Tryst with Linux and other Alternatives

How to edit openSUSE 10.2 bootsplash (background) January 9, 2007

I really, really struggled to get rid of the SUSE blue, and I’ve only partially succeeded. After the basic desktop interface change, see screenshot, I then wanted to change the bootsplash. I tried forums, websites etc. But just couldn’t figure it out. Basically, after realising that all I really wanted was a background change, this is how I eventually got my green bootsplash screen to change. I receive my technical help from this page.

Step one.

Open the Terminal Program in Super User Mode! Yes this is important. In openSuSE 10.2 you will find it in the menu/system/terminal folder… Terminal Program – Super User Mode.

Step Two.

Open Root Terminal, enter your root password, and then enter the command: mkinitrd

Step Three.

The last line of code will read something like this…

Bootsplash: SuSE (1024×768)
14689 blocks.

The above is my in my file… but what it tells you is your bootsplash screen image. This is important because even though my Lenovo z60m has a 1200/800 resolution, the bootsplash still uses 1024/768 settings.

Anyway… for your computer it may be a different setting, whatever it is, remember it!

Step Four.

Open the filemanager in superuser mode, which is found in Menu/System/File Manager folder… File Manager – Super User Mode. I know, I know… this is not a secure way of doing this. But it’s just so much more convenient. You will need to enter the password.

Step Five.

If this is the first time you’re trying this, your default bootsplash is probably SUSE. So go to the /etc/bootsplash/themes/SUSE/images folder and find the silent-(yourresolution) file… and either edit the bootsplash image for your resolution in GIMP or replace with your own jpg image in the same size.  Note that there will aslso be a bootsplash-(yourresolution).jpg file as well. Because it is black, I’ve left it as it is… if you change it, be sure to use a colour that will show up with white.

(Oh wait, Step four and a half!!! backup your default themes folder. This is very important and helpful, just in case).

Step Six.

Note that the GIMP default save is not jpg, but some other strange format which will not be accessible. So if you’re using GIMP to edit or save an image, the <save as> and in file type select jpeg.

Step Seven.

With the new image replaced, go back to the Root Terminal… and enter the command: mkinitrd -s 1024×768

This will configure the files onto the computer and you will be able to use the files (otherwise no matter what you change, it won’t work).

Step Eight.

Reboot, and see your new background image in place.

I (and you) will have a background of your choice (relief!).

My grub splash image, and my login menu, are still in blue… but I guess we will do only one thing at a time.  I must confess, this took me over four hours to figure out!

Yes, yes, I am a newbie!