Downloading and Adding Logon Screens

You can download and then add logon screens to skinning software such as StarSkin, Style XP, and the Object Desktop Theme Manager. This provides a readily available library of alternative logon screens.

For example, in Style XP, select the Logons link in the Choice list. To download a logon screen, click Download a New Logon.

The ThemeXP (www.themexp.org) website opens and displays the newest logon screens available (see Figure 13.12). You can select and download the logon screens provided on this page, or you can click Logins in the ThemeXP link list and browse all the logins available on the site.

Figure 13.12. Style XP takes you to the ThemeXP login screen page.

After you download a new logon screen, you can add it to the Style XP login screen list by clicking Add a New Logon. In the Choose a Logon to Add dialog box, locate the logon screen file you downloaded. It will be a zipped file, but you don't have to extract the logon to add it to Style XP.

When you locate the file, select it and then click Open. You are returned to the Style XP window and the logon screen appears in the logon screen list provided. Select the new logon screen to view a preview of it. To apply the logon to Windows, click Apply Logon.

The process for the other skinning software packages, in terms of downloading logon screens, is very similar. Logon screens you download are, in most cases, held in a zipped archive file. As already mentioned, Style XP reads the zipped file directly when you add the logon screen to Style XP. If you are using StarSkin or Theme Manager, you must use the Extraction Wizard to extract the logon screen before you can apply it. In either case, you browse for the file to open and apply it.

Tip

You can also do a search for Windows logon screens using your favorite web search engine. Many websites provide Windows logon screens. Remember that logon screens are typically hacked Windows resource files and come in the form of an executable file. This is an excellent vector for virus makers, so don't download logon screens from suspicious websites. And check the downloaded files for viruses with your virus software.

Numerous logon screens are available on the Web. They embrace a variety of themes and ideas and will probably provide you with logon screens you can match to a particular Windows theme or skin you have created. In cases where you just can't seem to find that ideal logon screen, you can create your own. Creating logon screens is the subject of the next section.