Using BootSkin

• 1). Download and install BootSkin (see Resources for link). Once it is installed, open the program.
  
  
• 2). Click on "File" and select "Import from file" from the drop-down menu if you have your own custom skin that you've downloaded or created. Navigate to the location of your ".bootskin" file and select "Open".
  
  
• 3). Click on one of the thumbnails in the main window of the program if you'd like to use one of BootSkin's built-in options. Once an option is highlighted, click on the "Apply" button to make the change. Click "File" from the top menu, and select "Exit" to close the program.
  
  
• 4). Reboot your computer to see if the change took effect. Click on the Start menu in the lower left-hand corner of your desktop and choose "Shut Down," then choose "Restart" from the pop-up menu.
  
  

Using Resource Hacker

• 1). Find the "ntoskrnl.exe" file in "C:/Windows/System32/" directory. Right-click on the file and select "Copy," then right-click on white space in the folder and click "Paste". Right-click this new file and select "rename". Type "ntoskrnl.bak" and press "Enter." This will be your backup file if any errors occur.
  
  
• 2). Open Resource Hacker (see Resources for link). Look for the shortcut on your desktop or in the Start menu.
  
  
• 3). Click "File" and select "Open", then navigate to the same "ntoskrnl.exe" file you just made a copy of in "C:/Windows/System32/".
  
  
• 4). Click on "Bitmaps" in the left-hand column. In the right-hand column, you will see images numbered 1 through 10. If you use Windows XP Pro, save files 1, 8 and 10. If you use the Home edition, save 1, 7 and 9. Click on the files and then click "Save Bitmap" under the action menu. Place in a folder called "Splash" on your desktop.
  
  
• 5). Open a graphics editor such as Photoshop or Windows Paint. Use your graphics program to manipulate the images as you desire, by opening them from the "Splash" folder on your desktop. You must use a 16-color palette to properly view the images, or they will appear black. When you're finished editing the images, save them.
  
  
• 6). Close your graphics editor and go back to Resource Hacker. Click on "Action" in the top menu and select "Replace Bitmaps." Choose the same files that you saved (1, 8, 10 for Pro or 1, 7 and 9 for Home). Find your saved images in the "Splash" folder on your Desktop for the replacements. Make sure to match up the numbers respectively.
  
  
• 7). Click on "File" and choose "Save" from the menu. Your new images should now be in place when you reboot.