2011-02-09, 23:42
This thread will deal with branding of Windows computers to look like an appliance.
Yesterday I started searching the forums and Google to find out how I can make Windows invisble while booting and using XBMC.
This video shows my first result: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfdXemzxw30
What I have done is the following:
My specs are as follows:
Software I've used
Here are some images of the process:
I used Photoshop to create the animation and saved it as 105 BMP files
These are the 105 animation files needed for the boot screen
This program altered the windows config files for the boot screen
I used this program to edit the windows welcome screen
This program replaced the wallpaper at the welcome screen
All the program files and animation files will be available at my dropbox as soon as the upload is finished.
I hope that other forum member which are interested in such branding etc will contribute to this thread by adding more tips and tweaks and to further enhance the appliance feel.
edit: link to rar-file containing the software and animation bmps ---> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7897818/XBMC/XBM...anding.rar
Yesterday I started searching the forums and Google to find out how I can make Windows invisble while booting and using XBMC.
This video shows my first result: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfdXemzxw30
What I have done is the following:
- Altered the Windows boot screen to display XBMC loading instead of Windows loading. I also made a new animation
- Tweaked the login screen to be as non-windows as possible (removing all icons and branding, new wallpaper and automatic login)
- Disabled the explorer.exe and instead used Eventghost as shell to launch XBMC directly after login (using this guide: http://wiki.xbmc.org/?title=HOW-TO_make_..._Werner.29)
- Disabled some of the auto-startup services (in msconfig and services.msc)
- Edited the current Windows theme to black and disabled all fancy GUI stuff like the aero theme and such
My specs are as follows:
- HTPC: Shuttle XS35 GT (noisy as a calculator <3)
- 2GB ram (OCZ or Kingston or something)
- Intel X25 40GB SSD harddive
- Windows 7 Home Premium
- Logitech Z-5500
- Logitech diNovo Edge wireless keyboard
Software I've used
- Eventghost (shell replacement)
- Win7BootUpdater (boot screen altering)
- Win7LogonBackgroundChanger (welcome screen wallpaper change)
- LogonScreenTweaker (removing buttons and branding etc from welcome screen)
Here are some images of the process:
I used Photoshop to create the animation and saved it as 105 BMP files
These are the 105 animation files needed for the boot screen
This program altered the windows config files for the boot screen
I used this program to edit the windows welcome screen
This program replaced the wallpaper at the welcome screen
All the program files and animation files will be available at my dropbox as soon as the upload is finished.
I hope that other forum member which are interested in such branding etc will contribute to this thread by adding more tips and tweaks and to further enhance the appliance feel.
edit: link to rar-file containing the software and animation bmps ---> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7897818/XBMC/XBM...anding.rar