Windows 7 Logon Background (Picture Frame)

[jamin100]

Getting ready to deploy Windows 7, I had changed the authui.dll to remove the blank picture frame from the windows logon screen. Only to realise that when ever Microsoft release an update the authui.dll gets replaced with a new one. So id have to modify the file again to remove the picture frame.

 

Thinking of another route now, and ive seen that people have instead been modifying the logon picture to align up a logo to go underneath the frame.

 

My questions are, does anyone have a modified login image that I can re-modify with our school logo?

Do you need different login screen images to accomodate the different resolution of the machines around the school?

 

Thanks in advance

[localzuk]

Not got one you can use - not got that far ourselves, but yes, you have to have one for every resolution your machines use.

[synaesthesia]

Logo itself should be the same regardless of resolution surely? (this appears to be the case here at least!)

GPO applies same logon picture to everyone, we've modified user.bmp and guest.bmp with our logo on the default image, which I believe are in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\User Account Pictures\

No blank frames here.

[FN-GM]

Logo itself should be the same regardless of resolution surely? (this appears to be the case here at least!)

GPO applies same logon picture to everyone, we've modified user.bmp and guest.bmp with our logo on the default image, which I believe are in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\User Account Pictures\

No blank frames here.

 

Thats only once your logged on, not on the login screen.

[jamin100]

Logo itself should be the same regardless of resolution surely? (this appears to be the case here at least!)

GPO applies same logon picture to everyone, we've modified user.bmp and guest.bmp with our logo on the default image, which I believe are in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\User Account Pictures\

No blank frames here.

 

So, when you turn the PC's on in the morning your logo is there, before people have logged in?

 

Thats only once your logged on, not on the login screen.

 

This is how I understood it too. Once a user has logged in and then out the picture will be in the frame. But if its from a cold boot then it will be blank

[synaesthesia]

Yes that's right - hence replacing both guest and user.bmp, with it forced via GPO. Haven't done anything special to achieve that..

[glennda]

You basicly have to disable showing the previous logged in user (so it leaves it blank). And then cheat with adding backgrounds to system32\oobe\info\backgrounds (check that path). Enable custom login screen option and bobs your uncle.

 

It all depends on screen res's etc for what it will look like and where the image sits.

Edited June 20, 2012 by glennda

[jamin100]

Hmmm, I'll look into that tomorrow. Thanks

[synaesthesia]

Very roughly, in our all workstation default setting policy

Computer Configuration>Admin Templates> Control Panel/User Accts>Apply the default user logon picture - enabled

System>Logon> Assign a default domain

 

 

That's all I can see that's relevant. The guest and user.bmp files changed as mentioned.

[jamin100]

Very roughly, in our all workstation default setting policy

Computer Configuration>Admin Templates> Control Panel/User Accts>Apply the default user logon picture - enabled

System>Logon> Assign a default domain

 

 

That's all I can see that's relevant. The guest and user.bmp files changed as mentioned.

 

hmmm, well that doesnt work here. All i get is an empty frame at logon. The picture frame on the start menu shows the picture but the logon window doesnt.

[localzuk]

Very roughly, in our all workstation default setting policy

Computer Configuration>Admin Templates> Control Panel/User Accts>Apply the default user logon picture - enabled

System>Logon> Assign a default domain

 

 

That's all I can see that's relevant. The guest and user.bmp files changed as mentioned.

 

I thought they wanted to change the background. If so, then that's not the setting needed. To change the logon background:

 

In Regedit, go to HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System

 

In background, create a new 32Bit DWORD called 'useOEMBackground' and set its value to 1.

 

Now, create a the following folder structure (you'll need to make the inf and backgrounds folders) at C:\Windows\System32\oobe\inf\backgrounds

 

You then put your images in there, named 'background1024x768' and 'background1280x1024' etc...

 

The files can only be 250kb maximum.

 

Oh, and this is all done before sysprepping an image.

Edited June 21, 2012 by localzuk

[jamin100]

I dont really want to have to change the background if I can help it. I just want to fill the stupid frame.

[jamin100]

If you dont configure "Do Not Display Last Username" then it will fill the frame with a logo from a cold boot. However, you also then get the last username displayed aswel and have to switch user for anyone else to logon.

[gshaw]

I thought they wanted to change the background. If so, then that's not the setting needed. To change the logon background:

 

In Regedit, go to HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System

 

In background, create a new 32Bit DWORD called 'useOEMBackground' and set its value to 1.

 

Now, create a the following folder structure (you'll need to make the inf and backgrounds folders) at C:\Windows\System32\oobe\inf\backgrounds

 

You then put your images in there, named 'background1024x768' and 'background1280x1024' etc...

 

The files can only be 250kb maximum.

 

Oh, and this is all done before sysprepping an image.

 

Or use GPP to deploy the registry change and files, works perfectly here and doing it via GPP lets me change the logon background to display new course information or announcements as the PC boots up... great place to do it with a captive audience staring at the screen as the PC boots up \ logins in

[sonofsanta]

I thought they wanted to change the background. If so, then that's not the setting needed. To change the logon background:

 

In Regedit, go to HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System

 

In background, create a new 32Bit DWORD called 'useOEMBackground' and set its value to 1.

 

Now, create a the following folder structure (you'll need to make the inf and backgrounds folders) at C:\Windows\System32\oobe\inf\backgrounds

 

You then put your images in there, named 'background1024x768' and 'background1280x1024' etc...

 

The files can only be 250kb maximum.

 

Oh, and this is all done before sysprepping an image.

 

Just going through and doing this now - so came on here to see if anyone could give me a clue where the logo needs to sit on the background, or at least what dimensions it needs to be - and you don't need to set this by registry key. The group policy is Computer Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates > System > Logon > Always use custom logon background.

 

You still need to copy the files using GPP and make sure you have one for every resolution, as it doesn't necessarily work unless every file is present - list here.

 

EDIT: how I wish there was a (sensible) way of moving the Ctrl-Alt-Del message... putting the school logo onto the background so that it fits the frame also means the school logo sits right behind the Ctrl-Alt-Del message and makes the latter unreadable. However you try and shoehorn it in, it ends up looking rubbish at one stage or another. Boo.

Edited June 26, 2012 by sonofsanta