How can I personalize my MAC?

Question

By personalize I mean, you know the background thing when you log on to the computer. Or when I turn in on the computer.
How do I go about doing this? Can I even do it?
I have a G4 laptop

wow 2 hours and nothing! you guys suck!

Answer 1

You don't need any special application to change the startup screen for Mac OS. It is part of the operating system at:
HD/System/Library/CoreServices/SystemStarter/QuartzDisplay.bundle
The file is called BootPanel.pdf
You should make a copy of it, open it in your favorite graphic edit app such as Photoshop and change it as you like. You should not change the size, resolution or name of the file. Then exchange the original with your custom image. Don't toss the original. You may want to go back to it someday when you get tired of seeing your picture as the startup screen.

You can make a new file instead of changing the original but be careful to make it match the size, resolution and name of the original.

Changing the BootX image (the gray Apple logo that shows before the OS loads) is not so simple so you will need a special app for that. Two suggested app links are below.

Answer 2

Hi Aurora...usually the best place to find helpful answers are on the Apple/Mac forums such as the free Apple Discussion forum: http://discussions.apple.com/index.jspa or Mac OS X Hints: http://forums.macosxhints.com/

Here are some websites which shows how to personalize your Mac:
http://lowendmac.com/macdan/2k0925ek.html
http://www.macworld.com/weblogs/macgems/2005/06/visage/index.php
http://www.wikihow.com/Personalize-Your-Mac-Os-X-Desktop
http://keakaj.com/visage.htm