I want to customize my log on screen. Where do I insert the file and what extension does it need?
Customizing Windows Vista and XP Logon Screens
It looks like you can indeed change your logon screen in both Vista and XP (and apparently Windows 7, too) though you will need to download a free program called Logon Studio by StarDock.com. This program comes with built-in images that you can use or you can create your own. The Logon Studio program requires Windows XP or Vista (32-bit versions only), a minimum screen resolution of 1024 x 768, 10 MB of free hard disk space, and 512 MB of RAM.
Built-in images range from dainty flowers to aggressive flames. If you don’t like the built-in images, head to WinCustomize.com and check out the images uploaded by the user community. You’re likely to find many images from which to choose. In fact, currently there are over 400 pages of images listed with each page featuring eight images. That’s over 3000 images! Plus, if you want to use one of your own images, the software allows for that too.
A related product, Bootskins Vista by StarDock.com, is also available. This program requires Windows Vista, 10 MB of free hard disk space, 256 MB RAM, and the download of the Impulse download tool. Bootskin loads a beautiful image when Windows loads rather than the boring default that your computer currently displays.
While it may be possible to manually tweak the Windows logon, it looks to be a tricky and risky proposition. Since these tools are free, consider downloading and using them. You can download either program from a trust site such as CNET Downloads.
Customizing the Windows Wallpaper
On the other hand, if you simply want to customize your Windows wallpaper, that is something that you can easily do without downloading anything. Simply right-click the Desktop and choose Properties > Desktop (Windows XP) or Personalize > Desktop Background (Windows Vista). From there, browse your hard drive for your favorite picture or choose one of the built-in options. Be careful to choose one with a reasonable file size; otherwise you may experience performance issues.
