How to disable Windows XP 64bit's boot up screens?

[retrometro]

bootskin seems to only work with the 32bit version of XP.

thanks!

[Visitor Q]

Are you talking about the windows splash screens prior to login for windows?

[retrometro]

Are you talking about the windows splash screens prior to login for windows?

Yes, that's right. 

I imagine it shouldn't be too hard to modify bootskin since all it's doing is overwriting the location of the image in the loader.  Although I guess that's the real time involved.

[Visitor Q]

Not sure about this one, I got the auto login to work but I have not tried this yet.

I am not saying to do this but you should be able to find your answer via Google and when you do, please post.

I would think someone has done this here already though...

[DeLuSioNal29]

This tutorial was written on how to "autoboot" Maximus Arcade in Windows XP, but it has some tips on how to hide windows (without using any external programs).

http://forums.maximusarcade.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=506

I'm not sure if it will work on the 64-bit version, but you can give it a shot.

~ DeLuSioNaL

[retrometro]

DeLuSioNal29, you rock!  Excellent article.  I'm reposting the text here in case that link / thread ever goes away.


by cog on Tue Oct 31, 2006 5:24 am

Here's the easy but not completely-and-totally-awesome way of doing it:

* Put a shortcut to the Maximus Arcade executable in the "Startup" folder of your 'start' menu.

The downside is that you'll see windows loading, flashing up for a few seconds before MA loads, showing your desktop/icons/taskbar, and doing all the window-y things it does.


Here is the rad way to do it. It's much easier than it sounds, and it completely and totally hides Windows! I've really explained it to death, but it simply comes down to changing two registry values.

First off, it's best to get MA set up the way you need, though not completely necessary.

Second, I'd recommend using the new beta of Maximus Arcade since it lets you run a program on exit.

What you're doing in this method is replacing the Windows shell with Maximus Arcade. This means that instead of Explorer being the interface (along with taskbars/icons/desktops... essentially Windows itself), Maximus Arcade is the operating system interface, so that's all you see.

Here begins the info:

PART 1: Prep Work

Maximus Arcade doesn't need to be configured completely at this point, but you might as well get everything the way it should be. The following is the VERY IMPORTANT thing to configure since it lets you exit out to Windows even after you completely hide it if you choose to do so:
*In MA's config screen, go to the "Options" tab, then to the "Exit" tab. Check the "Run Application on Exit" box, and enter c:\windows\explorer.exe

Best thing you can do, for ease of use after hiding Windows, is to set up a second WinXP 'admin' user. Make sure both users have full administration priviledges. The need for the second account will become obvious as you read on.

While logged in as the user that will be your Maximus Arcade-launching account, we're going to simplify and automate the login process:

Click "Start", select 'Run', and type the following:

control userpasswords2

Uncheck "Users must enter a username and password" and click "Apply"

It'll ask for the username and password for the autologin account. Enter the info for the Maximus Arcade account here. Click "OK" as many times as it likes.

PART 2: Replacing the shell with MA

Click Start, select run, run regedit and browse to the following:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\IniFileMapping\system.ini\boot

There will be a string named "Shell". Edit the beginning of this string, changing SYS: to USR: For example, my Shell value was:
SYS:Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
and now reads:
USR:Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

Even if you go back to the way things were at some point, you do not need to change this option back.

Now browse to the following in regedit:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

If there's no string named "Shell" here, add one. Edit the string and make it reflect the path to Maximus Arcade. Spaces are okay, and quotes are not necessary. Example:

c:\games\ma204b1\maximus arcade\maximus arcade.exe

DONE! Easy? Yes. Shell is replaced as of now. If you set Maximus Arcade to run explorer.exe on its exit, it will run a regular windows interface upon quitting MA. Additionally (an "even better" option) is to configure a button in MA for "Power Down Computer". This way once you boot directly into MA while completely hiding windows, you have the choice of either shutting down the pc, or popping out into windows to do config or other things like switching to your second admin user (second user becomes necessary if you do the optional things below)

PART 3: Things you might as well do if you made it this far (all optional, but cool)

a) Hide the "Loading Settings" popup
-run regedit and go to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System

-Create a DWORD value called "DisableStatusMessages", and edit its value to the number 1
(or edit this dword if it already exists, which it likely doesn't)

b) Kill the Welcome and Startup/Shutdown screens
-in regedit go to:
HKEY_USERS\DEFAULT\Control Panel\Colors\Background

-change the value to: 0 0 0 (those are zeros, and the spaces ARE necessary)

-now, go to the Control Panel -> User Accounts and select "Change the way users log on or off". Uncheck "Use Welcome Screen"

c) Kill the pop-up bubbles like "USB device connected" "Not all Star Menu Objects can be shown", etc
-run regedit yet again and go to:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

-Create a DWORD named "EnableBalloonTips", and give it a hex value of "0" (zero)

d) Get rid of the WinXP bootscreen
-This is how i did it. There are programs that can give you the full featured ones with progress bars, etc, but my new bootscreen is the "Winners don't use drugs" screen from old arcade games, so it's a static image. It's perfect.  Plus it's the easiest/least accident prone method of changing it.

-Make a 640x480 16-COLOR bitmap. It MUST be saved or converted to a 16-color bitmap. Or ask me for mine. Name it "boot.bmp" and keep it in your c:\windows directory

-Go to My Computer -> Properties -> Advance -> Startup and Recovery -> Settings

-Click "Edit Startup Options" and add the following to the end of what's there:
/bootlogo /noguiboot
(make sure you leave a space between the existing options and the ones you added above, and keep a space between the two new options while you're at it)

[Bender]

does anyone know if that will work for vista?

Nevermind I "Upgraded" to XP 64

worked perfectly!