Customize Vista with Imageres.dll

If you are a Windows Vista user who doesn’t like the Vista Logon screen, you are able to change this screen to an image of your choice. You may choose to simply edit the current image, or you may select an entirely new image for your logon screen.

How to Change the Vista Logon Screen

Method 1

  1. Locate imageres.dll in C:\Windows\System32\imageres.dll.
  2. Copy and paste the imageres.dll file to your Desktop.
  3. Download Resource Hacker or PE Explorer.
  4. Use either Resource Hacker or PE Explorer to open the imageres.dll file.
  5. Go to the IMAGE folder.
  6. Edit the login screen by replacing the default image with an image of your choice. Remember, the image must fit your screen?s current resolution.
  7. Back up the original imageres.dll file.
  8. Save and copy the file you created to Windows Vista?s C:\Windows\System32.


Method 2

  1. Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the C:\Windows\system32 folder.
  2. Right click on the imageres.dll file.
  3. Select Properties and then select Security.
  4. Click on the Advanced tab and choose Owner.
  5. Click Edit.
  6. Select Administrator and click OK.
  7. Right click imagres.dll again.
  8. Select Properties and select Security.
  9. Click Edit.
  10. Choose Administrator.
  11. Check Allow in Full Control.
  12. Click OK, Yes and then OK again.
  13. Make two copies of the imageres.dll file.
  14. Name these two copies imageres-new.dll and imageres-old.dll.
  15. Download XN Resource Editor.
  16. Open XN Resource Editor.
  17. Select View and then Options
  18. From the Choose which parser to use list, select XN Resource Editor internal resource parser.
  19. Click on OK.
  20. Go to File in the menu.
  21. Select Open.
  22. Locate and open imagres-new.dll.
  23. Look to the left hand side. You will see a tree for navigation to graphical and user-interface resources in the file.
  24. Expand the IMAGE branch.
  25. You will see numbered folders. Each folder contains a single entry that represents the resolution of the default Welcome screen.
  26. Select your current screen resolution.
  27. You can edit the image using the XN Resource Editor. Using another image is okay as long as the picture has the same pixel dimensions as the one being replaced.
  28. If using another image, copy the picture and paste the file over the selected image.
  29. Save the file and close XN Resource Editor.
  30. Reboot in Safe Mode using the Command Prompt.

    31. In the Command Prompt window that appears, type in copy imageres-new.dll imageres.dll.

  31. Confirm the replacement.
  32. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to bring up the Task Manager.
  33. Look at the lower right hand portion of your Task Manager.
  34. Click the arrow next to the red button.
  35. Select Restart.