How do I create a custom boot-up video?

Question

Using an Acer Nitro 16 and attempting to create a custom startup video. I've tried it through my task scheduler but couldn't get that to work. Any help is welcome.

Answer 1

Dear Andrew Knight,

Hello! Welcome to the Microsoft Community. I'm glad to be able to help you. If I don't understand your question, please let me know immediately.

Creating a custom startup video on Acer Nitro 16 is not a function of Windows system, so I may not be able to provide you with more help on this issue. If you want to do it on Windows, my idea is the same as what you tried, using Task Scheduler.

First of all, directly changing the startup animation (such as the manufacturer's Logo or the Windows startup Logo) is a complicated process, which involves the modification of the system's kernel file, which is usually not desirable because it may lead to system instability and require advanced permissions to operate. So this method is not recommended here.

To start the video with Task Scheduler, you can try the following steps. Please feel free to tell me if you encounter any problems:

Step 1: Prepare video files.

Save the file you want to use as the startup video to an accessible path, and make sure it is in a format supported by Windows Media Player or other default video players (for example, .mp4).

Step 2: Create a Task Plan

1. Open the task scheduler (press Win+S to search for the task scheduler).
2. Click Create Task on the right.
3. Under the General tab, name the task "Start Video".
4. In the Trigger tab, click New, and then set the start task as "At Login".
5. On the Operations tab, click New, and then select Start Program.

-In the program/script column, enter the path of your default media player (for example, the path of Windows Media Player is C: \ program files (x86) \ Windows Media Player \ wmplayer.exe).

-In the Add Parameter field, enter the path of your video file, for example, c: \ path \ to \ your \ video.mp4.

6. Click OK, and then uncheck "Start only under AC power supply" in the condition tab to ensure that the video can be played whether it is plugged in or not.
7. Click OK to save the task.

Step 3: Test Task

Log off or restart the computer, and you should see the video play automatically when logging in.

Please make sure that the "Task Scheduler" service in the service is in the startup state, otherwise you may not be able to see this task normally after booting.

If you want a more personalized boot experience, you can try third-party tools. Some brands may provide official software to modify the boot animation, but most of them cannot be changed. At the same time, if you decide to use third-party software to modify the computer, please back up the data first to avoid accidents.

Some notebooks may support changing the startup Logo or animation in the BIOS. You can try to enter the BIOS settings (usually by pressing F2 or Delete at startup) to see if there are any related settings. They may be under the "Boot" or "Boot Configuration" tab, and there may be options for you to upload videos if supported. You may need to put the video file on a USB flash drive and select the file from the BIOS. However, in most cases, the BIOS does not support this customization.

Disclaimer: Microsoft provides no assurances and/or warranties, implied or otherwise, and  is not responsible for the information you receive from the third-party  linked sites or any support related to technology.   If you are going to modify BIOS Settings, please  back up all your personal files first to ensure you do not lose data.

I hope the above information can be helpful to you. If you try the solution, feel free to tell me the results or the problems you encounter.

Best wishes

Pyked | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Answer 2

I do not see a tab labeled operations nor one labeled "add parameter." Where would these be?

Answer 3

I don't see an add parameter here either.

Answer 4

Dear Andrew Knight,

Thank you for your quick reply and patience, and I'm sorry for my late reply. I think I have a new idea now. According to the photos you shared, I noticed that you called "MP4" video at the "Start a program" in the picture. I think if the video can't be called, maybe we can change it into a script file or batch command, and open the video you need to play in this script file or batch command.

You can refer to the following to make it:

-Open a notepad.

Enter the following (replace C:\path\to\your\video.mp4 with the actual path of your MP4 file):

@echo off   

start "" "C:\path\to\your\video.mp4"   

timeout /t 5 /nobreak   

taskkill /im vlc.exe /f

In this example, a VLC player is used to play video (you need to install the VLC player first, or replace it with another player).

Timeout /t 5 /nobreak captures 5 seconds, and the time is adjusted according to the specific time of playing the video. Finally, the taskkill command is used to close the VLC player.

Save file: click file > save as to save the file as play_video.bat (or other user-defined name), and make sure that the file type is all files.

-Test the batch command file, run the play_video.bat file at the command prompt to make sure it works properly, check whether the video is played and close it after the playing time.

-Call the created batch command file (play_video.bat) in the task scheduler. There seems to be a problem with the scheme I gave before. You can set it according to your actual situation, or refer to the following process:

1. Find "Create Basic Task" on the right and click it. Name the task and click Next.
2. Select "When the computer starts" and click "Next".
3. Select "Start the program" and click "Next".
4. In the Program/Script box, click Browse and select the previously created play_video.bat file.
5. If necessary, you can click "Next" and confirm your settings.
6. Click Finish to create the task.

Now try to restart the computer to see if the task can be performed as expected. Looking forward to your good news.

Best Wishes

Pyked | Microsoft Community Support Specialist