Changing BIOS Boot Logo - IBM Thinkpad T41

Message

souka · #1 Post by **souka** » Mon May 24, 2004 12:21 pm

Ok, here's the scoop.

We have spiffy new IBM Thinkpad T40 and T41s, and I want to replace either the IBM or Intel logo with my company's logo.....possibly an #800 to call if the laptop is found.

I found some pretty techno info, but I'm really looking for a simple guide I might tbe able to follow.

so.... how do I change it?

ian · #2 Post by **ian** » Mon May 24, 2004 4:57 pm

Very easy to change the logo on the System Properties page - simply add a bitmap named OEMLOGO.bmp to the Windows\System32 file.

You can also add information - who to call when the system crashes (bit late by then...) etc. by adding another file OEMINFO.bmp to the same Windows\System32

If you mail me I'll send you examples.

Check out www.themexp.org for the boot and startup execs...when I last looked there were over 2900 login screens and around 1700 boot screens!

csv96 · #3 Post by **csv96** » Mon May 24, 2004 5:14 pm

How about the bios boot screen (IBM Thinkpad, Intel Pentium M/Centrino logos, "Press Access IBM...")?

G-Man · #4 Post by **G-Man** » Mon May 24, 2004 5:49 pm

You can't.

Regards,
G-Man

souka · #5 Post by **souka** » Tue May 25, 2004 9:43 am

G-Man wrote:You can't.

Regards,
G-Man

Hmmm... I suspect it can be changed. Why do I say that?

1st: Since getting my T41, the IBM BIOS updates have changed that logo.

2nd: Other IBM laptops (P1 and P2 days) at my company had custom BIOS images showing my company logo and an #800 to call if found.

3rd: It can be done to other systems... example: http://users.cybercity.dk/~dsl6178/bios/Bioslogo.html

And I believe IBM uses a Phoenix BIOS..... I might look into modding that.

G-Man · #6 Post by **G-Man** » Tue May 25, 2004 10:25 am

There was a program called Personalization Editor, which you can display such personal information as your name and address on the screen each time you power on your computer. But this program doesn't work with newer TPs.

Regards,
G-Man

souka · #7 Post by **souka** » Tue May 25, 2004 3:11 pm

Ok. I bet that what was used in the past.

Any possiblity of a similar util for the newer systems?

or a path to take calling IBM support?

n3il · #8 Post by **n3il** » Wed May 26, 2004 6:32 am

It *IS* possible to do it - by using the BIOS update diskette. It does not work with the "e-flash" utility from within windows.

I will see if I can look into it some more and find out exactly how to use it...

HTH

Neil

n3il · #9 Post by **n3il** » Wed May 26, 2004 6:44 am

http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview.ws ... MIGR-53259

I have found that so far..... will keep looking.

HTH

n3il · #10 Post by **n3il** » Wed May 26, 2004 7:00 am

From the README.txt file on the BIOS update floppy diskette:

NOTES ON CUSTOM START UP IMAGES
THIS VERSION OF THE FLASH UPDATE PROGRAM GIVES THE OPTION OF REPLACING (OR ELIMINATING) THE DEFAULT "IBM" IMAGE THAT IS DISPLAYED DURING SYSTEM START UP.
THE USER CAN SUBSTITUTE A 16 COLOR WINDOWS BITMAP (.BMP) TO REPLACE THE DEFAULT IMAGE.

1. LOGO.BAT (ON THE FLASH DISKETTE) WILL ONLY WORK IN A MICROSOFT (R) OPERATING SYSTEM DOS WINDOW.
2. PREPARE YOUR IMAGE BY NAMING IT 'LOGO.BMP'.
3. PLACE THE LOGO.BMP FILE ON THE FLASH DISKETTE
4. GO TO THE DOS WINDOW AND SWITCH TO THE DISKETTE DRIVE WITH THE FLASH DISKETTE. RUN LOGO.BAT TO COMPRESS AND PREPARE THE BITMAP FILE FOR FLASHING. LOGO.MOD IS THE RESULT.
5. UDATE ACCORDING TO INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

AFTER YOU UPDATE THE BIOS ON YOUR SYSTEM, YOUR LOGO WILL APPEAR ON THE STARTUP SCREEN.

SOME GUIDELINES FOR THESE IMAGES INCLUDE:

1. THE COMPRESSED IMAGE FILE SIZE LIMITED TO 10KB.
2. SIMPLE DESIGNS (THE IMAGE WILL BE COMPRESSED AND COMPLEX IMAGES DON'T COMPRESS WELL...)
3. AN IBM LOGO IS USED BY DEFAULT, BUT A 16 COLOR 640x480 WINDOWS .BMP FILE CAN BE USED INSTEAD.

HTH

Conmee · #11 Post by **Conmee** » Wed May 26, 2004 8:23 am

Awesome find, N3eil!!!

Now to see if it works...

Daniel

G-Man · #12 Post by **G-Man** » Wed May 26, 2004 9:13 am

Good job n3il! But I don't have a diskette drive.

Will it work with an IBM USB Memory Key? It's bootable.

Regards,
G-Man

akerman · #13 Post by **akerman** » Wed May 26, 2004 9:14 am

Diskette ???

(

Is it possible to use a cd-r instead ?

souka · #14 Post by **souka** » Wed May 26, 2004 12:54 pm

Definelty can boot from a USB Floppy drive.

"Should" be able to boot from a USB Key and/or a CDR if properly formatted.... look around for "Barts boot disk" lotsa info.

dcdomain · #15 Post by **dcdomain** » Wed May 26, 2004 2:13 pm

Fantastic info! Can't wait till mine arrives. Half the fun is just customizing it...

AssPenny · #16 Post by **AssPenny** » Wed May 26, 2004 8:03 pm

Yes the T40 is bootable from an USB key. It shows up as a harddrive in the bios, you just have to place it first in the pecking order to boot from it.

G-Man · #17 Post by **G-Man** » Wed May 26, 2004 10:37 pm

Thanks A**Penny.

I have this IBM USB Memory Key for more than a year, but never tried booting from it. I'll give it a try.

Regards,
G-Man

dcdomain · #18 Post by **dcdomain** » Thu May 27, 2004 12:03 am

AssPenny wrote:Yes the T40 is bootable from an USB key. It shows up as a harddrive in the bios, you just have to place it first in the pecking order to boot from it.

Woah so you are saying that any USB key can be made bootable? What type of system files need to be on it? The usual ones from any boot disk?

G-Man · #19 Post by **G-Man** » Thu May 27, 2004 1:07 am

dcdomain wrote:What type of system files need to be on it? The usual ones from any boot disk?

Here is the link for downloading files to make your IBM USB Memory Key bootable.

Regards,
G-Man

souka · #20 Post by **souka** » Thu May 27, 2004 10:49 am

AssPenny wrote:Yes the T40 is bootable from an USB key. It shows up as a harddrive in the bios, you just have to place it first in the pecking order to boot from it.

Press F12 during boot up...it will create a list to pick from for just that boot. If you don't see your USB Device, go into the BIOS under Boot Options and make sure it's "Allowed"

Also, I've played around with my bois a bunch... currently running a 100k Department of Defense logo...heheh. Kinda wierd...the BIOS Diskette says 10k limit.... wierd....

dcdomain · #21 Post by **dcdomain** » Thu May 27, 2004 3:02 pm

G-Man wrote:
Here is the link for downloading files to make your IBM USB Memory Key bootable.

Regards,
G-Man

So it has to be an IBM usb key? Or can any generic one work? I wonder what would be in the IBM key that would set it apart from the others.

JohnV · #22 Post by **JohnV** » Thu May 27, 2004 3:09 pm

Any USB storage device should work fine.

n3il · #23 Post by **n3il** » Thu May 27, 2004 4:06 pm

souka wrote:the BIOS Diskette says 10k limit.... wierd....

10k limit is the *compressed* size (after using the LOGO.BAT file).

I believe they state that 100k is an ideal size (or perhaps maximum ideal size) for the uncompressed bitmap file...

souka · #24 Post by **souka** » Fri May 28, 2004 10:26 am

JohnV wrote:Any USB storage device should work fine.

IBM Software that's linked above will ONLY work for certain IBM keys.... I tried....coms back with "NO IBM Key Found"

I happend to have a 32mb IBM Key....when I tried that it said something like "Unsupported IBM USB Key"

Paul S · #25 Post by **Paul S** » Sat May 29, 2004 6:39 pm

Has anyone successively customized the BIOS logo screen?

What graphics software was used to generate the 4 bit colour bitmapped file? Windows Paint seem to be rejected by chkbmp.

#26 Post by **erik** » Sat May 29, 2004 7:37 pm

Paul S wrote:What graphics software was used to generate the 4 bit colour bitmapped file? Windows Paint seem to be rejected by chkbmp.

try paint shop pro. you can download a free demo from jasc.com. it's only about $80 if you decide it's worth buying.

-erik

Paul S · #27 Post by **Paul S** » Sat May 29, 2004 11:44 pm

Have you tried paintshop pro? It doesn't work for me.

souka · #28 Post by **souka** » Sun May 30, 2004 1:03 am

Paint Shop pro works great.

I took a 1mb digital pic of my dog, scaled it down to 200x100 (approx) and pasted it on a 640x480 16 color background.

Look kinda lame, but hey...it works!

akerman · #29 Post by **akerman** » Wed Jun 16, 2004 6:48 am

just bumping this thread.. I don't want it to be deleted because it wasn't updated in 10 days =)

benz · #30 Post by **benz** » Wed Jun 16, 2004 7:56 am

Good idea. The information from this thread is gonna go in the new FAQ that will be a sticky, we just have to compile it first.

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