ARCHIVED: In Windows XP, how can I change what sound my computer makes during startup?

Note: In Windows 8, 7, and Vista, you cannot change the actual startup sound. However, you can enable or disable it; see Enabling or disabling the startup sound, below.

You can control all Windows sounds through the Sounds control panel. To change the sound heard during startup:

1. From the Start menu, select either Control Panel, or Settings and then Control Panel.

   Note: If this doesn't match what you see, refer to ARCHIVED: Get around in Windows.

2. Click the Sounds and Audio Devices icon, and then click the Sounds tab.
3. Under "Program Events", select Start Windows. You can select a sound from the drop-down menu or click Browse to select a .wav file. If you don't want Windows to play any sound during startup, select (None) from the drop-down menu.

Enabling or disabling the startup sound in Windows Vista and higher

1. From the Start menu, select Control Panel. Change to Category view, if necessary.

   Note: If this doesn't match what you see, refer to ARCHIVED: Get around in Windows.

2. Click Hardware and Sound. Under "Sound", click Change system sounds.
3. Under "Program", click Windows Logon. To disable the startup sound, uncheck Play Windows startup sound, or choose (None) in the "Sounds:" drop-down menu. To enable the sound, check Play Windows startup sound, or choose your desired sound from the "Sounds:" drop-down menu.