Changing kernel bootsplash image?

Question

I want to display a custom boot splash image on my Beaglebone Black (running Ångström).

I know of three places where images can be dumped to the framebuffer:

• Bootloader (uboot) - needs display initialization (https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/beagleboard/GwzL01ZHeC4) Looks generally hackish.
• Kernel - Displays a Tux penguin (for each core)
• User-space (e.g. psplash)

I want to avoid changing the bootloader if possible. I tried creating a userspace service, but systemd starts late in the boot process, leaving about 2secs of Mr. Tux and only about 1 sec showing my splash screen before I got to the login prompt.

Is there a way to replace the penguin with a custom splash screen (ideally without touching the bootloader or patching the kernel)?

Answer 1

You can recompile the new logo in the kernel. These links may help:

How to change the Linux penguin boot logo - ArticleWorld

How to change your Boot Logo in Linux Kernel (Suman's World)

Answer 2

I've used this procedure to change the boot splash logo:

pngtopnm logo.png | ppmquant 224| pnmtoplainpnm > logo_linux_clut224.ppm.

Then copy the file logo_linux_clut224.ppm to the directory of drivers/video/logo/ in the linux source directory, after backing up the original. Then compile the kernel. I have a few outdated links for clues and insight. Here are those links for reference:

http://www.articleworld.org/index.php/How_to_change_the_Linux_penguin_boot_logo

https://linuxlink.timesys.com/docs/wiki/engineering/HOWTO_Use_a_custom_boot_logo

Good luck.