1

Specifically, I wish to add a small square notice (which I assume should be made as an image file) to the right bottom corner of the Windows 7 login screen (the screen that has all of the user accounts, along with the buttons to turn off/suspend) that say something to the affect of "This machine belongs to ... \ there's a reward if found \ we already back-tracked you \ etc." to encourage the return of said machine should it be lost/stolen.

The creation of such imagine is not at issue here, only the addition of an image it to the windows 7 login screen, preserving the way it otherwise looks.

Example enter image description here

1

2 Answers 2

5

Using third party tools such as TweaksLogon.

If you'd rather do it the manual way without additional software, all you really need to do is a simple registry hack:

  • In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Authentication\LogonUI\Backgroud

  • You’ll see an DWORD value named OEMBackground. If you don’t see it, right-click in the right pane, point to the New submenu and create a new DWORD value with this name.

Double-click the OEMBackground value and set its value to 1.

Setting the Image

Your image file must be less than 256 KB in size. It’s also a good idea to use an image file that matches the resolution of your monitor, so it won’t look stretched. Windows looks for the custom logon screen background image in the following directory:

C:\Windows\System32\oobe\info\backgrounds

  • By default, the info and backgrounds folders don’t exist. Navigate to the C:\Windows\System32\oobe folder and create them yourself by right-clicking inside the folder, pointing to New, and selecting New Folder.
  • Copy your desired background image to the backgrounds folder and name it backgroundDefault.jpg.

Now, Try the WinKey-L keyboard shortcut, you’ll see your new background.

2
  • 1
    While that is a valid option to consider, you should post a short description of what you are linking to and even the name of the software that the link points to. In cases where the link changes, it allows people to still consider the suggestion and search for the software elsewhere if the link itself fails in the future.
    – MaQleod
    Sep 5, 2012 at 22:59
  • @MaQleod Thanks, I'll take care of it next time. Such experienced advice are the ones which keep community on its path.
    – Ankit
    Sep 5, 2012 at 23:11
2

Yes

Windows 7 now supports the ability to load images into the background of the login screen

Although this functionality was designed with 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 DWORD value named "OEMBackground" (no quotes) in the (Windows Registry)

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Authentication\Logon\UI\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. This value may not exist by default, depending on your system (so you may have to create this DWORD).

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. 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 C:\Windows\system32\oobe\info\backgrounds. Like the registry value, this "backgrounds" folder may not exist by default (so you may have to create this folder). The following files (sorted by width-to-height ratio) are supported in this folder:

•backgroundDefault.jpg

•background768x1280.jpg (0.6)

•background900x1440.jpg (0.625)

•background960x1280.jpg (0.75)

•background1024x1280.jpg (0.8)

•background1280x1024.jpg (1.25)

•background1024x768.jpg (1.33-)

•background1280x960.jpg (1.33-)

•background1600x1200.jpg (1.33-)

•background1440x900.jpg (1.6)

•background1920x1200.jpg (1.6)

•background1280x768.jpg (1.66-)

•background1360x768.jpg (1.770833-)

NOTE: Images must be less than 256kb in size.

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.

So you could edit the current background Image or make your own

Source of Information

A more in depth tutorial here for the registry editing, credits to member Sidd for this one.

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .