How to Uninstall Blue Screen of Death Screensaver

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Guest

Recently reformatted my HD and reinstalled XP Pro and all apps. All of a
sudden, the Windows BSOD Screensaver started popping up. Please tell me how
to remove this thing from my machine. I searched for bluescrn.scr but could
not find it anywhere on my HD. The BSOD screensaver is not listed on the
ADD/REMOVE Programs screen in Control Panel. It does not show up when I
search for *.scr.
 
donotspam said:
Recently reformatted my HD and reinstalled XP Pro and all apps. All of a
sudden, the Windows BSOD Screensaver started popping up. Please tell me
how
to remove this thing from my machine. I searched for bluescrn.scr but
could
not find it anywhere on my HD.
Click to expand...

BSOD is NOT a "screensaver"! It happens when there is an error with your
operating system. You need to post the error message that it generates.
 
Gordon:

I believe you are correct. However, I think I remember that someone
created a screen saver that is an exact knock-off of a STOP error. If so
I don't think it will last long since, believe it or not, those blue
screens are Microsoft's <ahem> intellectual </ahem> property.
 
Gordon, apparently you are unfamiliar with the BSOD screensaver. Do a Google
search on it (full name) and you'll get lots of hits.
 
donotspam said:
Gordon, apparently you are unfamiliar with the BSOD screensaver. Do a
Google search on it (full name) and you'll get lots of hits.
Click to expand...

yes I *know* it's a screensaver - did you install it? If not, then either
what you are getting is NOT a screensaver or you have lamware on board.
 
No, I did not install it; that's what is so puzzling. I don't know how it
got onto my system. And I DO know that it is the MS BSOD screensaver, with
which I'm familiar from difficulties experienced by acquaintances with it.
At last check, using Windows Defender, Spyware Doctor, Spybot, and Ad-aware,
I have no malware on the system.

(Don't get hung up on the term "screensaver", Gordon. MS uses that term in
its knowledge base, to which I gave you a link below.)
 
Simple question... although you probably are going to say yes ... but did
you check in add/remove programs?

Wow...Seems strange someone would develop a "prank" program like that.
 
Ohh (my bad... lol) I see you did look in A/R progs already. Well - based
on what you've said thus far... I would think your seeing a legitimate BSOD
screen. Heres why:

1. You recently clean reinstalled Windows and all your apps.

2. The software you provided a link for - wasn't installed by you - and it
isn't listed in Add/Remove.

3. You stated you scanned for Malware and found none.

Depending on what the message says... you could legitimately have a problem
that is just now showing up.
 
Thanks for your comments, CJ. Nope, it's not a legitimate BSOD screen. One
way to determine that is to observe that the BSOD screensaver changes your
screen resolution, which causes its text to fill the full screen rather than
being in a smaller font taking up less space. The other way to determine
that is simply by having seen it numerous times on others' computers. The
text is quite different from the typical legitimate BSOD.

What stumps me is how it got on my HD in the first place. It can be
downloaded from numerous websites, among them Microsoft's; but I never
downloaded it. (The program originated with SysInternals, which - if I
remember correctly - was bought out by Microsoft. MS then offered the
program on its own website.) I searched for bluescrn.scr on my MS install
disc, but came up empty-handed there. Somehow, it snuck in on to my HD from
somewhere else.

And now I can't get rid of it. My one remaining option seems to be to
download the program from MS, install it, and hope that there is an uninstall
option offered with the setup program. If so, that should clear it off the
HD. If not, I'm in a heap of trouble, as they like to say in Georgia.

Arghhh.....
 
Was it my understanding from an earlier post, that friends or colleagues of
yours had similar problems with getting this removed as well off their pcs?
Did you borrow any software from them??

Obviously Something is triggering this process into occuring... have you
looked at Msconfig in Startup Group or Services group. You might even want
to download Hijackthis and run a scan and create a log file. Make sure you
install it to a permanent folder on the harddrive.
To analyize the log... go to link below and paste resulting log file
contents .

http://www.hijackthis.de/index.php?langselect=english

Evedently, something or some process is causing it to load at startup.
 
Failing all else... you could right click on the desktop, click properties,
tab on screen savers section. See what screen saver is supposed to be
running and then change it. Otherwise I'm sitting here scratching my head
right along with you.
 
It was co-workers that had the thing on their machines, and the local IT guys
couldn't figure out how it got there or how to remove it. But I didn't
borrow any software from them.

MSCONFIG was the first thing I checked. Not there. Then I checked the
desktop screensavers, which I am not using, and it wasn't there, either.
Searched for *.srn, *.scr, and several other alternatives. Nothing.

If all else fails, I'll try HijackThis, but that is a bit of a PITA for me,
as I haven't much time for these demanding corrective measures. I frequently
don't get to the computer until after midnight.

Funny thing...most of the articles and MS stuff state that the BSOD
screensaver activates every fifteen seconds or so. I've never had it do
that; I usually see it only once every three or four days. Can't relate that
to any functioning app or other catalyst.
 
Well Norm,

I went ahead and downloaded Bluescreen. Zip - to try it on my own PC. It
installs to C:\Windows\System32\ folder as "SysInternals Bluescreen.scr."
I did it with an idea in mind of getting a feel for what it is your most
likely seeing on your screen. I had no problems setting it up or removing
it afterwards. I set it to display after ten minutes and it came up no
problems. I also had selected its fancy add hard drive effects which
amounts to it making a fake restart (with the Windows XP screen and the load
progress indicator on screen.) Ctrl key took me back out to my desktop.
File version I had was about 700Kb - which isn't out of range for some
screen savers size wise.

One other thing we didn't delve into here is examining the Event Viewer, in
the Control panel click on Administrative Tools. I would look first in
Applications, then under System. Look for a pattern of failures... you state
it seems to occur about every 4 days.
Look for an event occuring in 4 day increments either as a /!\ [Warning] or
(X) [Error] event. Somehow we'll get to the bottom of whats going on here.
 
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