How to Lengthen the Windows Startup Sound?

go to control panel --> sounds
click on sounds tab
scroll down and select nothing for that startup sound

or use a software to edit that sound

Sunray

it is "Sounds and audio devices " not sounds when you go to control panel

Sunray

Hi Ocean,
If I follow you, you want a 'longer' startup sound?
You can click Start->Run->SNDREC32
Click File+Open and navigate to (typically) C:\windows\media.
Open up the Startup Sound.  You can then click Edit + Insert File
Insert the same file, or whatever WAV file you'd like to add to it.
To play with it - you can 'reverse' the sound - save it as Startup2.wav. Then insert the original Startup sound to create a up & down effect.  Have fun!

~sirbounty

No - you did not read my question correctly.

I do not want to eliminate the sound itself.

What I want is to have a Windows Startup Sound that is *longer* than 30 seconds.  However, Windows cuts it off at the 30 second mark.  I want to lengthen the maximum time a Windows Startup Sound can play for.

Ocean,
>    How can this limitation be lengthened or removed?

OK this made me think  you want to remove the sound completely

Thanks,
Sunray

Hmm -maybe I don't follow.  When you say 'how can this ...be lengthened or removed?" - what did you mean by that?

Ocean,

one more thing. Have you changed that particular music or sound with a different music file and check if can play for more than 30 seconds. May be things boot up fast that the sound is cut

I use a software called as Goldwave to do wave file editing


Thanks,
Sunray

Got it - when you 'record' yes it is limited to 30 secs.  But if you create 2 30-sec files and do an insert as described before, you'll have 1 minute.  Now are we on the same wavelength?

He is saying that windows puts a 30 second limit on what ever .wav file you set to run at startup and this is by design, it's been this way since Win 95. If there is a way to manipulate it it would reside in the registry. Let me see if I can't find you a Key for it.

Yes, I understand it that way now too - but the only way around it that I have found is as I stated in my previous post.
I doubt there's a reg key for this one (but I 'have' been wrong before ;-)

Everything that is a set configurable key has a place in the registry somewhere. It may very well be a Hex key but it's there somewhere.

TooKookKris - you hit it upon the head with your first comment.  

That is the problem exactly - Windows putting a 30 second limit on the Startup Sound.

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Sunray 2003 - the file in question was edited in Sound Forge.  It is not corrupt - and if I assign the very same sound file to any other event - it can play all the way through.  The problem is not with the file - but with the limitation that Windows itself imposes.

    And as TooKoolKris said, this default limitation has been in various versions of Windows for quite some time.  I am looking for a way to change or eliminate that limitation.

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SirBounty - your original post, if I understand it correctly, only indicates how to *create* a sound file longer than 30 seconds.  It says nothing about getting Windows to play all of it.  

     Creating the file is not the problem.  I need to know how to have it not get clipped 30 seconds in.  :)

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you could take out the startup sound from the control panel and replace it with a shortcut to your media file- opened by the player of your choice, strategically placed in the startup folder:
example shortcut target
c:\{Path to media player}\mplayer.exe "path to .wav file" /play /close

are we trying to make our computer be an alarm clock?

     YarnoSG, no - I am not trying to make the computer an alarm clock.  I simply need to be able to use a Startup Sound longer than 30 seconds.  However, if I find that there is absolutely, positively, no way to lengthen or remove the limitation in Windows itself - your suggestion has merit.  

     But ideally, I would rather if the Startup Sound were processed properly by Windows for several reasons:

1.  It can be saved as part of a Theme.

2.  It starts earlier than if loaded via the Startup Folder.

3.  It doesn't require an application to load and run during the very sensitive time of Windows Startup.

4.  It doesn't interfere with the visuals of windows starting.  

5.  It doesn't require than an application be manually shut down every time you boot - after the sound finishes playing.


     Now, I know that *some* of the limitations listed above can possibly be dealt with.  But not all of them.  Which is why I would prefer it if I could do this with Windows itself.

     However, thank you for that suggestion - as I said earlier, it's a good last-ditch effort.  :)

Well it's either a value in the registry and you need to identify it and change it. Or it is hard coded in the exe and you can't mess with it. There are limitless options for making another program do what you want it to do but unless you can modify the key you wont get windows to extend that 30 second clip.

     TooKoolKris, that is true.  However, the big question of course is "where is that key?"  :)

     Barring that, however - assuming that there is no answer to be found for fixing Windows itself (and I'm not ready to give up yet)...  what is the best option any of you can offer insofar as being able to play a WAV file via Command Line?


The requirements of a Command Line solution are as follows:

1.  The program does not have to be a DOS utility, as long it can be run via command line.

2.  The program MUST COMPLETELY SHUT ITSELF DOWN as soon as it is done playing.

3.  It must load quickly

4.  It must run clean - it cannot in any way, shape, or form, cause problems or complications with anything else during bootup or anytime thereafter.

5.  It does NOT have to be a free program.  I am looking for the perfect solution - if that means a program that must be bought, so be it.  But I find it hard to believe that we wouldn't be able to find a perfect solution in a free program anyway.  :)


     As always, thank you - all of you who are helping.  Given the complexity of the issue at hand, I have increased the point value of this question.

Go to http://www.cmdtools.com/ and at the very bottom is a command line tool for playing wavs etc.

I believe the timeout is harcoded into mmsystem.dll or something like it. If there is any configuration in the registry I have not been able to find it.

     Kenneniah, I had just found that site myself!  :)  A good choice, from what I've seen so far.  That gives me an option, worst come to worst.

     I'll leave this question open for a few more days, just in case someone actually manages to figure out how to fix Windows itself.


:)

I also looked through the reg.  I don't feel it's there, even in hex.  
So Ocean - you're saying that if you take a "new" file and insert the 'long' one into it and save it, that Windows will only play 30 seconds of it??

     SirBounty, it does not matter how the Wav file is created.  If it is used as the Startup Sound - Windows cuts it off after 30 seconds.  If it is used as any other System Event Sound, it is allowed to play all the way through.

     Makes no sense, does it?

I think you misunderstood me.
Take a brand new wav file.  (Blank)
Insert into file (and point to your existing wav).
NOW, add it to the Startup event. . .

     SirBounty - when you say "Insert into file and point to your existing wav", it is not clear what you mean.  Insert *what* into *which* file?  

And when you say to point to the existing wav - by what method of pointing do you refer?

Okay - let's say your file is: FireItUp.wav (created by soundforge)
Click Start->Run->SNDREC32
Click Edit/Insert File...
Navigate (browse) to the location of FireItUp.wav and click OK
Click File/Save As
Point to Windows\Media and name it StartIt.wav

Now, in control panel/sounds -point your startup event to the "new" file. . .

     SirBounty, you are not doing anything different.  All you are doing is inserting the contents of one file into another.  Ultimately you still end up with a single WAV file that is over 30 seconds long.

As I said earlier, how it is created does not matter.

I think what is happening is services and programs that are starting cut off the playing of the wav after about 30 secs, so it won't finnish
try shutting off unneeded services
http://www.blkviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm
and run msconfig -->startup tab, and uncheck any unneeded programs from starting

Hmm - I just tried it 39 second wav - and it worked for me. . (even with MSN Messenger's alerting me to a new email on startup). . .

The messenger alert seemed to come in between 25-35 secs into the wav. . .

Good post - I just rebuilt tho and viper was one of my first web-visits...