Anyone know how to turn the OEM background on Windows 7? I found it somewhere on Google before, but I can't find it now. Got to do something with editing registry...

I also need to turn off the Windows 7 taskbar shine. Found instructions on Google a long time ago, can't find it now. Also with editing registry.....

You mean the background for the login screen? Instructions are here:

http://www.withinwindows.com/2009/03/15/windows-7-to-officially-support-logon-ui-background-customization/

HKLMSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionAuthenticationLogonUIBackground doesn't exist. Can't find Authentication under CurrentVersion.

You have to create the key yourself, at least I did when I changed my background.

Oh, how would I do that? Which parts of AuthenticationLogonUIBackground are keys?

Make a new DWORD value (under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Authentication\LogonUI\Background) named OEMBackground and set it to 1.

Got it thanks. Edit: Strange enough, I already had all those keys. I was looking under current user and not local machine.

Now I need to turn off the shine on taskbar. Any idea on how to do that? Easily found how to do it on Google a long time ago, but I can't find it now for some reason.

http://www.sevenforums.com/customization/78746-can-horrible-glass-effect-removed.html#post689214

Of course I just disable Aero. Never much cared for it and quite like the utilitarian look of WIndows Basic.

Ah, there we go. Thanks for finding that.