Vista - [Solution] Modding boot screen with Vista SP1 (32 & 64 bit)

0) Run msconfig command and sign the "No GUI boot" option under boot options.
1) Use Vista Visual Master to generate winload.exe.mui with the image you like.
2) Backup the original winload.exe.mui in the C:\Windows\System32\#localelanguagedirectory#

#localelanguagedirectory# = (for example) en-US . fr-FR , it-IT ... u'll know to be in the right one if it has about 1100-1200 files in it. Mine is es-US so u'll read en-US in this topic.

3) Copy the new generated winload.exe.mui in this directory.

4) Restart PC.

Now if u get it working : CONGRATULATIONS !

If u don't you are just like me, then follow these further istructions :

5) Run bcdedit command ... u'll notice there is a missing line in the Boot Loader .

"C:\Users\DrAg0n>bcdedit.exe
Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier {bootmgr}
device partition=C:
description Windows Boot Manager
locale en-US
inherit {globalsettings}
default {current}
resumeobject {91e89640-f856-11dc-beca-ef095f0eef8a}
displayorder {current}
toolsdisplayorder {memdiag}
timeout 30
Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {current}
device partition=C:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Microsoft Windows Vista
inherit {bootloadersettings}
osdevice partition=C:
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {91e89640-f856-11dc-beca-ef095f0eef8a}
nx OptIn
quietboot Yes"

The missing line is "locale en-US". U'll find it the Boot Manager section, but u won't in the Boot Loader one. The right output would have it in BOTH of them. That missing line is the reason your windows vista is not using the winload.exe.mui you generated , even if placed in the correct locale language directory.
6) Go to control panel-> regional and language options.
7) try to change your Formats/Location/Administrative options. In the last one, Change system locale and Copy to reserve accounts. It doens't matter what you will change to, but the change will trigger a sort of reset.
8) Now run again bcdedit command and u'll get the right output with the line what was missing before :

"C:\Users\DrAg0n>bcdedit.exe
Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier {bootmgr}
device partition=C:
description Windows Boot Manager
locale en-US
inherit {globalsettings}
default {current}
resumeobject {91e89640-f856-11dc-beca-ef095f0eef8a}
displayorder {current}
toolsdisplayorder {memdiag}
timeout 30
Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {current}
device partition=C:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Microsoft Windows Vista
locale en-US #<-- This was the missing line
inherit {bootloadersettings}
osdevice partition=C:
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {91e89640-f856-11dc-beca-ef095f0eef8a}
nx OptIn
quietboot Yes"

9) Now u can return to control panel-> regional settings and apply the old settings you were using before the change. (i want to underline that the changing was meant only to RESET the "locale" settings and to have back the missing line in the Boot Loader).

10) Now restart your PC and have fun with your customized boot image.

I want to underline that this won't work if u don't put the winload.exe.mui in the right locale directory, but this is just something u should already know.

What I discovered is the missing line in the bcdedit and i think my situation was just like other people's who had winload.exe.mui in the right locale directory and their Vista justing ignoring it.

Make me aware of your results and spread this solution to other forums about modding vista.

Bye

PS
I don't know if someone already discovered this, but i didn't find it after a lot of researching. Btw i found out on myself and i hope this will help ...

PS2

I don't know the missing line is the REAL REASON before it didn't work. All i know i had that missing line, i changed international settings, got it back and got the boot screen working. That's fore sure.

There's a free program available now that makes doing this a lot easier.

Boot Screen - Change

Hope this helps,
Shawn

I already knew
Please read point 1)
Pheraps it is not so known that some people can't change their boot screen even using Visual Master.

Please read again my topic to unrestand.

Bye

Yes.. apart from one thing (to both of your comments). I have that line in both entries, yet I still am getting my custom image ignored. (I used Vista boot logo generator 1.2 for SP1).


So I am still at a a loss.

EDIT: Will try now changing anyway locale for the hell of it and restart and will update this post/.