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Cordelia's Corner for the Complete Newbie: Part 9
Published on January 13, 2005 By Cordelia In OS Customization

When you start up your computer it is known as "booting". Contrary to popular belief, it should have nothing to do with any physical kicking of the computer. No matter how angry you are you must learn to control your computer rage - but that is the topic of a different article.

 

The standard Boot Screen usually looks something like this (I'm running XP. Actual Boot screens may vary. Objects on desktop are closer than they appear):

 

 

BootSkin is one of the easier programs to use, which is good for me as I am criminally lazy. You can find out more and download it for free here. BootSkin is essentially the same in purpose as all of the other skinning programs we've discussed; it replaces the standard Boot Screen with one of your choosing.

 

When you download and install BootSkin the user interface looks like this:

 

 

So...not too many buttons. At the top you have "File" and "Help" and at the bottom you have "Preview" and "Apply". BootSkin comes with 5 different skins pre-loaded, and you can download many others from the WinCustomize BootSkin Library.

 

The first two images in the list are in fact not new skins. The top one is how you revert to the standard boot screen. Just click on "Default System Boot Screen" and click "Apply" and your Boot Screen returns to normal. The second option in the list is "Browse Boot Screen Library". Clicking on this will take you to the WinCustomize BootSkin Library where you can graze over the hundreds of BootSkin screens there like a crazed herbivore.

 

 

 

Once you've downloaded and saved a skin to - where? That's right: someplace you will remember! (When in doubt use "My Downloads". Or better yet, use your own downloads folder; that'll probably be easier). You can then go to BootSkin and click on "File" and "Import From File" and find your new skin and import it to your list. I have chosen: Unfortunate Events Movie by .

 

 

If you are not sure what you've just downloaded, or the thumbnails in the library are too small for your poor blind eyes (like mine) to see then you can click on the "Preview" button and check it out. Clicking anywhere on the preview image will make the image go away again just like magic. Once you've done that, simply click on "Apply" and you are done! Now reboot your computer 15 times just to catch a glimpse of your cool new boot screen!

 

Daily Hint for the Newb: "BootSkin" has nothing to do with either footwear or epidermis. Don't get confused. (Also not edible).

 

Tomorrow's Article: RightClick
 

Enter to win a free brain!!!

(Brain not included. Offer not valid in this solar system)

 

Check out the other Newbie Tutorials here:  #1: Intro.#2: WindowBlinds, Part 1, #3: WindowBlinds, Part 2, #4: Screenshots, #5: IconPackager, #6: Wallpaper Basics; #7: LogonStudio; #8: CursorXP 
 

Skin I'm running today: Retro by Essorant


Comments (Page 1)
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on Jan 18, 2005
o... i had this... but then i put this really cool bootskin and then my computer froze on the boot process. damn. i got traumatized and never had it again =O
on Jan 19, 2005
Oh no! When did that happen? There are a couple of more updated versions (I think) if you ever care to try it again. Link. I know what you mean about trauma though. BTW was that the first time you had tried BootSkin or had it worked in the past for you?
on Jan 29, 2005
haa, it was the 1st time i tried it out... i dont know about the updates and so... cuz the worst part, and maybe it was a little dumb, its because i was trying it out on a server computer, so when it froze, i froze, cuz then the rest of the network would not work as well =/

now i have a new computer and i might try it out again, with the updated versions and stuff... x)
on Jan 29, 2005
If any of you want to MAKE a bootskin here is the best tutorial on the net:

http://www.skinning.net/viewtopic.php?t=391
on Feb 03, 2005
i've tryed bootskin 1.03, 1.04, 1.05, And i still get a boot error.
Possebility, Can anyone tell me if my AWARD bios or my linus boot loaner could be the problem? or my Mobo? (MSI: KM400A [KM4AM-L])
I really like the concept of boot loader, and i have 0 problems with all other customization progs. please help me


on Feb 17, 2005
Ahhh Citizen IIIAIKOIII, I am but a humble writer of articles about the basics and am not able to help with what seems (to me) to be a rather technical problem. I shall have to direct you to support@stardock.com, and mayhaps you will find what you truly seek there. Sorry!
on Feb 17, 2005
Hey Citizen IIIAIKOIII, I had the same problem... it just freezes when it's booting, right? I got the same bios (but never updated it, never found a good reason to do so), though my motherboard is an Asus a7s333... it sux =P
on Oct 07, 2006
Tried this several times and its either caused my machine not to boot(defaults to the f8 menu) or just gone ahead with the standard boot screen. I think the prob is I'm running media center 2005 ed. Is there a way to make this work with media center?? Windows 98 was so simple you just replace the bleeping file! Or am I stuck in windows boot screen hell??
on Dec 18, 2006
right, i did everything as it says, i get: boot screen skinning is disabled, where to enable it?
on Mar 26, 2007
yeah, happened the same to me, started loading and then blue screen and resets,
on Mar 26, 2007
Bootskin doesn't work with all BIOS. Try the different versions Stardock has available, and if none of those work you're stuck with the default bootskin.
on Jun 29, 2007
i tried 6 times abd it wouldnt work
on Jun 29, 2007
i tried 6 times abd it wouldnt work
Did you try uninstalling and installing the "alternative versions" from the bootskin download page?

Some BIOS' just won't work though.  It's not a bootskin issue, it's a BIOS problem.
on Sep 20, 2007
ok im deff a newbie.. but no where did i find it saying not for vista... so does it work with vista or what cause i tried it and freaked!!!! when puter wouldnt work... its ok now but am afraid to try it again...
on Sep 20, 2007

ok im deff a newbie.. but no where did i find it saying not for vista... so does it work with vista or what cause i tried it and freaked!!!! when puter wouldnt work... its ok now but am afraid to try it again...


Bootskin is not compatible with Vista. 
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