Modifing Windows Vista GUI boot screen

NOTE: At this time Windows will stop the boot process due to driver signature enforcement since the file modified is a cirtical system file just hit F8 and select Disable Driver Signature Enforcement each time you boot.

For starters, you will need:
Resource Tuner (the trail version is just fine for what you need to do)
A image editor software that can save 4 bit .bmp images (I used Adobe Photoshop CS5 Extended)

It is actualy pretty simple, all you need to do is create a image that will line up with the green progress bar durring the boot load. The image will have to be at the resolution 640x480. Sadly, the image's colors can only be within a certain color index which is why Photoshop would work well for what is needed. I know that Paint.NET is unable to get the picture right but I am not sure about any other image editing software. The color index is neccesary to make the image 4 bit and able to be used by Windows. There are two color indexes that you should apply. The first one (which is attached as a .zip named "ntkrnlpacolorscheme.zip") the other can be done manualy by making the color index have all the colors black.

Once you save the image as a 4 bit .bmp then you need to open Resource Tuner as administrator and find ntkrnlpa.exe (if ntkrnlpa.exe doesn't work for you use ntoskrnl.exe instead). Once ntkrnlpa.exe is open in Resource Tuner in the folder Bitmap it will be the first .bmp. The image will be black so you replace it with the final version of your new boot screen. The one you put in may be in black and white even though it was saved in black, it is just something PS does Windows will color it right when it boots. Then you Save File As... nrkrnlpa.exe or ntoskrnl.exe (DO NOT OVERWRITE IT UNLESS IT IS BACKED UP)

There is also a visual tutoural attached to this post. Along with the boot screen that I created (Vista boot Screen v3.5.zip)

Please feel free to post any questions or useful information.

Tevans95

 

Yep it only took 34+ tries to get it right ONLY to find that it was almost if not exactly the same as the XP one. Anyway, glad to have have given you an answer to something you wanted to know. Oh and tell me if you do run into issues. I will be more than happy to help to the best of my ability and I would love to see what you used if you made your own.