Problems with BootSkin and CarPC

RedGTiVR6 · 08-02-2006, 08:18 PM

Welp, I think I've done it. Go me!

I have been wanting to change the boot screen for some time now, just never got around to doing it.

I had a few spare minutes today at work so I decided to test it out on my laptop.

I followed this post: http://www.wincustomize.com/articles.aspx?aid=58737&c=1

Everything worked like a charm on my laptop. It's the guinea pig.

So then I go to make the change on my CarPC.

I remoted into the carPC with my laptop (ad-hoc) and transfered the .exe for the BootSkin install. Once it installed, I just copied over the folder that I had created on the laptop that had the bootskin image and status bar as well as the .ini in it. All installed to the same location on both machines.

Go to reboot the CarPC to see the new boot screen in action, and what happens? Absolutely nothing.

It will go through the VIA splash screen, then when the normal Windows XP boot screen should come up, it just goes black.

Nothing.

The PC is still running, but no one is home.

So I plug in my USB keyboard and restart, hitting F12, F8, and F2 (restarted 3 times - one for each key). Nothing. I can't even get to the point where I can see a screen that tells me to his X keys to get to Y.

So I go up to my home pc, unplug the PS2 keyboard and plug it into the CarPC. Reboot and the lights on the keyboard light up, but still, no one is home.

So I put a Windows CD into the USB cd drive and reboot. Nothing.
Same with the EPIA drivers cd....nothing.

I'm stuck.

I can't get into the BIOS, I can't get into safe mode, I can't get into last known good configuration.

Anyone?

DarquePervert · 08-02-2006, 08:51 PM

Press DEL to enter the bios setup.

RedGTiVR6 · 08-02-2006, 08:53 PM

shut up

RedGTiVR6 · 08-02-2006, 08:58 PM

finally got in to boot to last known good config....after realizing that del would take me into the bios, where I could then disable the splash screen and actually see the POST, at which point hitting F8 would actually do something and allow me to see the menu where I could boot to last known good configuration.

thanks for the hint Darque....brain farts suck

now to figure out why it wouldn't work....

DarquePervert · 08-02-2006, 09:14 PM

We're working on it.....

For anyone following this ongoing drama, VGA mode from the F8 menu crapped, as well.
Next stop: Repair fromt he Windoze CD.

thanatos106 · 08-02-2006, 09:40 PM

So when you are booting the laptop, it ask you which system or what ever you want to boot in right? and you .ini file look like something like this but with a second line pointing to the new images)

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW S
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Micro soft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn

Or are you using a third party app?

or you reshack the ntoskrnl?

I did read that article but I still don't understand how that guy introduce the new bootscreen.

Thanatos.

RedGTiVR6 · 08-02-2006, 09:48 PM

you introduce the new boot screen using the bootskin program.

when booting the laptop, everything works fine. Just boots like any other normal system, just with a new windows splash screen.

ini file looks like the one in that how-to.

thanatos106 · 08-02-2006, 10:06 PM

Best thing to do if you don't want to do a windows repair form the CD (like DP said) is to go in safe mode and edit the .ini file back to the way it was (or if you just add a new line for multiple bootscreens, just delete it)

Just a pice of advice, don't use third party programs to manage your bootscreen (no when reshaking the ntoskrnl is so aesy) cuz the build of the bootscreen in fact change every once in a while with some windows updates.

Thanatos.