Change Windows 7 Startup Sound Using Resource Hacker

On Windows 7, we can change the system sounds via control panel or using the Personalization menu by doing a right click on desktop then Properties | Sounds. But, even this feature is given to you on Windows 7, Microsoft does not allow you to change the startup sound. So, if we want to change the startup sound, what should we do? The answer is, by modifying the imageres.dll file inside the System32 folder on Windows 7!

REQUIREMENTS

- Download Take Ownership option for file or folder context menu

Download Take Ownership Option

- Turn off User Account Control
- Install Resource Hacker

In order to modify a Windows 7 resource DLL file, you have to use Resource Hacker. If you don't have Resource Hacker, download it from our Useful Utilities page.


Visit The Useful Utilities Page

When Resource Hacker is successfully downloaded, execute the EXE file and install it on your PC

HOW TO MODIFY

1. Open up the RUN window by hitting the Windows + R combination, and type the System32 folder destination, C:\Windows\System32

2. If the System32 folder is opened, navigate to the imageres.dll file, and do a right click on the file.
3. On the right click context menu, click on Take Ownership, and then do a right click again and select Open Using Resource Hacker.

4. When the Resource Hacker app is showing, navigate to WAVE | 5080 | 1033

5. Do a right click on 1033, and select the Replace Resource option.

6. When a dialog is showing, click on Open file with new resource.
7. Select the WAV file that you want to use to replace the Windows 7 startup sound.
8. After selecting, this dialog will show, and please type WAVE for Resource Type, 5080 for Resource Name, and 1030 for Resource Language.

9. Click on Replace, and restart your computer!
10. Now you will hear the new startup sound on Windows 7 when Windows starts up.


TIPS:

*To modify a system file, make sure you have done a Take Ownership option for the file
**Please do not use long length WAV files for new startup sound.
***To restore the original WAV sound, navigate your computer to the System32 folder, and delete the imageres.dll file, and rename the imageres_original.dll to imageres.dll