Update on Ability to Mute the Windows Vista Start-up Sound


Posted by Nick White on Friday, September 22, 2006 6:01 PM 40 Comments

We heard you loud and clear when it came to discussing our plans to include a default start-up sound that plays as you boot-up Windows Vista:  you said you wanted to have the opportunity to mute it if and when you felt it necessary.  Your collective voice truly made a difference in this matter, as we've incorporated a way for users to turn off the start-up sound when it's more appropriate to boot silently -- be it when you're mobile, at home or in the office.

 

Here's a shot of the control panel that will allow you to enable/disable the start-up sound:

 

 

Posted by Mute the Windows Vista Start Sound at MSTechToday


 

Posted by beta @ amanzi » New Vista build released


 

Posted by Microsoft listens: Startup sound optional in Windows Vista « Scobleizer - Tech Geek Blogger


 

Posted by TrackBack


 

Posted by war59312


Thank you very much! :)
 

Posted by Microsoft listens: Startup sound optional in Windows Vista » BlueBoxSystem dot com


 

Posted by Mr Vista - Clear, Confident & Connected



See - your feedback does work!
Over the last few weeks, it's been flying round the web that we were...
 

Posted by Good news - Microsoft offers a way to disable startup sound in Windows Vista » The PC Doctor


 

Posted by thomthom


So, why is the startup sound hardwired? Why doesn't Vista allows you to change it as you where able in previous versions?
 

Posted by nicktaylor


How about making this as simple as the mac - the startup sound is as loud as the system volume before restarting. So if I mute my Mac and shut it down, when it starts up next, there's no sound. Simple. :)
 

Posted by Wictor Wilen


The Windows Vista team has listened to the community (read my previous post on this) and included the option to mute the startup sound of Windows Vista. And also there are a new build (post RC1) out f...
 

Posted by barlog


I'm downloading now from Connect !
Is that made by Robert Fripp ?
 

Posted by TAG


Screw up again.

Is you was willing to make us hear that sound system is working fine and acceptable level (and it was not purely marketing-branding decision) - why there is no way to change it to 1/2 second Ding.wav from WINDOWS\Media folder ?
 

Posted by Keith Combs' Blahg


Everyone loves the Windows Vista startup sound, right?  Well, if you are in the hate camp, the latest...
 

Posted by SteveBall


nicktaylor said:  "How about making this as simple as the mac - the startup sound is as loud as the system volume before restarting. So if I mute my Mac and shut it down, when it starts up next, there's no sound. Simple. :) "

Hey NickTaylor: Even before this change, the 'mac' behavior you just described is exactly what happens in Windows Vista.   This sound (and all sounds coming from Windows and applications) is 100% mutable and controlled by the default device volume slider setting that is adjustable in the Windows Volume Control.  

If you mute or turn down your device volume in the systray Volume Control or in the new Volume Mixer, this sound respects that setting.   Even better, unlike all Windows XP sounds, the new Windows Vista Startup sound is authored at a 'comfortable' level, so that if you set your device volume so that the new Startup sound plays comfortably, the rest of your sounds will also be 'comfortable.'  

This new checkbox simply gives users the ability to mute only the pre-logon Windows Vista Startup sound.

-Steve

* * *
 

Posted by SteveBall


One other note for those who may still be thinking that the sound experience in Windows Vista is different than XP:

You can still have exactly the same, 100% customizable sound experience that you have today in XP.  

You can set the "Windows Logon' event sound to be whatever WAV file you wish, this effectively replaces what used to be the XP Startup sound (which always played post-logon before you land on the desktop.)    

If you still want your own 'custom' post-logon 'startup' sound, this "Windows Logon" event provides just that: it plays just before you land on the desktop.

In addition to adding this checkbox, we will also be removing the actual 'Start Windows' event from the Sounds tab listbox to avoid confusion.  And, we're now officially calling the new Windows Vista pre-logon sound the "Windows Startup" sound.  

What was previously the XP 'Start Windows' sound is now simply the 'Windows Logon' sound and event (and this is 100% customizable.)

With this, for all practical purposes, the Windows Vista sound UX is 100% parallel to XP.    If you want 'no sound' simply uncheck the checkbox and select the "No Sounds" scheme - done!

There are many complicated gory details about why we implemented this the way we did (checkbox, vs using existing event, etc.) that I'll gladly share if anyone wishes to go deeper.  

* * *
 

Posted by » Windows Vista Build 5728 Released || Tech News and Tips from Tipsdr.com ||


 

Posted by In the Trenches » Microsoft listens to the community


 

Posted by Mike The Actuary’s Musings » Common Sense Prevails on Vista Startup Sound


 

Posted by Zyphrax


Good choice to include this option, it gives the control back to the user. Do you have any idea when the real Windows Vista startup sound (the one channel9 was referring to) will be included? Last-minute for RTM?

And what about the black titlebar when a window is maximized :). I know why you like it black (weird CRT reasons, "transparency is useless when maximized"). Just turning off transparecy when maximized, would look a lot better IMO.
 

Posted by Tripp Parks's WebLog


Originally meant to be analogous to the non-mutable Mac bios chime. The startup sound is now Optional! ...
 

Posted by appelgren : bits and pieces.. » Blog Archive » No more Vista startup chime


 

Posted by Muhannad


Indeed a very appreciable feature added to the list of excellence. There could be another chance for us to rejoice if the shut down sound could also be equipped with a similar power to mute itself or better still if an independent sound control option is added for both the shutdown and the start-up sounds it could really make the whole idea sparkle.
 

Posted by someone


Good now do something regarding the Backspace key and the Up one level functionality. Breadcrumb bar is only for mouse users what about keyboards?
 

Posted by n4cer


Muhannad, you've always had the ability to mute the shutdown sound (even in previous versions of Windows).
In Vista, right-click the volume icon in the notification area, click Sounds. Scroll down the list of sound events until you come to "Exit Windows". Change the sound for that event to "[None]". There's also a sound event for logoff in case you also want to disable that. It's event is called "Windows Logoff".

someone, use Alt+Up Arrow to go up one level using the keyboard. Backspace just traverses backwards in the navigation history as it does in IE.
 

Posted by Neb??s troksn????a « j.


 

Posted by Lone Shepherd


To Steve Ball and the Windows audio team:

THANK YOU!

Being able to easily disable the startup sound is music to my ears ;)
 

Posted by » Yes, You Can Mute The Vista Start-up Sound  InsideMicrosoft - part of the Blog News Channel


 

Posted by Nathan Mercer's blog


Over the weekend we released an interim build of Windows Vista, also known as an EDW, or External Developer...
 

Posted by LarchOye.com » Blog Archive » Vista Notes, Sysadmin, Coding, etc….


 

Posted by Anonymous


Thank you, thank you, thank you. I use Windows machines as performance tools for both music and live visuals. Disabling this means escaping a huge faux pas. (There are other tricks, too, for live visualists / VJs, like disabling the login screens and going to black wallpaper ... hey, this stuff is a big deal when you've got an audience or club crowd and you're hooked into a projector and/or P.A.)

I even mentioned these tricks in my book, so I'm really pleased that the dialog is so similar.

 

Posted by Michael_Moor


Hey "Nick White",thx for share

---------

http://www.dl4all.com

 

Posted by C. Dunn’s Web Blarg » Blog Archive » All summer long?


 

Posted by killerbug


So I can turn off the sound on start up - now how do I stop number lock activating on start up on my laptop

 

Posted by Nick White


Hey killerbug: this is very likely a setting in your BIOS and not something controlled by the OS; you can learn how to change your BIOS by visiting your PC manufacturer's website.

 

Posted by unruly


Speaking of mute. Does anyone know how to disallow someone from muting the volume control in the systray. I would like for the mute checkbox to disappear or be grayed out. thanks :) ds

 

Posted by http://windowsvistablog.com/blogs/windowsvista/archive/2006/09/22/458320.aspx


 

Posted by windows xp startup sound


 

Posted by windows vista doesn t start


 

Posted by turning off musical introduction on Vista - Vista Forums


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