# Can I access the Win2000 startup sound?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-access-the-win2000-startup-sound/168205>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 12, 2003, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-access-the-win2000-startup-sound/168205 "2003-04-12T04:29:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2003, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-access-the-win2000-startup-sound/168205/1 "2003-04-12T04:29:21Z")

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I’m talking about that little ditty that’s a trill-like sort of thing on F7sus, then a Bb chord (with a hackneyed little melody F-Bb-Eb-D).

I would like to parodize the heck out of it with music editing effects. How can I access that sound file?

Or is it hidden away inaccessible, in anticipation of rude hacks like me?

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**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2003, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-access-the-win2000-startup-sound/168205/2 "2003-04-12T04:35:08Z")

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Open up your Control Panel, click Sounds. There will be a list of events and associated sounds. You can get the name of the file from there. If Win2000 is like XP, clicking Sounds and Audio Devices will bring up a dialog. Click the Sounds tab to get the info, and scroll down the list of events until you see Startup. click it, and you’ll see the name of the sound file. They’re all .wav’s

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**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2003, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-access-the-win2000-startup-sound/168205/3 "2003-04-12T04:54:48Z")

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Excellent. It’s “The Microsoft Sound”.

Thanks.

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**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2003, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-access-the-win2000-startup-sound/168205/4 "2003-04-12T04:56:51Z")

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You’re going to share your parody with us Dopers, yes? All Windows users _hate_ that sound. 😃
