Well you peaked my interest..

In the Finder, navigate to /System/Library/Components. Control-click on CoreAudio.component and choose Show Package Contents from the contextual menu. In the resulting Finder window, navigate to /Contents/Resources/System Sounds. Within this folder are subfolders containing AIFF files of all the sounds your system makes, each clearly labeled.

[macworld.com...]

I'm sure there's also a freeware utility w/ a nice GUI, but I didn't dig that deep.

Thanks!

In Windows you just go to the Control panel and click on Sounds. And they say Macs are superior...

So, you found the ONE thing that pc's are better at. Congratulations

It's one of a long list. I was gonna publish it but the list would take too long to type up. And every Mac addict would be at my throat.

Was trolling once not enough?

Back on topic. I tried the help you gave which was great. But I couldn't find the sound files for the error beep or start-up noise. Does anyone know where they are defined?

To use a custom alert, put the file into System/Library/Sounds and select it at System Preferences > Sound.

Interestingly enough, the startup sound seems to be stored directly on the board. So you can't change it, but you can mute it using TinkerTool.

[bresink.com...]

Unless you're using a laptop on the go, just leave the computer on :)

Computer makers are pretty silly in what they make easy and what they leave to "power users."

On Windows machines you can change the color scheme of the Blue Screen of Death [en.wikipedia.org], but it requires manually editing your SYSTEM.INI file.

It would be nice if there was a control panel for that, especially considering how often people get to see it. ;)

And, as your_store said, the startup sound can't be changed. If you mute it, you could then use a third-party app to add a custom "startup sound" but it won't actually play until the desktop starts to load. (Those apps are really just login items that play a sound then quit.) Find those apps with searches like "change mac os x startup sound."

Interestingly enough, the startup sound seems to be stored directly on the board

I wondered that, since it comes up before the desktop.

I tried the link to the tinker tool but it says Forbidden (in German).

I think I'll leave the startup sound as it is. But that error beep is annoying, especially when it repeats.

Sorry, somehow the link got mangled..

[bresink.com...]

Not sure if I was clear before, but you can change the error sound w/o any 3rd party software.

Not sure if I was clear before, but you can change the error sound w/o any 3rd party software.

Can you tell me how? I didn't see it listed in the sound files on my Mac.

System Preferences > Sound > Sound Effects > "Choose an alert sound"

How to add your own alert sounds [docs.info.apple.com]

I see the sounds listed in the System Preferences but can only seem to turn them all off or all on. Is there no way to select just one and mute or change it? Am I missing something?

Whichever sound you highlight in the list will be your error sound.

Ha that's great! How could I have been so stupid! (Can you tell I'm not used to Macs?)

Thanks guys!