The next time Windows 7 starts, you'll see nothing until the log-on screen appears, which brings us to our next Win7 interface tweak. Give the Windows 7 start animation a rest by selecting the No GUI boot option in the System Configuration utility. Click the Boot tab, choose your operating system (if necessary), check 'No GUI boot' under Boot options, and select Apply and OK. Press the Windows key, type system configuration, and press Enter to open the System Configuration utility. If you're like me and would prefer to see nothing than to sit through that micro-advertisement for the umpteenth time, turn it off. The animation that plays as Windows starts is irritating primarily because it never changes. Customizing Windows 7's start, log-on, and desktop backgrounds isn't as easy as it might be, but it's eminently doable.ĭeactivate the 'Close Encounters' start-up animation There's no reason why Windows 7 users have to settle for whatever interface Microsoft sets as the operating system's default.