Creating a new boot screen for Vista and adding the missing "Run" command in the start menu

Creating a new boot screen for Vista

      Vista is a very attractive operating system with its new Aero interface. When it boots, the screen remains black except one tiny loading bar. The Boot Logo Generator is a small tool ( only 595 kilobytes) that can offer you a colorful boot.
The program generates a Bootscreen file from a graphic file in just a few steps.
Requirements: the graphic file has to be a bitmap file on 24 bytes with a 800 x 600 or 1024 x 768 resolution. You can download this little tool from http://www.computa.co.uk/staff/dan/?p=15. After the installation is finished, this program starts automatically. With "Browse for image..." you can load your bitmap files. Then save using "File/Save Boot Screen File As..." and copy both graphic files into the folder "C:\Windows\System32\en_US". In order for Vista to display the start image even when it boots, adjust the system settings: type "msconfig.exe" in the search field from the start menu and press Enter. Choose "OK" at the warning message from Vista and the program will start. In the "Start" tab, check the option "No GUI-Start".


Adding the missing "Run" command in the start menu

      You got used to quick access some specific commands using the "RUN" command from the start menu. In Vista, this option does not exist. What's there left to do ?

      In Vista, the search function substitutes the "Run" command. But you can reactivate this command using a small trick. In order to accomplish this, right click on the taskbar and choose the contextual command "Settings". Activate the "start menu" tab and click on "Customize". Now, search for option "Run Dialog" in the list and check it. Confirm the open dialogues with "OK".
And here is the rest of it.