No Windows Startup Sound

Winuser said:

I was correct. I typed sounds in Search and there was an option for "Change System Sounds). From there all one has to do is click on what sound they want to change then on Browse. As an example, when I clicked on Notifications > Browse it opened up C:\Windows\Media. From there I could choose whatever sound I wanted.

Click to expand...

This is true for every sound EXCEPT the Startup Sound.


_
You can select Asterisk and then TEST the sound, or BROWSE to find a file to change the sound.

But notice that "Play Windows Startup Sound" is literally outside the box. Those options for regular system sounds do not apply to the Startup Sound. It is a different animal.

Winuser said:

Are you sure it wasn't playing a different .wav file?

Click to expand...

No, I am not sure.
The sound it played WAS the Windows 11 (very boring) startup sound, but I don't know what sound file it was actually playing - especially since the Windows Startup.wav file doesn't have any (normal) audio data.

I have the file with the Windows 7 startup sound right here ready to go.
I even have the Windows 98 startup sound - the one by Brian Eno - but while that one is cool it is kinda long.

This article here:
is a very thorough description of the process to change the startup sound.

But not for me.
I do not have a Windows Logon sound option in CP>Sound>Sounds (probably because I don't log on to windows).
Plus, if I play the current Windows Logon file in the Media folder - it is NOT the Windows Startup sound.

The Windows 11 sound system is as clear as mud.

While writing these posts I opened the entire Windows\Media folder in Winamp and played them listening for the W11 Windows Startup sound to play.
It is not in there.

BTW- there are a couple of interesting little tunes in there that are minutes long.

The startup file is just a placeholder file.

TVeblen said:

This is true for every sound EXCEPT the Startup Sound.

View attachment 90398
_
You can select Asterisk and then TEST the sound, or BROWSE to find a file to change the sound.

But notice that "Play Windows Startup Sound" is literally outside the box. Those options for regular system sounds do not apply to the Startup Sound. It is a different animal.

Click to expand...

I just check and you right, System Startup isn't listed. There is a Windows Startup.wave file in C:\Windows\Media. If Windows is using the Windows startup.wav file in C:\Windows\Media, then I don't see why renaming it to for example startup.wav.old and renaming the sound file you want to use to startup.wav wouldn't work . The sound file does have to be located in C:\Windows\Media though. If it doesn't work you can change the file names back to the original names. I also want to recommended making a backup image of the system drive before making any changes. Macrium free is very popular and can be found on MajorGeeks but there are other imaging programs you can use.

The default Windows 11 Startup Sound is hardcoded into the imageres.dll,
you'll need to modify that file via ResHacker.

NOTE: These are high permissions System files, making a mistake here can cause a lot of heartache!!!

TVeblen said:

This article here:

How to Change Windows 11 Startup Sound in 3 Steps

Learn to change the Windows 11 startup sound (enable/disable) in a few minutes with our quick step-by-step guide.

windowsreport.com

is a very thorough description of the process to change the startup sound.

But not for me.
I do not have a Windows Logon sound option in CP>Sound>Sounds (probably because I don't log on to windows).
Plus, if I play the current Windows Logon file in the Media folder - it is NOT the Windows Startup sound.

The Windows 11 sound system is as clear as mud.

Click to expand...

I just went to the page you linked to and the Reg edit to change the 1 to 0 did work. If you don't feel comfortable enough to make any changes in the Registry maybe @Brink or someone could make you a .bat file you could use. I would make you one but I don't know how to make a .bat file for making changes in the registry.

Edwin said:

The default Windows 11 Startup Sound is hardcoded into the imageres.dll,
you'll need to modify that file via ResHacker.

NOTE: These are high permissions System files, making a mistake here can cause a lot of heartache!!!

View attachment 90401

Click to expand...

Thank you
I tried explaining that earlier, I just assume it’s not agreed upon.
Workaround for changing the Windows 10/11 Startup sound

Winuser said:

I just went to the page you linked to and the Reg edit to change the 1 to 0 did work. If you don't feel comfortable enough to make any changes in the Registry maybe @Brink or someone could make you a .bat file you could use. I would make you one but I don't know how to make a .bat file for making changes in the registry.

Click to expand...

Ignore what I posted about changing the Registry to allow Windows Startup to show in sound settings. I turned on Windows Startup sound, changed to a different .wav file and restarted the computer. The original .wav file still played.

Edit: I'm going to try changing the file names and see what happens. Looks like you may may have to use @Edwin suggestion.
Edit 2: I need to change permissions and I don't want to mess around changing permissions so I'm giving up.

Edwin said:

The default Windows 11 Startup Sound is hardcoded into the imageres.dll,
you'll need to modify that file via ResHacker.

NOTE: These are high permissions System files, making a mistake here can cause a lot of heartache!!!

View attachment 90401

Click to expand...

Yeah, you see that makes a lot more sense. It had to be something like that.

And definitely not worth the risk for such a nagging little curiosity.

Winuser said:

Edit 2: I need to change permissions and I don't want to mess around changing permissions so I'm giving up.

Click to expand...

Yeah, that's where I "hit the wall" too!

But I might still give it a go later this weekend. Right now my boss is giving me the stink eye for not working. (I am the boss!)

So I wonder if I have a corrupted imageres.dll?

TVeblen said:

So I wonder if I have a corrupted imageres.dll?

Click to expand...

I doubt it..., unless you've messed around with it previously.

Negative. No messing around with system files.

Edwin said:

I doubt it..., unless you've messed around with it previously.

Click to expand...

I wonder what the H*ll MS was thinking when they made the startup sound part of the system.

OK. So this is interesting.

If I start the PC from dead OFF - no startup sound.
But if I restart the PC - I get a startup sound. (That's probably where I heard it before).

TVeblen said:

OK. So this is interesting.

If I start the PC from dead OFF - no startup sound.
But if I restart the PC - I get a startup sound. (That's probably where I heard it before).

Click to expand...

I noticed the same thing. MS has made me very upset. I wanted to use the Rolling Stones Start Me Up song.

Yeah! I'm going to steal that idea!
Much better than Picard saying "Engage".

I promise I will try switching the file at some point. Will let you know.