Customize the System Properties box ....!!!!!!!

Two Images (sysdm.cpl and oemlogo.bmp) and Text (oeminfo.ini)
This is a minor customization, and frankly . . . who cares?? But for some of us, well . . . we just love to tinker.
To get to the systems properties box, go to Control Panel and double-click on System or right-click on My Computer and select Properties. You will see one or two images on the left, and a bunch of text on the right.
the upper left default picture is an image of the XP logo inside a computer monitor
the lower left picture, by default does not exist - but you may have one there, since companies that manufacture PC's often put their OEM logo there (Original Equipment Manufacturer). That is the purpose of that space. But you can use your own image by creating a bitmap file called oemlogo.bmp
the text references the file oeminfo.ini - which is easily editable in Notepad BEFORE



AFTER

IMPORTANT - many sites that describe this process insist that your image must be 8-bit indexed bmp (256 colors) - but you can use full 24-bit color for the two bmp images !!! However, you will need 8-bit (256 color) images if you want to use transparency. In all cases, use BMP files, not GIF's.
Important: You must have the text file oeminfo.ini or else the bitmap will not be displayed !!
The text that you can customize is under the headings "Registered To" and "Computer" (you cannot modify the "System" text.
After customizing you may need to reboot before the new image and text shows up.
To add custom manufacturer and support information you need to create two new files and store them in the following folders:
Win95-98-ME - "windows\system"
WinNT-2000-XP - either "windows\system32" or "winnt\system32"
You are customizing the OEM text, and the OEM image of the System Properties box.
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The Text - OEMinfo.ini
The first file is a text file called "OEMINFO.INI" - and it can be edited to change the OEM text info on the right. To create the file open notepad and copy the template below, make any changes and save the file in the System directory.
25 characters max per line.
OEMINFO.INI Template
[General] (*** additional text is placed in the box by your system in a few lines after this text)
Manufacturer=Your Company,
Inc.Model=Your Computer ModelSupportURL=http://your.support.site/
LocalFile=c:\your\local\support\file.htm
[Support Information] (NOTE - you will only see this text if you click the "Support Info" button)
Line1=first line of support information
Line2=second line
Line3=third line
Line4=fourth line
.
.
.
LineN=nth line - up to 10 lines;
Do not delete Line1, Line2 etc. Juss edit the text on the right hand side of =.
Create as many lines as you need by incrementing the Line numberIt must strictly conform to the following requirements:

Here is a typical oeminfo.ini file :
[General]
Manufacturer=PC Doc
Model=Dell XPS 450R (1.4 MHz)
[Support Information]Line1=John Doe
Line2=200 Main St.
Line3=Sterling, MN 20987
*** Changing the info on the processor, underneath model/manufacturer, can be done at this registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Hardware\Description\System\CentralProcessor\0\ProcessorNameString.
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The Lower Left Image - OEMlogo.bmp
The file is a bitmap named Oemlogo.bmp - again, you must also have the text file oeminfo.ini or else the bitmap will not be displayed !!

Display Size - this can vary and there are several settings listed for this file on the web - all seem to work. But the limit is no larger than 180 pixels wide and 120 pixels high. If you use OEM Logo Manager the limit is 180x114 !!
180x120 is a common size (OEM Logo Manager help file says the max is 180x114 - but I have used 180x120)
Microsoft recommends a square - 172x172 for Normal fonts, which greatly exceeds the OEM Logo Manager help file's height limit of 114

Palette - for transparent images use 256-color (8 bit) - for non-transparent use millions of colors (24-bit)

Transparency and the Palette - use the Windows 256-color system palette - create a .bmp with 256 colors (tested with system and IE browser palette), and the transparent color will default to either the pixel color used in the bottom left or top left corner of the image (I have seen both quoted from several sources) !!! If you create a .bmp with the standard VGA palette (16 predefined colors), the transparent color is the pixel just to the right of the bottom left pixel !! Either way, you can simply add a border around your image and the color of the border will be the transparent color since that includes bottom left, top left, and the pixel next to bottom left. If you have a background colour that you do not want to be transparent put another colour at pixel (0,0), preferably 1 that doesn't appear in the rest of the image.

Caution - I have personally used 256-color Windows system palette with Photoshop and the result was horrible !!! Not sure what palette is actually needed to make it look good. You ca open any of the image in the Samples folder of OEM Logo Manager and use the same palette - since all of those image palettes work. But they are simple palettes with only a few colors.

NOTE1: If your bitmap image is smaller than this specification, it appears centered in the rectangle. If it is larger than this specification, part of it may appear to be cropped under certain font and screen resolutions, or it may not appear at all.

NOTE2: you can use TweakXP Pro and can use filenames other than "OEMlogo.bmp". Open the utility and goto Windows Tweaks II / Specify OEM info on Systems Properties Page". The files for this are stored in "Program Files\TweakXP Pro\OEMlogo" folder, but you can browse and select any you like so long as they are approx 176x120, 256 colors.