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Safe screensavers for Win10
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Author:  katy98 [ Tue Apr 16, 2019 4:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Safe screensavers for Win10

I can't remember where I saw screensavers on the Windows website, is there such a thing as 'safe screensavers' for Win10? I like the fact that Win 7 can have a bubbles screen saver and it still shows the beautiful background on that laptop but from searches I've done, it appears Win 10 doesn't have that capability and those who work in that dept aren't anticipating a fix so I'm looking for different 'safe' screensavers than the bubbles etc. Does anyone know if there is something with flowers or something pretty? :)

Author:  jaylach [ Tue Apr 16, 2019 5:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Safe screensavers for Win10

If you right click on an empty part of your desktop, and hover over 'Appearance', you will see an option for 'screensaver'. Bubbles is listed on my system.

Here is a link to screensavers on the Microsoft site.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/search/ ... creensaver

Author:  katy98 [ Tue Apr 16, 2019 6:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Safe screensavers for Win10

Thanks Jay and yes I have been using right click/Personalize on the desktop in my Win10 laptop and I have the bubbles screensaver kick in but the background of the bubbles screensaver is just a plain navy blue, not the pretty background image like it displays in my Win7 laptop. There is no special setting on the Win7 laptop to make this happen, it just does so I'm not sure how.

On my Win7 laptop the same bubbles screensaver kicks in and it shows me 'clear bubbles' (no color) over my desktop image which is pink daisies; this is what I want to recreate in my Win10 laptop.

When I did the web search on how to replicate this Win7 'bubbles over desktop image' in Win10, I found a thread similar to this one: https://www.tenforums.com/customization ... stion.html
which speaks to the screensaver+desktop image issue but doesn't confirm what I found earlier that states Win10 doesn't have this feature and doesn't appear it is planning to 'fix' it...... which is why I am looking for a SAFE screensaver that has a pretty image lol. Yes this may be a girlie thing :).

Are there any free SAFE screensaver downloads on a Windows website that isn't tied to spam or other dangerous things?

Author:  jaylach [ Tue Apr 16, 2019 8:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Safe screensavers for Win10

All of the screensavers on the Microsoft link I gave are safe.

Yes, also on my main system, the desktop background is not visible. As a workaround I suppose that you could go to the Windows folder on the Windows 7 system then System32. Look for 'Bubbles.scr' and copy it to a flash drive. Rename to 'Bubbles2.scr' to prevent overwriting the 'Bubbles.scr' screen saver on the Windows 10 system and copy from the flash drive to Windows\system32' on the Windows 10 system. Your screensaver options should display anything with a '.scr' extension in the system32 folder as an option. It should just be a matter as to if the Windows 7 version can run on Windows 10.

You may also look at a screensaver I did years ago. It isn't clear bubbles but is a bunch of round things bouncing around the screen. ;)
https://jaylach.com/downloads/Ball-Blas ... -setup.zip
I put this together as an example when I had my computer business for clients to be able to have a custom screensaver built. A lot of people have told me it is on the cool side. It has options in the settings to mute the music and turn on/off multiple monitor support. Look at it if you want. The installer will offer four setup options such as put a link on your desktop. I suggest that you select only to open display options after install to make it quick and easy to open the screensaver options. I put this together in the days of Windows XP but it still works in Windows 10. It DOES show a 'faded' desktop behind the screensaver. It MAY be what you are looking for and you would not need to try to port 'Bubbles' from Windows 7 to Windows 10.

I DO trust that you know that, with flat screen monitors, a screen saver isn't needed but are just to make pretty.

The link you posted referred to Winaero Tweaker which I trust and use a lot.
https://winaero.com/request.php?8
The above is Winaero's screensaver tweaker. Make sure to only use the download link stated as "Download Windows Screensavers Tweaker"!
It DOES work but does not seem to have a setting to 'dim' the desktop under the bubbles.

LOL! This should keep you busy. :mrgreen:

Author:  katy98 [ Tue Apr 16, 2019 8:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Safe screensavers for Win10

Thanks so much Jay and I'm so sorry, I didn't even see the paragraph below your first sentence, duh me!!
Now in the next couple days I will check out that link and the subsequent ones you posted on your site and I think leave the workaround for the final alternative. The workaround doesn't look complicated but not sure if it'll work on the W10 could make it a bit challenging.
I think I'll start with the screensaver you did a few years ago. What you described seems very workable and the bubbles I chose at first was just something lightweight but still could allow me to get back into my system after a period of time vs the 'hibernate' I had been using (because that laptop with the plugin power vs battery not a working power took too long for the whole system to continue where left off so screensaver seemed like a good system to try. (better yet would be getting a whole different laptop but I dread the day I have to move 17 yrs of info from the old system to the new. I'm not even sure if Imaging that old laptop system would be foolproof.)

Anyway, I digress. Thanks so much for this and I think the info you gave will be the answer; thanks a bunch! katy

Author:  jaylach [ Tue Apr 16, 2019 9:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Safe screensavers for Win10

You are quite welcome Katy. :)

Just a point on something that you said about hating to move 17 years of data to a new laptop. You are correct in that a system image would probably not do the trick as the hardware would be different. If you ever do the move you would have to install all your software on the new system but moving data is pretty easy. Just use a flash drive and copy such things as music, documents and pictures from the old system to the flash drive. Plug the flash drive into the new system and copy to the right places on the new system's hard drive. Depending on the size of the flash drive it could take multiple copies to complete.

<edit>
For the record I powered up the Windows 7 side of my dual boot laptop and copied the 'Bubbles.scr' file then imported to my Windows 10 main system. It worked but had the same result of the desktop not showing behind the bubbles. Go with the Winaero solution rather than porting if you want to keep the bubbles. LOL! Of course you could also build up my ego and like my screensaver... :mrgreen:

Author:  katy98 [ Wed Apr 17, 2019 12:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Safe screensavers for Win10

Nice screensaver Jay, it installed nicely on the W7 laptop. since that's the laptop that IS successful with the windows bubble screensaver and still view the pretty pink flower on the desktop, I tried downloading yours to the W10 and Windows defender alerted to 'not open' so I chose open anyway so it opened but then to install defender DeepGuard popped up and stopped that with no option to open anyway.

Since this file is on your website, could you send me a link to the exact spot where its located (I looked around a lot but didn't see any screensavers) and I'll try to download/install from there, just to see if that works on this W10 laptop. If that doesn't work, I could try to load the file from the W7 System32 to a flashdrive and copy it to the W10 System32. I just think downloading from your site might be less workaround then the copy/paste method. What do you think?

Author:  jaylach [ Wed Apr 17, 2019 1:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Safe screensavers for Win10

Find it here but it won't make any difference.
https://jaylach.com/downloads

I forgot about Windows 10 alerting on the thing. I don't know what it is about the installer but Windows 10 does not like it. Three options:
1) Make an exception in Defender for the installer.

2) Copy the .scr file from the Win 7 system to the Win 10 system. (windows\system32 or windows\SysWOW64 on Win 7) to (windows\SysWOW64 of Win 10)

3) Select a different screensaver. ;)

Author:  katy98 [ Wed Apr 17, 2019 3:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Safe screensavers for Win10

Could you send me the link to others you have on your website so I can view them and download? Maybe that'll work better with Defender as I've not had issues with other downloads with Defender. I was surprised Defender was so alert because I've never experienced that before. :)

Author:  jaylach [ Wed Apr 17, 2019 3:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Safe screensavers for Win10

I don't have any other screensavers on-line. Please note that not all are free.

Here is the link to some on the Microsoft site.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/search/ ... creensaver

Author:  katy98 [ Wed Apr 17, 2019 4:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Safe screensavers for Win10

Thanks Jay but using Microsoft store opened up a new/old can of worms with my old hotmail email which is where they sent the free screen saver I chose.

So, now I wonder do you know how I make an exception in Defender for the installer? I would guess I need to give it a web address to identify? I found Windows Defender Security Center in my laptop and there are several icons along the left side of the window and I don't know which one is where I would make the exception. I should mention if it involves working with Microsoft and email if email isn't my gmail account, this road won't work either. Microsoft has changed my fairytale_4@hotmail.com to ...@live.com .... and then to @outlook.com but I'm unable to make any of these work even with my latest password and because I haven't used MS email for 20+ yrs it's likely disappeared.

I'm not desperate so don't worry if this exception involves Microsoft contact, I'm just curious and I'll find another way to locate what I think I need, if I still feel that way lol. Or I might just give up and use one of the 5 MS screensavers available in Win10.

Thanks for hanging in there I know how exasperating this is just for one small thing but we will survive!! katy

Author:  jaylach [ Wed Apr 17, 2019 5:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Safe screensavers for Win10

The exclusion/exception is for a file or folder on your system, not on-line.
To do an exception:
1) Open Defender and click 'Virus and threat protection' on the left.
2) Click on 'Manage settings' in the middle.
3) Scroll down to 'Exclusions' and click on 'Add or remove exclusions'.
4) Click on 'Add an exclusion'.
5) Select 'File' and navigate to where the installer is located and select.

Author:  katy98 [ Fri Apr 19, 2019 8:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Safe screensavers for Win10

Hi Jay, I think I will have to stick with the Windows 10 bubbles or some other of Windows screensavers and that's fine. I had a little trouble with Defender and I figure since this is just a screensaver issue, I'll just live with what I have. It was worth an ask to see if there was something simple to do. Thanks so much for the help!!! It is so good to know CH is here for us; don't know what I'd do without you all!!! Happy Easter! katy

Author:  jaylach [ Fri Apr 19, 2019 8:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Safe screensavers for Win10

OK, and Happy Easter to you too.

Still I don't understand your issue with Defender and my saver. Yes, I get an alert for an unknown publisher from Defender if I launch the installer but, if I select to run, I have no further issue. Ahhh, I MAY know the difference. I can't remember if I ever suggested but did you try right clicking on the installer and selecting to run as admin?

Author:  katy98 [ Sun Apr 21, 2019 7:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Safe screensavers for Win10

Hi Again :)....... this time I did a right click on the downloaded file that was a zip and chose Extract all and then to that extracted file (now an .exe) I did a right click that did have an option to 'run as Administrator' then 'Windows Protected your PC' came up that said 'Don't Run', I chose 'More Info' under the windows statement which then gave me the option to click a 'Run Anyway' option (next to the 'Don't Run' option), I clicked that 'Run Anyway' after choosing 'run as Administrator' then another statement 'do you want to run' system alert, I chose Yes, then again the "Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item." **The location that this statement references is C:\Users\katy****\Downloads\Jays file name of screensaver...... yet I'm doing all of this IN that path or more specifically the path the .exe was in, not the zip like this warning is referring to......... so I am doing this in the permissible space.

Didn't there used to be an option long time ago with earlier versions that I could actually choose a login, like if I had 2 different logins for 2 different family members, wasn't there also an option to log in as Administrator? Or is that now the Administrator option in File Explore right click that gives the option to Run As Administrator? If there is no other Administrator option on the whole Windows login, I can't think of anything else to try. It would be nice to find a solution but the Bubbles thing is no big deal if I can't open and use yours Jay.

Is it possible that using Opera as browser is making a difference?

Author:  dvair [ Sun Apr 21, 2019 7:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Safe screensavers for Win10

Redownload the zip file and before you extract it, right click the zip file and choose properties. There should be a box to check that says unblock, click this then extract and see if installing as an admin works now.

Author:  jaylach [ Sun Apr 21, 2019 7:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Safe screensavers for Win10

The browser makes no difference. Is your normal account set as being an admin or regular user?

Look at what dvair said and try. He posted while I was posting the following. If his method does not work think about the following.

Sigh, you are spending a lot of time trying to get my screensaver to work on your system. The best solution is to probably use a different screensaver. If you really want to use mine I can put up the actual screensaver file on my hosting and you would just download and copy to your 'sysWOW64' folder within your 'Windows' folder. You would then open your screensaver settings and it should appear as a listed screensaver.

Author:  katy98 [ Sun Apr 21, 2019 8:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Safe screensavers for Win10

Sorry Dvair and Jay but altho I went through Dvair's recipe and everything he said would be there was there, I checked to unblock went through Run as Admin and still got the same 'DeepGuard blocked a harmful app to my computer'.
So since this screensaver isn't translucent (see-thru) I guess I'll just go with 1 from Windows 10.
Thanks ALL for all the help but some things I guess aren't possible. It was definitely a learning experience. I never knew Win10 HAD DeepGuard :(. katy

Author:  jaylach [ Sun Apr 21, 2019 8:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Safe screensavers for Win10

To be honest I have to wonder about Defender's 'DeepGuard'. I have never seen any reference to this aspect of Defender...

Author:  dvair [ Mon Apr 22, 2019 12:29 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Safe screensavers for Win10

I don't think Deep Guard is part of Defender. Are you running another anti-virus/anti-malware on your system?

Any search for DeepGuard makes reference to F-Secure.

Author:  katy98 [ Mon Apr 22, 2019 10:46 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Safe screensavers for Win10

I uninstalled Malwarebytes about 3 wks ago but maybe this DeepGuard was left behind. I used the uninstall in the Control Panel. The version I uninstalled did include real time protection too. When I downloaded it I thought I was getting the free version but I guess the free one comes as a trial version which I discovered 'after' I had it installed. I wonder if now that the program is gone, it'll be difficult to just uninstall this left behind part. :(

Author:  jaylach [ Mon Apr 22, 2019 1:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Safe screensavers for Win10

I get the same results as dvair. DeepGuard is not part of Malwarebytes. It is part of F-Secure. It is possible that you had F-Secure installed at one time and DeepGuard was left over from that.

Author:  katy98 [ Mon Apr 22, 2019 5:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Safe screensavers for Win10

I honestly don't know how it got on here then because I've always gone solely with Defender on this laptop and the other Win7 laptop. And Malwarebytes is the the only security program (or even any program) I've installed on either laptop and I've always had to uninstall it because it seems to be too heavy for my resources. How DeepGuard got on here is way beyond me! Nobody else uses these laptops either nor have I taken either to a shop that might've put it on.

DeepGuard is an intentional program, right? Not something someone put on to track or anything is it?

Also, neither DeepGuard nor F-Secure show up in my CP Programs & Features.

Author:  jaylach [ Mon Apr 22, 2019 6:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Safe screensavers for Win10

Look at all programs in the start menu and see if there is a listing for F-Secure or DeepGuard. If so there MAY be an uninstaller listed. If it isn't showing in Programs and features it is rather involved to remove manually involving making changes to your registry.

How it got there I don't know as you never installed.

Author:  katy98 [ Mon Apr 22, 2019 7:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Safe screensavers for Win10

Found the answer! A few months ago after talking to Spectrum my Internet provider, they suggested I install their Security Suite. In looking in Programs and Features I do see Security Suite listed with Publisher as F-Secure corporation so this must be the one.

I did a search on Security Suite and in Tools there is an icon called Allowed and Denied Websites. Since this is a file I found the part of the Suite that held the zip that was blocked and there was an option to Allow so I chose that. Then another alert are you sure, I went through that too. Then I went to the zip downloaded file and got the error it could not complete due to path or permissions, then I searched for the temp file that resulted opening up the zip, again, it couldn't continue due to path or permissions.

I think now that we know where F-Secure came from and it's just a screensaver, I'll just give up trying to bypass F-Secure, its way too exhausting. But at least now we know how it got on my machine.

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