As useful as it is, the GRUB boot loader is not the prettiest girl in town. The interface is only as beautiful as a text-based interface can be. Even though some people can live with it just fine, some others wish they could beautify the look a little bit.

If you don’t mind meddling with command lines, you can apply some eye candy (and more functionalities) to GRUB with the help of BURG.

Playing Between The Lines

According to the explanation in the Community Ubuntu Documentation:

BURG stands for Brand-new Universal loadeR from GRUB. It’s based on GRUB and adds features like new object format and configurable menu system.

To add BURG from within your Ubuntu installation, you have to use command lines. But worry not, young Jedi! It’s not as scary as it sounds. As long as you follow everything to the letter – no pun intended – you should be just fine.

But before we begin, let’s look at the original boot loader text-based interface that we are trying to change.

The first step you should do is to log into your Ubuntu installation. Then open “Terminal” to execute all the command lines needed to download, install, and configure BURG. You can find Terminal inside “Applications – Accessories“, or you can also use the search function to find it.

By default, BURG is not included in Ubuntu’s standard repository. So you should add the server that hosts BURG files to the repository by executing this command line:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:bean123ch/burg

To avoid mistyping, it’s easier to copy and paste that line to Terminal, and press Enter to execute it.

Then you should download and install BURG (loader, themes and emulator). Use this command to do that:

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install burg

The process could take a while, depending on the speed of your internet connection. It’s essential that you use a stable connection to get the best result. From my experiments, I found out that an unstable connection will cause download problems: some of the components might not download completely, and the installation process will fail.

Configuring BURG

After we finish the download and installation process, the next step is to configure BURG. The Terminal will display something like this:

Press Enter to go to the next screen, and another Enter to skip again.

You will arrive at this “Configuring burg-pc” screen. This one is a little tricky because hitting Enter will not bring you anywhere. After several trial and errors, I found out that you have to select the “OK” option by using the right arrow key on the keyboard or by pressing tab, then after the “OK” is selected, you can press Enter to continue.

The following screen will ask you to choose which device is the “GRUB install device“. If your computer has only one hard drive, you will only see one device. The problem is, how to select it? To avoid accidentally skipping this configuration, press Space to select the device before pressing Enter.

Navigating BURG

The configuration is now done. You can restart your system and the GRUB boot loader menu will be replaced by BURG.

Navigating within BURG is easy: use the arrow keys on the keyboard to choose the operating system and Enter to load it.

You can also switch between themes easily by pressing F2 to bring up the list of available themes, move between the items with arrow keys, and hit Enter to choose one. Here are some examples of available themes.

Other Function keys that you can use are F1 for Help and F3 to change screen resolution.

Installing BURG From Windows

BURG also comes with a Windows installer. You can get the installer from BURG’s download page. Using it is also very easy: install it,

And click “Add Boot Entry” under “Programs – Burg” menu.

However, I found this method to be working only if you installed Ubuntu from within Windows. So for those who installed Ubuntu alongside Windows, you have to stick with the command lines.

To be honest, I’m a total newbie when it comes to Ubuntu (Linux) and command lines. I had to repeat the experiment several times just to get it (almost) right, and I’m still trying to grasp everything that I’ve done and described here. So, if you Linux experts out there have found things that I missed here, please do not hesitate to share your input in the comments below.

Windows 7 provides plenty of internal options to change the look and feel of your computer. It’s easy to give the operating system a unique style and at the same time enhance your experience as a user. For most of the coolest ways to customize Windows 7, you don’t even have to mess with hacks or additional software.

Let me show you how you can dress up your installation of Windows 7 and make using your computer a visual and functional joy.

1. Change The Welcome Screen

There are two basic things you can change that will affect the welcome screen. First of all, you can change your profile picture. Secondly, you can apply a hack or software to change the background image.

To change your profile picture, go to > Start and type > User Accounts into the bar that says > Search programs and files, then open the respective entry under > Control Panel. Next, select > Change your picture. You can now choose a default image or click > Browse for more pictures… at the bottom of the list to access your own files.

Once you have selected an image click the > Change Picture button and you’re done.

To change the logon screen manually, check out the procedure described in this article - How To Change Windows 7 Logon Screen

Using a tool rather than the manual steps doesn’t make you less geeky. Rather it will save you time and give you access to further logon page customization options, for example changing buttons or Windows branding. Simon has reviewed three programs here - The Best Ways To Customize The Welcome Screen In Windows 7.

2. Add Desktop Gadgets

Gadgets are tiny tools that sit on your desktop. They add functionality and quickly let you complete tasks without launching a large program. Some of my three favorite Windows 7 gadgets are:

• Clipboard Manager - Manage your clipboard history, search entries, store favorite clips, and more.
• Skype Gadget - Keep a minimized Skype interface on your desktop and save space.
• The Magic Folder - Automatically sort files into pre-defined folders based on their file extension.

To browse, discover, and install gadgets, visit the Windows Live Gadget Gallery. To launch existing gadgets, go to > Start and type > Desktop Gadgets into the bar that says > Search programs and files, then open the respective entry under > Control Panel.

Also have a look at The 7 Best Windows 7 Gadgets and the Top 7 Coolest Windows 7 Desktop Gadgets You Have To Use.

3. Change The Windows Theme

Changing the theme will have the greatest impact on your system in terms of look and feel. And you’ll be surprised how easy it is. > Right-click desktop and select > Personalize. You can now select a default theme, get more themes online, or create your own.

For some suggestions and detailed instructions on how to create your own custom theme, open this article: Top 5 Windows 7 Themes You Might Want To Try.

4. Create A Custom Desktop Slideshow

To add some variety to your desktop or showcase your own photos, you can create a custom desktop slideshow that will regularly change your wallpaper.

> Right-click desktop, select > Personalize, and click on > Desktop Background. To create a slideshow, you need to select any entry from the > Picture location drop-down menu other than the default ‘Solid Colors’. Now > Browse for the folder that holds your pictures, > Select the ones you like, choose a > Picture position and time interval to > Change picture. Finally click the > Save changes button and enjoy.

Like the > Desktop Background you can also customize > Window Color and > Sounds and so create your own custom theme. Don’t forget to > Save theme!

5. Add Toolbars To Taskbar & Enable Quick Launch Bar

A toolbar located in your taskbar can provide instant access to often used programs, for example iTunes. Simply > right click Taskbar, expand > Toolbars, and check the ones you would like to see.

For those mourning the Windows XP Quick Launch bar, don’t despair. There is a hack to bring it back. Follow the same steps outlined above and select > New toolbar…, enter the following path > %userprofile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch and click > Select Folder. The Quick Launch bar will appear, but it needs more customization. > Right-click Quick Launch and uncheck > Show title and > Show Text to make it more compact. You can also uncheck > Lock the taskbar and then > drag and drop Quick Launch into place.

Even more cool ways to customize your Windows 7 experience using easy hacks and some cool tricks can be found in the following article series:

• 15 Best Windows 7 Tips and Hacks
• 12 More Windows 7 Tips and Hacks

What is your favorite feature of Windows 7? Did you go the extra mile to create a unique style and user experience? Please share your tips in the comments.

Other Windows 7 versions have been left out to dry, although something like this should really be a feature by default.

We resort to third-party applications to customize our welcome screen. There are many alternatives, ranging from terribly amazing to just terrible, and we’ve listed the best three below.

Logon Screen For Windows 7

Logon Screen is one of the simplest, most down to earth application to change your log-on and welcome screens. Or rather, to customize your log-on and welcome screens’ background. Simply use the Logon Screen application to select the desired image, and off you go. Images will be automatically resized to fit your welcome screen.

The most peculiar thing about Logon Screen is how well it integrates with Windows 7 itself. Most of these kind of applications are portable, but Logon Screen looks like it belongs; as if it was always a part of Windows 7.

Notably, Logon Screen will also install an extension for the right-click menu (as seen above). Changing your welcome screen will be just as easy as changing your desktop wallpaper, like it should be.

Windows 7 Logon Screen Tweaker

If you want to do more than just change your wallpaper, Windows 7 Logon Screen Tweaker is your best choice. It adds a batch of advanced features without ditching the user friendly interface. At any point, you can review what your log-in screen is going to look like.

Some of these “tools” allow you to change the button set, remove the Ease of Access button and change the default log-in sound. Windows 7 Logon Screen Tweaker will also remove the Windows branding and the shutdown button. If you’re prone to showing off (but are on a tight budget), you can change this Windows branding to make it seem you’re using a different OS version. Of course, this will not affect your Windows functionality.

Feel free to play around. If you mess something up, you can use Windows 7 Logon Screen Tweaker to restore everything to its original state.

Logon WorkShop

If we are going from simple to more advanced software alternatives, Logon WorkShop certainly fits the part. The main windows allows you to switch between different ‘logon skins’. You can export and import these profiles so you can easily apply them to different computers or even company-wide.

Of course, you can also create new skins. Logon Workshop offers the most customizability by far; you can change almost anything, including the background, look and position of the user picture, text, and every button on the screen. The screenshot below shows but one of the different configuration panels.

Undoubtedly, the interface will look too complicated and cluttered for many users, but you don’t need to use all this advanced functionality. If you want, you can just change the welcome screen background and be done with it. If you do decide to play a little with the application, and something goes south, just restore your computer to the default skin, or create a new one.

What do you think of these applications to customize your welcome screen? Let us know what you’re using (and why) in the comments!

I know in the past it has been possible to change the logon and logoff screens in Windows but the key to LogonStudio being useful is in the ease of use.  Why the option to create a custom logon screen hasn’t been built into Windows automatically, I’ll never know (I guess in Windows 7 they have finally done so).

It’s an easy download and an easy tool to use.  Let’s see what it’s all about.

Go to the site and click on the download link.

It will eventually take you to a CNET downloads page where the program file is hosted.  Once downloaded, install the program and you are good to go!  At the end of the installation process, open the program so we can take a look at the options.

As you can see by the screenshot, there are 5 buttons along the left side named “Load”, “Download”, “Create”, “Upload“, and “About.”  Let’s go through each one to see what our options are in creating your custom logon screen.

Skip the “Load” button until we download a logon package (aka “skin”).  So let’s go on to the next button for now.

Download

When you hit the “download” button you are directed to a website called WinCustomize containing a directory of many packages to choose from.

Browse around and find one you like.  For the sake of this article I will be choosing Light Blue Crystal.

Once you hit download, the next step may depend on your browser.  Since I am using Firefox, I am faced with a decision to either open the file directly with LogonStudio or to simply download and save the file to a folder.  The easier option would be to open the file directly but for the sake of seeing how the “Load” button works, we’re going to choose to save the file.  Just choose a location you can find easily.

Load

When you click the “Load” button, you are then given the opportunity to browse your hard drive for the file you just downloaded.

Double-click the file (it will have the file extension “logonvista”).  You will then have the package showing in the list of available packages.

You can then either double-click on the package or highlight it and click the “Apply” button.  This will effectively bring you to the logon screen showing your new custom logon screen.

Create

The “Create” button is for those who already have an image that they want to set up as the logon screen.

After clicking the button, just fill in the blanks, browse for the picture you are looking for and click save.  This will create the package and show it in the list for you.

Upload

If you want to upload a particular package that you created and you think others will like, you’ll need to register.  I have not tested this option but if you do, let me know how it goes!

About

Clicking the “About” button will obviously tell you more about the program.

It will also give you a link to check for updates.

You now have a simple way to create a custom logon screen for your Windows computer!  Do you have a different option?  Let us know!

For starters let me point out that you can find ready made Xsplash screens (as boot splash screens are called) on gnome-look, ubuntu-art and other such sites which we have discussed about so many times before. That being said there is a different joy and sense of accomplishment seeing a custom made boot splash screen and theme in action. Not to mention the personal touch you can put in. You can use your photos, put in your name or tag line, a motivational quote and what not. This is a great thing about Linux that I truly adore, you can chip in with code, with themes, with translations or just about any other thing you might want to change in the Operating System to suit your needs. In this article we will focus on the boot splash screen. I am using Ubuntu to demonstrate the steps but the tutorial would work for any distribution using xsplash.

Before Karmic Koala, Ubuntu used usplash to display the progress bar you saw when Ubuntu boots. Customizing Usplash, while very much possible, was a very involved task. With Karmic, Ubuntu now uses Xsplash which uses images as the background and is comparatively a lot easier to customize and tweak to your needs. You can change the background image, the “Ubuntu” text as well as the throbber that is displayed when Karmic boots up. Let’s start with the background image first.

By default Ubuntu displays a brown background with what looks like a spotlight behind the Ubuntu logo. We are going to change all that. If you have ever poked around your /usr directory (which you should) you must have noticed that this brown image we talked about is located at /usr/share/images/xsplash directory. Open it up and have a look inside the said directory, which would reveal that the same image has been made available in different resolutions. This is to make sure that the boot splash screen is displayed well irrespective of the screen size and resolution

Now, there are two ways you can change the Xsplash background image:

Option 1 requires that you know the screen resolution that is being used, you can then change only the image that corresponds to the resolution that is being used. This is trickier than it seems, because the resolution that is being used while you are working on the desktop may or may not be the same when Ubuntu displays the Xsplash screen.

So a better bet would be to use Option 2, in which you change images for all the resolutions. This way Ubuntu will use your custom image no matter what resolution it uses.

Changing the images is easy. You can use GIMP. Go under the Image menu and choose scale. Key in the required numbers, keep the ratio intact. If you don’t get the exact numbers, go for slightly larger values but keep the ratio intact. I suggest you back up all the images in /usr/share/images/xsplash into another folder on your hard drive just in case things go wrong. Then put the required file(s) into /usr/share/images/xsplash. That is it, no editing of configuration files required. The next time you boot up, you should see your custom xsplash background.

You can also customize the logo or add your own, all it requires is a little extra effort. You have to mind the positioning of the logo and the alpha transparency. In any case, if you are not familiar with the concept you can continue using the default logo. This is how it looks with what we have done so far:

If you want to go another step forward, you can create your own text or logo and save it inside /usr/share/images/xsplash with appropriate names (see image below). You will have to create different sizes depending upon the resolution so its best to start with a larger image and then you can always scale it down.

Go ahead play with the images. If you are not the one who would spend time creating images from scratch inside GIMP, you can always start with a high resolution wallpaper or photo, add your own elements to it and then scale it down to the required sizes.

What custom-made Linux boot splash screens have you made?   Let us know all about them – and how you made them – in the comments.

Earlier in the month, Karl posted a tip on how to recover your Windows XP administrator password by using the installation disk.  However, he forgot to mention a few other easier ways how to reset Windows XP password without having to go through the installation process.

1. Use Alt, Control, Delete & The Windows Welcome Screen

If you have set your computer up to login via the Welcome Screen, there may be a slight chance that you will be able to login as the Administrator. Depending on who installed XP on your computer, there may or may not be a password on the Administrator’s account.

So simply press Alt+Control+Delete twice. You will be presented with a login box. Click OK to login without typing any user name or password in. If that doesn’t work, type in “˜Administrator‘ into the username box and press enter. If that doesn’t work, so far, you are in bad luck.

If you are able to log in, simply go to the control panel, go into User Accounts and change your password.

2. Login To Another Account & Reset The Password Through User Management (XP Professional Only)

This will only work if you have Windows XP Professional, and you can login with an account. Right click on My Computer and select Manage. Then select Local User and Groups ““> Users. Right click on your username and select Set Password. Follow the prompts and set yourself a new password.

If you can’t get into Device Manager because you don’t have a user account to get into your computer, you can try opening Device Manager from another computer. Right click on where it says Computer Management (Local) and choose Connect to another computer“¦ once you are logged in to another computer within your home network.

Then enter your computer IP or Name. For example 169.168.x.x, 10.1.1.x or \\DesktopPC. (replacing x.x with your computer IP address. You can also click on Browse ““> Advance ““> Find now to browse for computers on your network.

If you are granted access to the remote computer, follow the steps I mentioned above and set a new password. If not, continue reading.

3. Reset The Password Through Safe Mode & Command Prompt

If the above steps have failed so far, you can try and boot into Safe Mode. To do this, press F8 while your computer is booting. Once in safe mode, you can try going into the control panel and reset your password. If you can’t, you can try and open up a Command Prompt by opening Run and typing cmd. Enter net user [username] [enternewpassword]. For example, If I want to change my account which is Jack to password abcde, I would type in net user jack abcde and press enter. Your password should now be changed.

4. Use A Live (Bootable CD)

If you are at this stage, and haven’t so far managed to get into your computer, you may want to use a Live Bootable CD. You may want to have a look at the post 3 Ways To Reset A Forgotten Windows Administrator Password and follow those steps.

Alternatively, you can use the Live CD so you can boot into your computer and access the files so you can back them up on an external hard drive or USB stick. If you can’t get into Windows, this is your only option.

5. Remove Your HardDrive, Backup, Format, Reinstall

One final way, and probably a good thing to do if your computer is running really slow, or you can’t get into Windows at all; take out your hard drive, put it into another computer, backup your data, format the hard drive, put it back into the original computer, and re-install Windows. You may want to have a look at The Idiot’s Ultimate Guide to Building Your Own PC for some help taking out your hard drive.

So these are my basic tips if I can’t get access to a computer to a user account in a Windows XP computer. I hope these tips will come in handy.

Do you have any other tips to get access to your computer because you forgot the password? Let us know in the comments.

Image Credit : Max (Tj)

GRUBv2 is the next iteration of the immensely popular GRUB boot loader. It offers improved capabilities like a graphical interface and better design. If you are fan of mods like me and tried the previous tutorial with GRUBv2, you would have realized it no longer works that way. So let’s update the steps and see how we can create a custom GRUB 2 splash image.

• Choose a photo of your choice and open it up in GIMP. Unlike the previous tutorial for GRUB, where you had to choose fairly subdued images which didn’t have a lot of colors or gradients, you can be a bit more extravagant with image selection in GRUB 2
• Once you have it open, resize it to 640 x 480 pixels. (You can use different dimensions, but that requires a bit of extra effort as we shall see below). To do so, go to the image menu and choose scale.

• You can modify the image to your liking, perhaps add a motivational quote or your company’s logo or anything you want.
• Now go to File > Save as. In the dialog that appears, choose to save the file as .tga file.

With the image ready, its time to get into configuration mode. A lot has changed in GRUB2, so read along even if you are familiar with the procedure for the legacy GRUB loader.

• First off, you need to copy the file to the appropriate directory so that you can tell GRUB about it. So copy the file you just created to /boot/grub directory.
• Fire up your favorite text editor and point it to /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme. Now look for a line mentioning image files. On my system, it is line number 16 of the said file and looks like this:

• We need to edit it and replace the image file name, with the name of the file you saved in previous steps (sunrise_splash in my case)

We are almost done here, now issue the sudo update-grub2 command and verify it completes successfully. It tells you if it found the image you mentioned. If it doesn’t, it most likely means that you missed something in the steps mentioned above.

You can refer to this Debian Wiki page for more details on GRUBv2 splash images. The wiki also lists template files that you can use as a guide when creating your own custom splashimages. If you want to use higher resolution images and not merely 640 x 480 ones, you can do so by editing /etc/default/grub. Remove the # sign if it exists on the line that lists - GRUB_GFXMODE and change its value to the custom resolution you want to use. Keep in mind that not all resolutions may be available. You can view a list of available resolutions by pressing ‘c’ on the GRUB menu and then using the command vbeinfo.

If all goes well, you should be able to view your custom splashscreen the next time GRUB menu is displayed. If the image is not displayed correctly you might want to change the resolution to match the one listed in the /etc/default/grub file. Remember the default is 640 x 480. In case you are running short on imaginative ideas, you can install the grub2-splashimages package, that will give you a set of images that you can use as a splashscreen.

Give it a spin and let us know how things went. We would also love to see your custom splashimages if you feel like sharing them with the world!

Today I’ll show you how to set up a “dual boot” system that includes Linux (specifically Ubuntu Linux) alongside Windows XP or Vista. There will be no hard-drive partitioning (that’s scary!), instead Ubuntu will be installed in this case as if it were any other Windows program. This also makes it easy to uninstall later, in case you don’t like it.

Why would someone want to do this? Maybe you’re just beginning to really learn it, like I am. Maybe you’re a gamer who is just not a fan of the Windows interface and would like an alternative. Maybe you’re the power-user type and just wants to see what the fuss is about. Any reason you may have is valid. I’m just a big fan of free software who wants to help spread the word.

To get started, there’s no need to go to the Ubuntu site and download or order a CD-ROM. In this example, all you will need is to download and run the Wubi installer. Wubi started as an independent project, but is now officially supported by the Ubuntu community as a method of installation.

On the first screen, you’ll provide your desired username and password as well as designate the size of your “virtual disk” file, which your PC will see as a Linux file system.

Depending on the speed of your Internet connection, this next part may take a while. Wubi will download an image of the Ubuntu installation CD. As long as you’re on a broadband connection, this shouldn’t take more than an hour or two; Feel free to ignore the approximate download time at the onset.

After a few more installation screens, you’ll be prompted to reboot your system. Doing so should bring you to a new screen, giving you a choice whether you want to boot into Windows or Ubuntu. Select Ubuntu anytime to finish the installation.

Don’t panic when you see the formatting-partitions screen; Only the virtual disk file on which Ubuntu sits is being formatted.

After another reboot, enter your username and password and gaze upon a fresh pristine Linux desktop. It takes a little bit of getting-used-to, but the learning curve isn’t that steep.

Feel free to glance over the documentation to get your feet wet, check out our many articles on Linux use, and join the forums if you have any questions. Don’t be afraid of asking something “stupid”.  We were all n00bs once. Well, except me. I’m still a Linux n00b. But hey that’s what I’m taking out student loans for.

My choice of Ubuntu may have upset some Linux fans. Feel free to let me have it, and tell us why your favorite distribution is better, in the comments.

StartUp Manager can be used to achieve this easily. You can install StartUp Manager by using your distribution’s package manager. Or check here. Once installed, it can be found under

System > Administration > StartUp Manager.

StartUp Manager can be used to easily customize a number of options that would otherwise require you to get your hands dirty by editing configuration files. As a start, you can change boot options such as the selection timeout and default operating system. If you have multiple operating systems, a useful option here is to make the Last Used operating system as the default choice, which would automatically boot the one you used the last time. Such a setting can be quite handy when you have a clear favorite in terms of operating systems and others are just installed for completeness.

You can also change the display resolution and the color depth if you are experiencing any problems with the display of the main menu. Uncheck “Show bootloader menu” if you don’t want to see the menu, and boot the default operating system each time. “Show bootsplash” can be used to add an image as background to the bootloader menu. We did a complete tutorial on it some time back. “Show text during boot” provides you with textual feedback of what is currently happening in the boot process.

The appearance tab allows you to customize the look of the bootloader menu as well as the Usplash theme. You can add colors to the bootloader menu, pick and choose the ones you like. A Usplash theme governs the progress bar display during the boot process. You can find some Usplash themes here, click on “Manage Usplash themes” and add the one you downloaded, then select the one you like and next time you boot, it would be there to greet you.

That is not all by any stretch of imagination. StartUp Manager allows you to do pretty advanced stuff. You can password-protect the bootloader or only recovery mode entries (a good choice) or the boot options by simply placing a check against the option and specifying the password.

If you are bothered by how cluttered the bootloader gets after a kernel upgrade, you can limit the number of entries from here in. Uncheck “Create boot option for recovery mode” to remove the recovery mode altogether if you are paranoid about someone getting into your system through recovery mode root prompt.

StartUp Manager is a no fuss tool which greatly simplifies tweaking and customizing of bootloader options and helps you manage Grub and Usplash settings easily without having to go in and tinker with the configuration files yourself. What do you think of it? Let us know in the comments.