Shouldn't this be easy? Windows 3.1

[mst3k]

Is there some magic to changing the Windows 3.1 splash screen?
I had a Compaq branded version for my Presario 425 and then had to reinstall the OS and now have the vanilla MS version.
I have the Compaq 3.1 vgalogo.rle file and Compaq 3.1 vgalogo.lgo file and have tried a simple substitution in the Windows/System folder with no luck.
What's the magic sauce for changing the Windows 3.1 splash screen?
Thanks!

 

[Kai Robinson]

Copied from http://www.win31.de/etips.htm

First of all you should ensure that the new logo is a 4bit RLE file (use e.g. GWS or WinGif to create it) and that it doesn't have more than 16 colors. Otherwise it would become too large to be embedded into the win.com file.

There are three different possibilities to change the logo:

The "simple" method

Make a backup copy of WIN.COM (from the Windows directory) and of VGALOGO.RLE (from the WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory. Exit Windows.
Copy the new logo as VGALOGO.RLE to the WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory. Run Windows setup (SETUP.EXE) from the DOS prompt and change your video settings - or at least do so as if you wanted to change them, i.e. choose a different resolution and return to your previous settings. Save your changes.
If any problems occur, just write back your backup copies of WIN.COM and VGALOGO.RLE.

The "conventional" method

Make a backup copy of WIN.COM (from the Windows directory) and of VGALOGO.RLE (from the WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory. Exit Windows.
Copy the new logo as VGALOGO.RLE to a temporary directory, together with WIN.CNF and VGALOGO.LGO from the WINDOWS resp. WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory. From the DOS prompt change to this directory and execute the following command:

COPY /B WIN.CNF+VGALOGO.LGO+VGALOGO.RLE WIN.COM

Copy the "new" WIN.COM to the WINDOWS directory and the new VGALOGO.RLE to the WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory.
If any problems occur, just write back your backup copies of WIN.COM and VGALOGO.RLE.

 

[mst3k]

Thanks Kai!
Being the long time computer guy that I am, I dove right in to the simple method. No need to backup. I know all about computers.
Well, if you choose a resolution that your poor little Cirrus chip doesn't support, guess what? Windows won't boot, and since I was so smart and didn't need to back up the win.com or vgalogo.rle files, I had the pleasure of reinstalling Windows 3.1 again! Not too time consuming but definitely a lesson in there...
So, after reinstalling Windows, I moved to option 2, the conventional method. Using the Compaq logo'd rle file and following the instructions to the tee, guess what? Success! I love what feels like a little miracle when it all works out and what you intended to do actually gets done.
Thanks again Kai. i appreciate the fast response and the perfect instructions.
Mark

 

[Kai Robinson]

No worries - thank the guy that originally wrote the instructions though, i just used my Google-Fu

 

[Stinkerton18]

Copied from http://www.win31.de/etips.htm

First of all you should ensure that the new logo is a 4bit RLE file (use e.g. GWS or WinGif to create it) and that it doesn't have more than 16 colors. Otherwise it would become too large to be embedded into the win.com file.

There are three different possibilities to change the logo:

The "simple" method

Make a backup copy of WIN.COM (from the Windows directory) and of VGALOGO.RLE (from the WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory. Exit Windows.
Copy the new logo as VGALOGO.RLE to the WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory. Run Windows setup (SETUP.EXE) from the DOS prompt and change your video settings - or at least do so as if you wanted to change them, i.e. choose a different resolution and return to your previous settings. Save your changes.
If any problems occur, just write back your backup copies of WIN.COM and VGALOGO.RLE.

The "conventional" method

Make a backup copy of WIN.COM (from the Windows directory) and of VGALOGO.RLE (from the WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory. Exit Windows.
Copy the new logo as VGALOGO.RLE to a temporary directory, together with WIN.CNF and VGALOGO.LGO from the WINDOWS resp. WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory. From the DOS prompt change to this directory and execute the following command:

COPY /B WIN.CNF+VGALOGO.LGO+VGALOGO.RLE WIN.COM

Copy the "new" WIN.COM to the WINDOWS directory and the new VGALOGO.RLE to the WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory.
If any problems occur, just write back your backup copies of WIN.COM and VGALOGO.RLE.

Learned something new here. I never played with the splash screen during this era, as by the time I had my own computer, Win95 was around the corner. I was just barely capable enough to get drivers installed and sound/modem/mouse/SCSI working.