How to Personalize your Computer

Would you like to customize your computer’s appearance to suit your personality? Would like to have fun with the names and logos of your computer? Here are some steps to show you how to do it and make your computer use of Windows XP fun and easy.

First is to personalize the system properties window. Right click on My Computer on the desktop and choose Properties. By default, the system properties window will look like any other window, with a tab for General, Computer name, Hardware, Advanced, System Restore, Automatic Updates, and Remote. There is also the manufacturer’s logo beneath the logo for Windows. Would you like to have your own logo and text inside that window with those other two logos? Just follow these few simple steps.

1. Create an image of what you want to put there. You can opt to use the Paint program. Go to Start, All Programs, Accessories, then Paint.

2. Resize the canvas into 180 x 115 pixels. To do this, go to Image, then Attributes. Enter the required number of pixels for the canvas. Then click ok. This is needed so as to fit the window on where you are going to put the logo on.

3. You can do whatever you want with the appearance of your logo. You can even insert a picture from clip art. Type in your name and contrast its color with the background. You can do whatever you like to do with it, as long as it stays within the required number of pixels.

4. Now, save the file with the filename oemlogo.bmp in the directory C:\Windows\System32.

You are all done with the logo. Then let us enter the text that you like. Notepad is the program of choice. The steps are as follows:

1. Access Notepad by clicking on Start, and then All Programs, then Accessories, then finally, Notepad.

2. Copy and paste the information below and answer it according to your specifications. You can put your name as the Manufacturer, model of whatever you like, then on the following lines, put your byline or motto or greeting. You can add more lines at the bottom if needed.

[General]
Manufacturer=
Model=
[Support Information]
Line1=
Line2=
Line3=
Line4=

3. Once you have completed the data above, save it as oeminfo.ini at the directory C:\Windows\System 32. Do not forget to change the file type into All Files instead of Text Document. If this was properly done, then when you check your system properties, the new message and information will be there. Click on the Support Information link to view your customized message.

Another nice modification is to edit the text on the Start button. It is quite a change to see your Start button welcoming you every time you open your computer. It portrays a sense of individuality. You just have to download a cool program on the net called Start Button Renamer. You don’t even have to install the program. Just double click on the StartBtn icon. Type in the name you like to replace your Start button, for example, Welcome Users! Then click on Rename. Then check your start button for changes.