Intel provides a utility that allows users to flash a custom image into the BIOS that will be displayed during boot. You may already have such an image on your computer if you didn't put it together yourself. If you want to change or add an image, its possible.
 

The creation process is quite simple. The following applies to AL440LX BIOS P02 through P09:
 

• The utility is available from Intel at  ftp://download.intel.com/design/motherbd/logo_utl.exe.

• Create a .BMP file using your favorite graphics program. MS Paint that comes with Win95 works fine. You can use an image of any size, but Intel suggests that you use images that are 240x171 to prevent the POST data from overwriting the logo. Use the standard 16 color palette. If your image contains colors that are not on the standard 16 color palette, the logo utility will convert the color to the closest 16 color equivalent.

• Convert your .BMP file to a .USR file using the program CLRLOGO.EXE that is included in the download from Intel. The file CLRLOGO.DOC contains the full syntax of commands available. To convert the image, use the following command:

CLRLOGO /c400 /display MYIMAGE.BMP

• The switch /c400 defines the starting horizontal screen pixel on a 640x480 map for the image. The switch /display will display the logo on the screen so you can get a preview of what your logo will look like during the boot process. MYIMAGE.BMP is the name of your .BMP file

 The program will convert the image and save it as LOGODATA.USR.
 
• Flash the image to the BIOS using the Intel BIOS update utility. Make sure the option "Scan User Flash Area" is enabled in the BIOS.

For AL440LX BIOS P10:
 

• BIOS P10 adds support for 16-color full screen user logos. The original release of BIOS P10 stated that BIOS P10 supported 256-color logos. An errata has since been posted, revising the support to only 16 colors. The utility for making full screen images is available from Intel at ftp://download.intel.com/design/motherbd/splshutl.exe.

• Create a .BMP file using your favorite graphics program. MS Paint that comes with Win95 works fine. The image must be 640x480. If your image doesn't use the standard 16 color palette, the utility will convert the color to the closest standard 16 color equivalent. Do not go nuts with your image! The user logo area in the BIOS is only 4k, so if your image is too large or overly complex, it will not display properly. The key here is to keep it simple.

• Convert your .BMP file to a .USR file using the program SPLASH.EXE that is included in the download from Intel. To display the help screen, type SPLASH /h. To convert your image, use the following syntax:
 
SPLASH /FuMYIMAGE.USR /tMy Custom Image /display MYIMAGE.BMP
 
This will convert a .BMP file called MYIMAGE.BMP to a .USR file called MYIMAGE.USR. The /Fu switch specifies the output file name. The /t switch allows you to specify a title string to be displayed for the image in the iFlash program. the /display switch will display your image on the screen once the conversion is done. You can also include the /v switch, which will put the program into verbose mode and display the input and output file sizes to help you gauge the size of your image.
 
• Flash the image to the BIOS using the Intel BIOS update utility. Make sure the option "Scan User Flash Area" is enabled in the BIOS, and the "Boot-time Diagnostic screen" option is disabled.

 
• Images created using CLRLOGO.EXE will still work with BIOS P10. However, Intel has removed the overlay feature that was present in the previous BIOS versions. Old images will be displayed full screen. If you wish to see the diagnostic data during BIOS post, press the ESC key for about 1 second.

I'm starting a collection of user images. If you have one you'd like to offer up to the collective, please send it to me.

Click on the image to download the .USR file, which is ready for loading into the BIOS. If you'd like the original .BMP I used, let me know. Make sure your browser saves the file with the .USR extension. Netscape sometimes wants to save it as an .EXE file

Depending on which browser you are using, you may need to right click on the image, and then select "Save Link As." This should allow you to download the file and save it to your machine. If you have problems with this, let me know, as I am still adjusting to the new server.
 

I thought this image was particularly applicable to the AL440LX....
 

Don't install this image until all of your bugs are worked out.. :)

Here is a full screen image for use with BIOS P10...

.

Back to the main page...