Creating Custom XPM Preboot Background Images with GIMP for Symantec Endpoint Encryption 11
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Creating Custom XPM Preboot Background Images with GIMP for Symantec Endpoint Encryption 11

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Article ID: 178638

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Updated On:

Products

Endpoint Encryption Desktop Email Encryption Drive Encryption Encryption Management Server File Share Encryption Gateway Email Encryption PGP Command Line PGP Key Management Server PGP Key Mgmt Client Access and CLI API PGP SDK

Issue/Introduction

 This article describes how to create custom background images for the Symantec Endpoint Encryption 11 Preboot login screens.

Resolution

If using Symantec Endpoint Encryption Management Server to manage client policies, an administrator can customize the Symantec Endpoint Encryption Preboot screens to include additional text or a custom image such as an organization's logo.

Custom background images created for the Symantec Endpoint Encryption Preboot screens must meet the following specifications:
 

Legacy BIOS Mode:

  • XPM files only for Legacy BIOS systems.
  • Image size of 640 by 480.
  • Palette of 14 colors only, including black (one color is reserved for fonts). You do not have to use all 14 colors in the image.
  • 8-bit RGB only (cannot be 16-bit RGB). You can verify you are using 8 bit by looking at the XPM header using a text editor: 8-bit values appear as #285A83 (one hex triplet), 16-bit values appear as #28285A5A8383 (two hex triplets).

 

UEFI Mode:

  • BMP files only for UEFI systems
  • Splash screen Image size 600 X 570
  • Preboot Login screen Image size 250 X 60 (This is due to the banner being the only component that can be customized for UEFI).
  • Ensure SEE 11.1.3 or above is used as this was new functionality added in this release (As of this release, SEE 11.4 is the current branch).

For more information on the above specifications, see the Symantec Endpoint Encryption Policy Admin Guide.

The following is a screenshot for the customization for Symantec Endpoint Encryption Manager to create the image. 

The customization screens can be configured during client creation only and cannot be deployed via policy:

 

This article will provide some general guidelines on how to get started creating some of these images for Preboot.

There are image editing solutions that would be best to use, however, Paint offers some very basic editing options.

This is by no means a comprehensive guide, but will get you started.

 

1. If you open Paint, and you have no editing options available, on the right side, look for the arrow:

2. This will open up the options to the left:


3. Next, you'll see this screen:

4. Change the image to the appropriate settings.  Unfortunately, with Paint, the exact 250 X 60 resolution cannot be achieved, but this size seems to work with SEE:

5. Once you do, the image size will be the correct size of the banner for SEE:

 


 

To create a customized XPM Preboot image with GIMP

GIMP can be used to modify images to be able to create an XPM and is a freely distributed image/photo editing software that can be downloaded here .

  1. Install GIMP on your system.
  2. Open GIMP.
  3. Click File>New.
  4. For the Image Size, select 640x480 from the Template drop down and click OK.
  5. Click File>Open As Layers and browse to your image file.
  6. Select your file and click Open.
  7. On the menu bar, click Image>Mode>Indexed.
  8. Change the Maximum number of colors: from 255 to 14.
  9. Click Convert.
  10. Click on Image>Mode>RGB
  11. Click File>Save As, specify a name for your image and save it as a .xpm file.
  12. Select Merge Visible Layers then click Export.


Note: There are also online services which allow the conversion of image files to XPM format.  Although these conversion services are useful, they may not guarantee the sizing and resolution requirements are fulfilled.

Keywords:
Customize Bootguard
XPM Customization
Preboot Customization
Customize Preboot
 

 

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