Reading Time: 2 minutesSo here we start the tutorial:
1. We’ll need to edit „%windir%\System32\authui.dll“ file. First copy authui.dll file from „System32“ folder to some other location for example Desktop.
Note: here %windir% represents „Windows“ directory which can be found in the system drive where Windows is installed. In most of the cases its C:\Windows.
2. Now open the new file in Resource Hacker.
3. Now press „Ctrl+F“ keys or select „Find Text“ option from „View“ menu.
4. To remove „Windows Branding Logo„, type following string in the Find what text box:
element id=“atom(Branding)“
Click on „Find Next“ button and it’ll go to following line as shown in the screenshot:
5. Replace the existing <element id=“atom(Branding)“/> line with following one:
<element id=“atom(Branding)“ layoutpos=“none“/>
6. Now to remove „Ease of Access“ button, search for button id=“atom(Accessibility)“ string similar to Step 3. It’ll show you following line:
<button id=“atom(Accessibility)“ tooltip=“true“ layoutpos=“left“/>
Simply change layoutpos=“left“ to layoutpos=“none“ so that it’ll look like following:
<button id=“atom(Accessibility)“ tooltip=“true“ layoutpos=“none“/>
7. That’s it, click on „Compile Script“ button and save the file.
8. Now we’ll need to replace original authui.dll file present in „C:\Windows\System32\“ folder with our new authui.dll file which we saved at Desktop or some other location.
8 a. First take ownership of „C:\Windows\System32\authui.dll“ file using following tutorial:
Add Take Ownership Option in File / Folder Context Menu in Windows Vista and 7
8 b. Now rename it to „authui_backup.dll“ or any other name.
8 c. Now copy your new modified „authui.dll“ file from Desktop to „System32“ folder.
PS: If you are using 64-bit Windows edition, you’ll also need to replace authui.dll file present in „C:\Windows\sysWOW64\“ folder.
9. Restart your system and after restart Windows will start using your new modified file and you’ll not see the „Windows branding logo“ and „Ease of Access“ button on login screen.
PS: Windows Vista „authui.dll“ file contains only a single instance of (Branding) and (Accessibility)strings, so you’ll need to replace them only once using Step 4 and 5 but Windows 7 contains 3 instances of these strings, so you’ll need to change all the 3 instances in the file.
Official Source: http://www.askvg.com/how-to-remove-branding-logo-and-ease-of-access-accessibility-button-from-windows-vista-and-7-login-screens/
