Unable to install NEW screen saver in Windows XP with SP2????

[Guest]

Am running Windows XP and upgraded with Svc. Pack 2 recently, After upgrade
am unable to install a NEW screen saver (Lionel Train screen saver). Am only
able to use the MS Windows approved screen savers listed in Display
Properties, with no pulldown menu containing "Install". Why did MS delete
the ability to install a personal new screen saver? Thanks for any clues or
help. Andy39

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

Did you put a copy of the screen saver (with a .SCR extension) into the
windows\system32 folder? If so it should appear with the other screen
savers.

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP\)]

Were you able to install it on XP prior to the installation of SP2? I can
tell you, this is not unusual for Windows XP in general. After it's
release, people had numerous favorite screen savers, some were available on
Windows Millennium but they simply would not install.

"Why did MS delete
the ability to install a personal new screen saver?"

They didn't. Windows XP is built on the NT kernel as opposed the 9x
kernel, the graphics engine was substantially changed for XP and many screen
savers that worked on Windows 9x systems don't work or won't work on XP.

--
In memory of our dear friend, MVP Alex Nichol.

Michael Solomon MS-MVP
Windows Shell/User
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/communities/mvp.aspx
Backup is a PC User's Best Friend
DTS-L.Org: http://www.dts-l.org/

 

[Guest]

Thanks so much Will and Michael for your help. Prior to installing SP2 I was
able to operate my favorite scr. saver, Lionel Trains, and it was listed
among the other scr. savers in my Display Properties. After upgrading to
SP2, it eliminated this Lionel scr. saver, and only lists the Windows scr.
savers in my Display properties. Yes, I finally figured out how to move the
file (Century6.scr) into the C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32 folder, but the Display
properties still only shows the Windows approved scr. savers, and does not
list my Lionel Train scr. saver. I right clicked on the Century6.scr file in
the system32 folder, and got a pulldown menu, which contained the "Install"
command, which I clicked, and got a message that the scr. saver had been
successfully installed = but it still does not appear anywhere in the Display
properties. If I click on the Century6.scr file in My Pictures, or select
it, then after about 3 minutes it appears on my monitor as my scr. saver.
What a hassle to just get a favorite screen saver installed! But again,
thanks Will and Michael for replying to my inquiry so promptly, and for your
help. Of course, I can always Restore my PC to prior installing the SP2, but
since it is now working t;hink will just leave it alone. Regards, Andy39