Windows 7 Can no longer change Widows startup sound?

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

I edited my Windows startup sound using Resource Hacker.

I did it by editing the imageres.dll file. and changing the .wav file that plays when Windows starts.

A few days ago I had a number of Windows updates install.
Afterwards the startup sound was back to the original.

So today I changed it again.
I made a copy of the imageres.dll file on my desktop and edited it so it plays the sound I wanted.

I then renamed the one in the Widows System 32 folder to imageres original.dll .

Then I copied my edited file into the folder, it appeared.
The file I copied in now plays the original Windows sound not the one I put in.

If I open it with resource hacker it is back to it's original configuration.

How is this happening I don't ever have to reboot, as soon as I copy it in it changes back.

Mike

PS. I repeated the process in Safe Mode and the file I copy in still changes to the original configuration.
When I rebooted, (Resource Hacker won't open in safe mode for some reason) the original Windows sound was back!

 

[Elmer]

Mike, try changing the imageres.dll in the SysWOW64 folder as well.

Just for once the imageres is the same, whereas, for example the shell32's are slightly different and would have to be modified "individually".

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi Elmer

Thanks for the help, I'll give it a try.

Mike

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

I did that and now it doesn't play any startup sound.
The play startup sound check box is checked.

It may be that my startup sound is too large to play but it is the same one that I have used for months.
It is much larger then the original, it is a voice file that says "Hello Michael, time to get to work!" with a womans British Accent that sounds like the Skype test girl.

Both files now play my startup sound when I open them with Resource Hacker.

When I get time I'll try and substitute another smaller sound file and see if that is what's the problem is.

I've changed all of my Windows sounds, my favorite is for Empty Recycle Bin, "Enough of this trash!".

You know your a real geek when you anthropomorphize your computer.

Mike

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Well I did a system restore and got my Microsoft Sound back.
I'll try and get mine back again tomorrow.

 

[Elmer]

I changed my start up sound a while back and nothing happened until I swapped the Imageres in SysWOW64 as well. The wav I put in was just proud of 3mb. One day it just reverted to the original, even though both "system files" still contained the modified wav file.

I never did get back that start up sound

 

[MikeHawthorne]

HI Elmer

Well that's exactly what happened to me, even when the files were both changed to the new sound it wouldn't play.

It worked OK for months but after the last patches it stopped.

I guess I'll just give up on it until I find some info on what's happening, obviously Microsoft changed something.

They seem to be really protective of their startup sound. LOL

After all why don't they just let you change it in the normal way as they always have in the past.

Mike

 

[Elmer]

B.T.W. Mike,

Could you let me have "Empty Recycle Bin, "Enough of this trash!""

I like the sound of that. Well, I will if you can get it to me!!

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi Elmer here is the sound...

Link Removed - Invalid URL

I think this will work, this is my first try at uploading a sound file.

Click on the link, say no to you need an account to use fast download, click on slow download.

Let my know if it works, otherwise I'll try something else.
I've used Image Shack for years but it doesn't see to handle wav files.

Mike

 

[Elmer]

Cheers Mike,
Works a treat!

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Woo Hooo!!!

I tried it again today in Safe Mode and when I rebooted my greeting was there!

I don't know what made the difference but the one thing I did was to delete the imageres.dll from both folders one at a time and then copy the new one from my desktop to each folder instead of asking it to replace the file.

Anyway it's working and I can quit obsessing over this and move on to something else that I don't really need to do.

I still think that Microsoft should just let people change the start sound as you can all the others.

Mike

 

[Elmer]

Good to hear it.

Now all you have to worry about is what to worry about next!!

Maybe I ought to try safe mode, never changed files on the "Dark Side" before!

 

[fjgold]

My favorite for empty the trash is the sound of a 3 shot burst from a M2 .50 caliber machine gun.

I agree though, why not leave the old method of changing startup sound.

I recently did a fresh install (three months ago) and never bothered changing the startup sound.

I used to use one of two Homer Simpson .wav's.

One was Homie saying "no time for that now, the computer's starting" in an excited voice.

The other one was a puzzled Homie saying "To start press anykey, where's the anykey"

I've got a .wav of Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday from the movie Tombstone saying "I'm your huckleberry" when my Retrospect backup program finishes a routine.

I guess I'm a real geek too. LOL

An error brings up Foghorn Leghorn saying "No, no, no, you're doing it all wrong"
I also have Foghorn saying "that dogs about as subtle as a hand grenade in a barrel of oatmeal".

Opening Thunderbird with new mail present triggers David Letterman saying "Congratulations Skippy, you've got mail".

I used to have George Carlin shouting "you've got mail".

 

[MikeHawthorne]

I used TextAloud and the Lucy voice from Acapela to make an substitute for almost all the Windows sounds.

From "?", = "What's up with that?". to Logging out to Logging in = "I'm Back!", Blocked Popups = "Stop That!" and the beep sound = "BEEP!".

I have done some videos using the voice as well, I'll post one here closer to the holidays.

 

[RCRon]

Getting back to the original problem of same default Windows 7 startup sound in my Windows 64 bit Home Premium, I never got the imageres.dll file to be used. Yes, I changed both files in the system32 and Wow64 folders and moved the originals out before putting the new one in. Does it work in any mode but safe mode? I too play my new wave file using resourcehacker BETA which "The Sarge" suggested but still no go. It seems most people have lost interest because no one ever came up with a definite resolution for the hack. I made sure my file's ownership was edited but Windows 7 still boots to the default sound. Very frustrating. The hack seemed logical but has anyone pursued it further?

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

I had some problems with my computer hanging on boot, so I ran the boot repair option which cleared it up.

This also set my startup sound back to normal again!

Last time I saved my modified imageres.dll file in the Resource Hacker folder.

When I tried to replace the file in both of the System folders it would not let me, however when I cut and pasted the file to my temp folder from each System folder it did it.

I then pasted my modified file into the folders with no problem.

I then opened each of them by right clicking on them and selecting Open With Resource Hacker and checked to see that the sound was correct.

I then rebooted and my startup sound played.
Since I already had the modified file it only took a few minutes to do this and I did not have to go to Safe Mode.

Mike

 

[RCRon]

Hi

I had some problems with my computer hanging on boot, so I ran the boot repair option which cleared it up.
This also set my startup sound back to normal again!
Last time I saved my modified imageres.dll file in the Resource Hacker folder.
When I tried to replace the file in both of the System folders it would not let me, however when I cut and pasted the file to my temp folder from each System folder it did it.
I then opened each of them by right clicking on them and selecting Open With Resource Hacker and checked to see that the sound was correct. I then rebooted and my startup sound played. Since I already had the modified file it only took a few minutes to do this and I did not have to go to Safe Mode.
Mike

Thanks for the reply. My edited imagere.dll file works and I even took complete ownership of both the original imageres.dll files in the system32 and sysWow folders by editing the security attributes for the files. I did the same for my "edited" imageres.dll file which I promptly moved into the system folders. When I re-booted and tested, the startup sound remained the default. Here's a jpg of all imageres.dll files. My originals were placed in a temp folder. Default sound persists.

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

All I can say is that when I right click on the file in both of my System folders, and open them with Resource Hacker, I can ask it to play the file and it plays the one that I have selected, and that's the sound that plays when I start Windows.

When I first tried to change the sound I thought that I was seeing the same thing that you are seeing.
I was sure that I had changed the file and was still getting the original sound.

However when I checked the Imageres.dll after rebooting I found that they still played the normal Windows sound.
Once I actually got it to reboot with my file in place, it played my file.

Mike

 

[Elmer]

I used to use one of two Homer Simpson .wav's.

One was Homie saying "no time for that now, the computer's starting" in an excited voice.

The other one was a puzzled Homie saying "To start press anykey, where's the anykey"

Do you still have those and if so, could I have copies? I used to have them (since lost) and any downloads I've come across cut them well short!

(I'm a scroungin' bu**er, me!)