How to Create a Personalized Startup Greeting for Your PC

Creating a personalized startup greeting for your PC can add a fun and custom touch to your daily routine. By creating a batch (.bat) or VBScript (.vbs) file that runs automatically when your computer boots up, you can have your PC welcome you with a spoken message or any other task you’d like. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do it.

Step 1: Create the Greeting Script

Option 1: Using a Batch (.bat) File

A batch file is a script file that contains a series of commands to be executed by the command-line interpreter. Here’s how to create a simple batch file that makes your PC speak a welcome message.

1. Open Notepad:

• Press Win + S and type “Notepad” to open it.

1. Write the Script:
   Copy and paste the following code into Notepad:

   @echo off
   mshta vbscript:Execute("CreateObject(""SAPI.SpVoice"").Speak(""Welcome, [Your Name]!"")(window.close)")

Replace [Your Name] with the name or message you want your PC to speak.

3. Save the File:

• Click on File > Save As....
• In the “Save as type” dropdown, select All Files.
• Name the file Welcome.bat (ensure it ends with .bat).
• Choose a location where you can easily find it, like your Desktop, and click Save.

Option 2: Using a VBScript (.vbs) File

A VBScript file allows for more complex scripting, but for this purpose, it’s just as easy to use as a batch file.

1. Open Notepad:

• Press Win + S and type “Notepad” to open it.

1. Write the Script:
   Copy and paste the following code into Notepad:

   Set SAPI = CreateObject("SAPI.SpVoice")
   SAPI.Speak "Welcome, [Your Name]!"

Replace [Your Name] with your desired greeting message.

3. Save the File:

• Click on File > Save As....
• In the “Save as type” dropdown, select All Files.
• Name the file Welcome.vbs (ensure it ends with .vbs).
• Choose a location like your Desktop and click Save.

Step 2: Add the Script to the Startup Folder

For the script to run automatically every time your PC starts, you need to place it in the Startup folder.

1. Locate the Startup Folder:

• Press Win + R to open the Run dialog.
• Type shell:startup and press Enter. This will open the Startup folder.

1. Copy the Script to the Startup Folder:

• Simply drag and drop the Welcome.bat or Welcome.vbs file you created into the Startup folder.

Step 3: Test the Script

To ensure everything works correctly, restart your PC. If set up correctly, your PC should greet you with the message you specified when it starts up.

Additional Customization

If you’d like to add more functionality to your startup script, such as opening specific applications or displaying a custom message box, you can extend your batch or VBScript file with additional commands.

Example of an Extended Batch Script:

@echo off
mshta vbscript:Execute("CreateObject(""SAPI.SpVoice"").Speak(""Welcome, [Your Name]! Time to check your emails."")(window.close)")
start outlook.exe

Example of an Extended VBScript:

Set SAPI = CreateObject("SAPI.SpVoice")
SAPI.Speak "Welcome, [Your Name]! Don't forget to check today's schedule."
Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
WshShell.Run "notepad.exe"

Conclusion

Creating a personalized startup greeting on your PC is a simple but effective way to make your computer experience more enjoyable. Whether you choose to use a batch file or a VBScript, the process is straightforward, and the results can be quite fun. By following the steps above, you can easily set this up and start your day with a friendly welcome from your PC.