WARNING:

All the usual disclaimers re customizing HyperOS and using the downloadable files hold true. You do so entirely at your own risk, no support is available from this web site, forum or HyperOS Systems Ltd. Updating Windows can result in that computer becoming useless and you may not be able to boot your computer. If things go wrong you only have yourself to blame.

It worked for us, but it may not for you. You have been warned.

The custom boot logo in this archive is for use with XP SP1 ONLY: do NOT attempt to overwrite your existing boot screen if you are using pre-SP1 Windows XP as the palette clash will render it unbootable!

Changing your boot screen

Method 1 – the only one for HyperOs users

- Either switch to another system via HyperOs or boot into Safe Mode or Command Prompt Only by restarting the same system. (You cannot overwrite the existing / default ntoskrnl.exe or boot logo “live” due to the fact that XP protects it as a crucial system file.)
- Back up the file %windir%\system32\ntoskrnl.exe as a safety measure in case the substitution goes wrong.
- Extract ntoskrnl.exe from the archive to %windir%\system32 of the system whose boot logo you want to replace, overwriting the current file.

- Reboot your computer / switch to the appropriate system as you normally would.

N.B.: If you attempt this kind of customization, chances are you will have heard of the excellent shareware BootXP (currently version 2.5). I do not advise use of it with a HyperOs computer for various reasons, having mainly to do with the fact that BootXP operates the boot logo substitution using a method similar to the following one, which however does NOT work with HyperOs since the latter needs to rewrite the boot.ini file at each system switch.


Method 2 - NOT for HyperOs users (but for your information)

You can add a new line to your boot.ini file, giving you a choice of which boot screen you wish to use or for initial testing purposes. (As usual, make a backup copy of it first).
- If need be, rename ntoskrnl.exe to another name - for example ntosboot.exe .
- Move or copy your ntosboot.exe to the %windir%\system32 directory of the relevant system.
- Modify your boot.ini file as follows: type “msconfig” in the Run box, or edit boot.ini using Notepad (it resides it in the C: root). (Note: a HyperOssed computer will always be able to display boot.ini in Windows Explorer; in a “normal” system, the file has hidden and system attributes and is not displayed if you have not

set your Folder Options to display such files by default – by going to Control Panel / Folder Options, selecting the View tab, and ticking both 'Display contents of system folders' and 'Show hidden files and folders' as well as unticking 'Hide protected operating system files').
- In the boot.ini file, copy the line you normally use for boot (this is usually the last line; for e.g.: multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\Windows="Windows XP" /fastdetect), and paste this copy underneath. At the end of this new line, add this text: /KERNEL=ntosboot.exe (The name 'ntosboot.exe' should be whatever you renamed the ntoskrnl.exe to).
- Change the OS name; for example:
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\Windows="Windows XP" /fastdetect /KERNEL=ntosboot.exe
becomes
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\Windows="BootTest" /fastdetect /KERNEL=ntosboot.exe
- Exit & save the boot.ini file.
- Reboot your PC. You should get an option as to which OS you wish to boot into; select your new 'BootTest' option to see if the logo displays OK.

By Laurent © 2004