Q. How can I replace the standard Windows Server 2003 or Windows XP boot splash screen?

A.

You can change the Windows 2003 and XP startup screens to display any 16-color, 640x480 bitmap image. Simply create the bitmap and save it as boot.bmp in the \%systemroot% folder (e.g., C:\windows). Then modify the boot.ini file as follows:

1. Open a command line (Start, Run, cmd.exe).
2. Navigate to the C:\ root directory.
3. Modify the boot.ini file to be writable, by running this command:

   attrib boot.ini -r -s -h  

4. Edit the boot.ini file in Notepad by running the command

   notepad boot.ini  

5. Add the /bootlogo switch and the /noguiboot switch, as the example below shows:

     \[boot loader\]    
   
   timeout=30    
   
   default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS    
   
   \[operating systems\]    
   
   multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows Server 2003,  Enterprise" /fastdetect /bootlogo /noguiboot 

   If you don't add the /noguiboot switch, the standard Windows 2003 logo will be overlaid on your custom image.

6. Save the file, then reset the boot.ini attributes by running the command

     attrib boot.ini +r +s +h 

The figure shows how I modified my computer's startup image.