Can't get Windows 7 custom logon screen background to work after dozens of attempts.

First post anywhere; any and all help appreciated.

I have been trying and failing to get the custom logon screen background to work in Windows 7 Home Premium. I don't want to use software to accomplish this if I don't have to. I have followed the few simple steps described regarding registry changes and also placed the backgroundDefault.jpg and background1280x1024.jpg files as instructed at this site and others and have had no success. I see other users pictures and they look great but every post I find is kind of dated so I wonder if this can still be done or if this functionality no longer exists.

Can anyone help me finally make this work?

Thanks.

Hi Wolverine and Welcome to The Forum.

Can you confirm the backgroundDefault.jpg is located at: C:\Windows\System32\oobe\INFO\BACKGROUNDS? There are no typos in the jpg's name?

And this is the entry you've added to your registry?

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Authentication\LogonUI\Background]
"OEMBackground"=dword:00000001

The registry is exactly as you've listed. The jpg is correctly named. I have \info\backgrounds in lower case.

Strange.

The only other thing I can think of is to disable UAC temporarily and see if it changes then.

Aah!! Something else. Check the size of your backgroundDefault.jpg. The maximum size is 256kb otherwise it won't change.

I disabled the UAC and still no go. The files are all under 256kb. Maybe you can tell me where to get one you know works and I can try that. My oldest son was over today and he said custom logon backgrounds work fine for him on his PC with Windows 7 but he uses a program to accomplish it. I really don't want to use a program and vastly prefer to do the tasks myself as a learning experience. Once upon a time I was pretty good at this sort of thing but that was in a different millenium!!! I'm really looking to bring my former programming and system skills (little used in many a year) into the current world. If you can point me to any group or person who can help me get this to work without a black box I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks for responding.

This is my backgroundDefault.jpg that I use, with a reg file to 'activate' and one to 'de-activate'.

update: it works!

Well I guess you are not the "resident eejit" after all and as far as your ending quote on your posts goes...Iam that talented fool of which you speak! I know I have tried to get this to work mainly late at night but that is no excuse for incorrectly typing the info\background directory as info\backgound. Must have looked it over a hundred times and not saw the error. Thank you for your efforts and I will post my next questions after examining my typing skills a little closer.

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Tried your jpeg and used the reg file and verified the setting and value. Still won't work. Must be something else stopping it. Can you recommend a logon customization program to try? I will try one and see what happens. I know from looking at posts around the net that many people have it working and quite a few have the same problem I have. Figuring this out will help a lot of people. This should work in home premium edition, correct?

Can we just clarify. Are you trying to change the background of where you chose the Account to use (Logon screen)? Are are you talking about the pulsating Windows flag (boot screen)?

Do you have TuneUp Utilities installed?

The logon screen is what I was working on. It does work now. I had misspelled the folder name "\background" where the custom background screens are located. Thanks again for your help, it got me to quit being so frustrated and actually look a little harder for what I may have done wrong to cause the problem. Where do I get the TuneUp utitilies you mentioned and what can it do for me?

Originally Posted by wolverine12

The logon screen is what I was working on. It does work now. I had misspelled the folder name "\background" where the custom background screens are located. Thanks again for your help, it got me to quit being so frustrated and actually look a little harder for what I may have done wrong to cause the problem. Where do I get the TuneUp utitilies you mentioned and what can it do for me?

I asked about TuneUp as it can change your logon screen and may have been interfering with you doing it manually. It can also change many other things that you didn't want changing. Steer clear!! If you want to customise your system, (icons etc.) ask me / here. You don't need a third party ap to do it.