Underneath the screen might be a picture already, provided by the manufacturer of your machine. Then there's also a file called "Oemlogo.bmp" located in your system directory (for 9x, \windows\system, for 2k \winnt\system32, XP \windows\system32\). If not, then create a .bmp there, sized 180 x 120 (most common mentioned size, but smaller will do to, MS mentioning 172 x 172) with this name, your "logo" on it.

If you don't want it "square" there, use some transparancy, for the background use the color you are using for '3D-objects'. That is, if you're using a fullcolor bitmap, most easy.

Funny details seem to apply when using other palettes, and correct us if you find this differing. If you create a .bmp with 256 colors (tested with system and IE browser palette), it's the color used in the bottomleft corner pixel that gets displayed transparant. But if you create a .bmp with the standard VGA palette (16 predefined colors), it seems to be the pixel, and color in it, next to it on the right ?! Makes you wonder who got paid to think that out :). Oh well, if you make sure there's a border all around with that color, you're ok anyhow.



Bitmap won't be displayed if there isn't a file called "Oeminfo.ini" too, in the same directory. If not there, create a .txt file there and rename it. If there, you can edit it. The structure of this file could be: The first two lines, Manufacturer and Model, are displayed on this tab. Actually, you can leave the model line empty; it's the manufacturer line that is required to display oemlogo.bmp. Anything else is optional, and when an oeminfo.ini is found initially, mostly the [ICW] and [OEMSpecific] sections aren't even there, neither are the SupportURL/LocalFile lines.

Also, the [Support Information] section is clear - content is displayed as the information that pops up after clicking the Support Information-button (only there if something is set). You can put your hardware shop there (or your own address on someone else's machine...).

But while the [OEMSpecific] section is probably used by vendors of fully setup systems (for what ?!), is that the case for the [ICW] section (read somewhere it defined titlebar text for the support information window (information caption word ?), but it doesn't do that in 98 and 2k), and how about the SupportURL and LocalFile lines. Ok, it all does what we want it to, but some answers would be appreciated!

A tool to do some work here is OEM Logo Master, by Mindbeat. It creates both files for you and resizes .bmp and .jpg to fit.

Another one (thanks hoogen) is WinRetrieve. Creates the .ini and copies/renames your .bmp. But it lets you also retrieve/edit your personal info, like name, company, key and product ID. Link points to frontpage promising a return atm.

If you want to change the monitor picture too, you've got to modify "sysdm.cpl", in your system directory too. It's a 16-bit file within Win 95/98/Me, so you'll need eXeScope, a worthwhile shareware resource hacker (the freeware alternative doesn't do 16-bit files). Within Win 2k/XP it's a 32-bit file, so Resource Hacker will do; the .cpl is a non-protected file, so exchange is easy. More instructions here. Note on the palette: you'll need to stick to 16 colors, but these don't need to be the standard VGA colors, a custom palette will work.

A nice feature of eXeScope is, it lets you modify all text items inside the .cpl too, and lots of dialog properties (like a renamed, resized and repositioned "support information" button in the example above).

Changing the info on the processor, underneath model/manufacturer, can be done at this registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Hardware\Description\System\CentralProcessor\0.
Most of it gets restored after a restart though, so don't bother :).