BootSkin Pro – Changing and Using Vista BootSkins

Published on November 24, 2008 By Island Dog In OS Customization

BootSkin Pro was part of the Object Desktop 2009 release. It finally allows users of Windows Vista to create and change the boot screen image with a high-resolution image. Whether you either want to change your boot screen, or create your own to share with others, the process is simple.

BootSkin Pro allows you to both create and change bootskins, while BootSkin allows you only to change the boot screen.

To change the boot screen simply open BootSkin, and scroll through the installed skins. Once you find one you want to use, just click “Apply This BootSkin”. That’s it, pretty simple indeed. You can get more BootSkin downloads at the BootSkin gallery on WinCustomize.com. Click “Add New BootSkin”, browse to the downloaded file, and it will install.

If you ever need to get back to the default skin, just apply the Windows Default BootSkin.

Creating a BootSkin for your own use, or to share with others, is just as simple. Start off by selecting the “Create a BootSkin” tab at the top of the BootSkin window.

The requirements are:

Maximum files size of 10mb
.PNG or .JPG format
Image scaled to 1024x768
24-bit color
Internet connection

When ready, type in the title of the boot skin, enter the other information such as your e-mail, and then browse for the image you want to convert for use. BootSkin Pro will upload the image, convert it into the BootSkin format, and place it into your bootskins folder. You can now apply the bootskin or upload to sites such as WinCustomize.com.

Right now, BootSkin Pro is available to Object Desktop subscribers. A stand-alone download will be available soon. You can get more information at www.stardock.com/products/bootskin/.

Comments (Page 2)

Philly0381

on Nov 26, 2008

frostfire101

reply 2

too bad that these options are not in the winxp version.. or will that ever be updated?

Hmmm, now that sounds like a nice update to look at. You made DeskScape available for XP, a new BootSkin program would be nice. You can at least think about it.

sb_41

on Nov 26, 2008

"A stand-alone download will be available soon."

When?

*waits anxiously*

MickeyMowse

on Nov 26, 2008

Might be great if it worked. I have tried it on a Vista Home premium SP1 Machine and on Vista Ultimate Sp1 machine and error since day one....I would like to know what system "AzDude" has and how he made it work?

I've got it running just fine on my vista ultimate desktop and vista business laptop. No problems, just downloaded and installed via impulse

SkruffyTheDJ

on Nov 26, 2008

if you're that upset dude then take it out on MS...the limitation isn't a stardock thing is the OS... and the fact we only get a 4 bit image for the bootscreen... i think stardocks done an awesome job just giving us XP dudes animated walls... what sad is you lack of apparent gratitude for what they did... unless you're a genuise too, and magically managed to do it as well they have for you... which i'm on XP, just so you know... and VISTA to XP let's see we get animated boots, animated logins with options to place the things in various locals... VISTA doesn't that i know of... and we have animated walls... our sys. rocks hello sorry vista guys, luv ya but...Vista kind of cool too and has it's nice points... just think frostfire maybe needs a wakeup check, is all...

DataCentre

on Nov 26, 2008

Oh man I can't wait for this to be released! I'm looking forward to this!

CarGuy1

on Nov 27, 2008

Oh man I can't wait for this to be released! I'm looking forward to this!

It is released and available for download via Impulse to Object desktop 2009 subscribers.

frostfire101

on Nov 28, 2008

well skruffy, i don't think that i'm the one who needs a wake up call.. i kinda think that you may want to consider a little, but simple fact... i never said that i was upset or anything of that nature. i simply asked if the options in the new vista version of bootscreen pro would ever be made available in a new and updated version for windows xp. but since those options will never be made available in the xp version, i just simply feel that's pretty unfortunate. mainly because it would be a nice thing since the xp version getting to be pretty old and is also not supported and will never be updated. but, that is my own opinion and it also appears that it is also the opinion of a few others as well. now if i had a lack of gratitude for the products that stardock has given us, i would not be using them as i have been for the past 7 years. and i also have a great deal of gratitude and respect for those individuals who have created these products as well. so therefore, you may want to consider showning a little respct for others opinions instead of putting words in the mouths of others and implying things that were never said.

Rich

on Nov 28, 2008

I'd like to see this on XP as well. I've never been able to get Bootskin for XP to work. I load it, apply it and my system crashes. I have to go to Safe mode, select the XP boot screen (turn Bootskin off) and reboot and I'm fine. I quit using it a couple years ago because it wouldn't work. I have Vista however, a lot of my older games do not seem to work in Vista and that's a shame, I have some great games and am dissapointed in this turn of events with Vista. Anyway, I'm off topic. Bootskin Pro for XP, that would be a nice upgrade

and thanks for the Deskscape upgrade, pretty cool. The only thing I'd change is allowing dual monitors to work with it.

werewolf

on Nov 28, 2008

Vista Home Premium SP1 and works fine, I think

I get a picture and that's it. Is there supposed to be a progress bar or anything else besides the picture?

ZubaZ

on Nov 28, 2008

I get a picture and that's it. Is there supposed to be a progress bar or anything else besides the picture?

Not at this time.

TuncD

on Dec 01, 2008

Hmm.. Impulse is (kind of) misleading then? Been using the old BootSkin (1.05) on WinXP for a looong time now. Saw BootSkin Pro available on Impulse, and was very happy about it -- even though Impulse did not seem to "recognize" the "old" version (and probably therefore did not publish the new one as an "update") but nevertheless... Just to be on the safe side, I checked Stardock's BootSkin Pro page, which said the requirement is Vista. Also, I saw in this forum:

The WinXP version will not be updated. It has not been updated for many years and still remains unsupported at this time.

So, sadly, it should not be installed on WinXP. I'm not sure if Impulse checks the OS version it's running under, but *imho* it'd be nice to not see it as "available" when it's the case for WinXP. /* Edit: Or perhaps, the name in Impulse could include "Vista", just like LogonStudio Vista does..

ZubaZ

on Dec 01, 2008

Because of the "download and archive" option an app can be downloaded on one system and installed on another.

I agree though that a Windows flag would be nice to see in Impulse if an app is for only one or the other OS.

In bootskin ofr XP's case teh story is a bit different. It has never been officially supported by \Stardock. Too many bugs based on factors outside it's control. It's a special case.

frostfire101

on Dec 02, 2008

TuncD " I'm not sure if Impulse checks the OS version it's running under, but *imho* it'd be nice to not see it as "available" when it's the case for WinXP." Impulse may not recognize what operating system is being used, but if you try to install BootSkin Pro on a Xp system, the installer will tell you that it cannot be installed in that system.

TuncD

on Dec 02, 2008

Thanks Zubaz and frostfire101.

YojimboTora

on Jul 20, 2009

Is there no way to add a progress bar to the Vista Boot Screen?

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