Windows 7 to officially support logon UI background customization

[weedmonk]

Windows 7 to officially support logon UI background customization

As you probably know, Windows 7 build 7057, a build recently leaked to the public, sports a new (yet ugly) login UI background. Delivering on the most-customizable promise, Windows 7 now supports the ability to load images into the background of the login screen without the use of third-party software or manual hacks.

Although this functionality was designed for OEMs in mind, it is pretty easy to turn on and off using regedit and some images lying around your hard drive.

First, a check is made to determine if the customization functionality is enabled or not. More precisely, a registry value named OEMBackground in the HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Authentication\LogonUI\Background key is checked. Its data, of Boolean type, defines whether or not this behavior is turned on, i.e. 1 for enabled, 0 for disabled. Set this to 1.

Afterwards, if customization is enabled, the primary monitor’s screen height and width are retrieved via calls to GetSystemMetrics. These values are used in the computation of the screen width (w)/height (h) ratio. For example, my desktop resolution is 1920×1200. The ratio, computed by the division of w/h, is 1.6:1.

The result of this computation is looked up in an internal table that drives what image to load on disk. Although I don’t have a large enough monitor to test, it appears resolutions higher than 1920×1200 will force the loading and zooming of an image of closest compatibility (i.e. same ratio, smaller image).

As this is an OEM feature, images are derived from %windir%\system32\oobe\info\backgrounds. The following files are supported in this folder:

* backgroundDefault.jpg
* background768×1280.jpg
* background900×1440.jpg
* background960×1280.jpg
* background1024×1280.jpg
* background1360×768.jpg
* background1280×768.jpg
* background1920×1200.jpg
* background1440×900.jpg
* background1600×1200.jpg
* background1024×768.jpg
* background1280×960.jpg
* background1280×1024.jpg

The backgroundDefault.jpg image is loaded and stretched-to-fit when a resolution/ratio-specific background cannot be found. The other resolution/ratio-specific files are self-explanatory. If the background cannot be loaded (e.g. image physically too large, incorrect ratio, etc.), the default SKU-based image is loaded from imagesres.dll. You’ll see a Windows Server-themed grayish background in there, too, suggesting this functionality is not specific to client SKUs.

Keeps getting better.

SEE ALSO: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/5382-log-screen-change.html

 

[Night Hawk]

You mean I won't need Logon Studio Vista http://www.stardock.com/products/logonstudio/index.asp anymore to change the logon screen in 7 as well as Vista? Gee? Now for the RC1 to become available if so.

 

[Mark]

Here are all the current Logon images in the imageres.dll for anyone who wants to play with them and see if they can replace or customize them.

View attachment 5886

 

[win7]

Great find this! Thanks

 

[YupYup]

Here are all the current Logon images in the imageres.dll for anyone who wants to play with them and see if they can replace or customize them.

View attachment 5886

View attachment 5887

Yes you can customize them or create new ones but there seems to be a 250 kb size limit.

Edit: 250 kb was the size limit shown in paint.net, size on disk limit is 256

 

[Romulinx2]

Thanks for the info.

 

[Loki]

Hi,

If you're using the 7000 build Beta just add the registry key "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Authentication\LogonUI\Background key" value 1
Go to the %windir%\system32\oobe and create the info and Background folders. Add the background picture of your choice using the above file sizes and names. Logoff and see the change. This worked on 64-Bit

Thanks for the info as I've been looking for a way to do this

 

[YupYup]

MS should just integrate this into the themes, it seems odd when that screen does not match your theme.

 

[Night Hawk]

Hi,

If you're using the 7000 build Beta just add the registry key "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Authentication\LogonUI\Background key" value 1
Go to the %windir%\system32\oobe and create the info and Background folders. Add the background picture of your choice using the above file sizes and names. Logoff and see the change. This worked on 64-Bit

Thanks for the info as I've been looking for a way to do this

I'll give that one a try on the 32bit side of life here besides having some 347 pages full of logon screens to choose from with the 3rd party tool at WinCustomize: LogonStudio Vista Gallery

Here's how that key looks in the 32bit beta seeing "Background\OEMbackground" as the DWord value there.

 

[ExNavy11]

Ok, got it now.

I screwed up and didnt correctly name the file. You must use the naming convention stated in the first post. is background1280x1024.jpg, which also must be what your display is set to.

Thanks for posting this. Great find.

 

[Mark]

Here are the registry settings

View attachment OEMBackground Off.reg

View attachment OEMBackground On.reg

 

[Mark]

Have it working here with 1680x1050

 

[Night Hawk]

Ok, got it now.

I screwed up and didnt correctly name the file. You must use the naming convention stated in the first post. is background1280x1024.jpg, which also must be what your display is set to.

Thanks for posting this. Great find.

That would suggest renaming the selected image to "*background" with the appropiate 1280x1024 resolution seen on the end before the ".jpg" extension if that is according to the native resolution of 1280x1024 seen on a particular system.

Here it would have to see "image_selected_background1440x900.jpg" without the underscores like a one word naming of "examplebackground1440x900.jpg" to see that work. But that allows for subsititution since the images there are only a few at this time for beta illustrative purposes.

 

[Brink]

Tutorial now created for this.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/5382-log-screen-change.html

 

[Night Hawk]

In the 32bit 7000 build you would need to manually create the sub folders pointed to there. The 7057 simply sees those made by default being the updated build with the additional feature added in.

 

[CatFish]

Hey

This is not working on my Windows 7, build number above 7057

At least, I can not find the folder.

Kind regards,

 

[YupYup]

Hey

This is not working on my Windows 7, build number above 7057

At least, I can not find the folder.

Kind regards,

You need to add the folder yourself.

 

[Night Hawk]

Once I managed to get the right copy of one image to fill the screen instead of seeing it reduced to one corner the 7000 build here has a new logon screen where LogonStudio Vista was given the toss!

To get things working you first have to verify things like the correct entry in the registy and that the intended folder exists. Here I overwrote the jpg selected a few times to finally see the new look. "new look?" :huh: !!!!



That's what happens when you log onto Prey!

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

After (I must say) MUCH trial and error; here it is; kinda plain being blue but anything is better than that stupid default 7057 screen.

Thanks to all who worked on this!






Later Ted

 

[Mark]

Looks good Ted, I am using that Cat pic as well, if any one wants it you can use my log on screen, just open the Zip and put the folder in the Windows folder and it will make all the necessary folders.



View attachment 6042