Custom Welcome Screen

[northeast_technician]

Hello, I have created a custom welcome / login screen for one of the schools that I work at. How do I set the gpo to use it? its server 2008r2 by the way

 

Thanks

[featured_spectre]

Which version of windows are you applying it too?

[northeast_technician]

7 pro edition

[X-13]

Hello, I have created a custom welcome / login screen for one of the schools that I work at. How do I set the gpo to use it? its server 2008r2 by the way

 

Thanks

 

All stations > computer configuration > Policies > Administrative templates

 

• System > Logon

 

Always use custom logon background = enabled

 

 

In addition, the following are set to ensure the correct image is being applied:

 

All stations > computer configuration > Preferences > Windows Settings > Files:

 

 

Login screen:

 

Replace

Source files: \\[sEVER]\[share]\Login wallpapers\*

 

Destination folder: %systemroot%\System32\oobe\info\backgrounds\

 

 

 

Sorry if it sounds way to formal... I ripped that straight from my documentation. [slightly edited to remove site specific stuff.]

 

Put the login wallpapers in "\\[sEVER]\[share]\Login wallpapers\" and it'll be fine. If you're planning on using different ones for seasons/terms/events, put them in separate sub folders and edit the GPO setting as appropriate.

 

We have Server 2008r2 and Windows 7 clients.

Edited February 28, 2014 by X-13

[featured_spectre]

I did it this way (wrote down the instructions) for an individual machine which I then cloned. This method will require you to modify the registry, and if that puts a knot in your stomach, you should move on to the next section.

 

Step 1: Open the Windows Start menu and enter regedit into the search bar.

Step 2: Right click on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and select Find.

Step 3: Search for OEMBackground, which should be in Computer>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>SOFTWARE>Microsoft>Windows>CurrentVersion>Authentication>LogonUI>Background. If the key does not exist, add a new DWORD value with the name OEMBackground.

Step 4: Double click on the entry OEMBackground, and change the value from 0 to 1.

Step 5: Open Windows Explorer and go to the following path: %windir%system32oobe.

Step 6: Create a new folder named info, and open it.

Step 7: Create a new folder within info named backgrounds.

Step 8: Rename your desired wallpaper as backgroundDefault.jpg and place it inside the folder backgrounds (images must be less than 245KB in size).

 

That should do the trick, now just lock your PC, log off or reboot and enjoy.

[Oaktech]

Are you looking for this:

 

Computer configuration: Policies: Windows Settings: Security Settings: Local Policies: Security Options: Interactive Logon:Interactive Logon, Message text for users attempting to logon.

 

??

[northeast_technician]

no, actually replacing the background image. thanks though

[northeast_technician]

cant for some reason get this to do the job, even tried taking out the \info section and just replaced the background image but with no joy. any ideas what may be going wrong

[J_Worth]

What format is the logon background in? Only jpg images work for the background image and it needs to be less than 200kb (iirc).

 

Also, you need to name the background - "backgroundDefault.jpg"

[laserblazer]

I've found changing the wallpaper to be easiest for my requirements. User Config - Admin Template - Desktop - Desktop - Desktop Wallpaper. The image is called logon.jpg and resides in the netlogon folder. If I want to change it, I just name the new image logon.jpg.

[northeast_technician]

which image does it replace or do i need to set the gpo to create?

[J_Worth]

which image does it replace or do i need to set the gpo to create?

 

You will want to create a GPO that copies backgroundDefault.jpg from say NETLOGON to C:\Windows\System32\oobe\info\backgrounds\

 

You need to set the GPO setting "Always use custom logon background" which is located in "Computer Configuration\Policies\Admin Templates\System\Logon"

 

This should then work and on the logon screen your custom background should be shown.

 

Regards, J_Worth

[northeast_technician]

I dont know whats going wrong, I have done everything said and it still doesnt change the background. I have even made the gpo enforced

[Steve21]

I dont know whats going wrong, I have done everything said and it still doesnt change the background. I have even made the gpo enforced

 

How big is your file? Normally has to be under 256kb etc.

 

Steve

[northeast_technician]

its 60kb

[X-13]

Silly question, but have you run "gpupdate /force" and restarted?

[J_Worth]

I dont know whats going wrong, I have done everything said and it still doesnt change the background. I have even made the gpo enforced

 

If you want, feel free to message me your GPO showing the settings, and I'll take a look.

[northeast_technician]

Silly question, but have you run "gpupdate /force" and restarted?

yes and restarted the machine several times over the last day or so

[northeast_technician]

here is my gpo

[X-13]

yes and restarted the machine several times over the last day or so

 

It should be picking it up then...

 

If you go to "%systemroot%\System32\oobe\info\backgrounds" is there anything there?

 

If the image is there, make sure it's called "backgroundDefault.jpg" [if it isn't already called that, rename it] and reboot.

 

 

If it isn't there, you're going to have to check the GPOs to make sure they're all correct.

[northeast_technician]

it is there but has called itself background not backgrounddefault so the policy is running its just not setting the picture to the login screen, not sure why it is a different name

[northeast_technician]

when setting the action for the file, should it be replace, update or create

[X-13]

"%systemroot%\System32\oobe" has "background.bmp"

 

"%systemroot%\System32\oobe\info\backgrounds" should be "backgroundDefault.jpg"

 

I just checked my GPOs and they're the same as yours, so I can't see why it's being weird.

 

 

Try changing the destination to "%systemroot%\System32\oobe\info\backgrounds\backgroundDefault.jpg"

 

 

when setting the action for the file, should it be replace, update or create

 

Update only changes attributes if they've changed, not the entire file.

Create is a one off. If it's there it won't change anything.

Replace changes the file if something changes. [i'm not sure if it replaces it every time the GPOs refresh.]

Edited March 11, 2014 by X-13

[northeast_technician]

action-create or replace

[X-13]

action-create or replace

 

Up to you. I use replace.

 

If you plan on changing it for seasons/terms/events; use replace.

 

If it's going to be the same all the time; use create.