition.

5) In Safe Mode, overwrite the file %windir%\system32\ntoskrnl.exe (which should have been backed up) with the extracted exe you have stored in step 3 (in this example in C:\Temp)

6) Reboot your computer as you normaly would

General Informations

A frequently asked question is: "Why have bootscreen only 16 colors and a resolution of 640x480 pixels?"
The answer is: It's a technical limit, because during boot process is no graphics drivers loaded. So the bootscreen have to be displayed in VESA mode, and this mode aloud only a resolution of 640x480 pixels and 16 colors (4 bit). This very poor conditions are the bigest problem but also the challange by creating bootscreens. This is also the reason why i make only bootscreens and never logins.

A more detailed tutorial about creating bootscreens you can read and download here, written by JJoelC.

You can have a look at all my bootscreens on ThemeXP here.

If you like my bootscreens you may give them good ratings and write some comments!
Good ratings and comments are the rewards for my work!

Hopefully I can help you with this informations.

best regards
swissboy
Roland