If anyone is wondering how to make 32-bit BMPs (24-bit RGB + 8-bit alpha channel) in Photoshop, look no further: Photoshop: 32-bit BMPs Create your OEM logo with transparency as you normally would in Photoshop. Arrange all your layers so the image looks as you want it when finished. (It's not a bad idea to create a solid background of the same colour as the sysdm dialog box to get a good idea of this, or even just create it on top of a screenshot. Make sure you get rid of background before the next step, however.) Duplicate your image (Image -> Duplicate...) and check the box to duplicate merged images. (You could just merge all your layers, but if you want to change anything later it'll be easier this way.) If necessary, trim the image (Image -> Trim...) based on transparent pixels so it's as small as possible. Now hold Ctrl and click on the thumbnail of your image in the layer pallet, creating a selection based on its transparency. Head over to the channels pallet and create a new alpha channel. Ensuring you have white as the secondary colour (hit D to reset colours to white and black, then X to swap), clear the selection (Edit -> Clear or hit Delete). Hide the alpha channel, unhide the RGB channels and you're good to save. It goes without saying really, but make sure the alpha channel option is checked in the save dialog, and 32-bit is selected in the next dialog. That's it! You can now step back for a moment and take in the joy that is 8-bit transparency. Of course, you'll have to redo steps 3-10 in some form if you make any changes that affect the transparency, but you could always create a macro if you find yourself changing your mind a lot. The easiest way to get images with decent transparency already applied is to just search Google for PNGs. As for removing backgrounds in Photoshop, well.. there are plenty of tutorials for that elsewhere on the web. My own OEM logo: