Tech Support

Q: I am having problems with a screen saver downloaded from this site.
A: You need to contact the author of that particular screen saver. You can do so by clicking on the (home) icon, which will link you to the author/owner's site. ScreenSaver.com does not represent or support individual screen savers, we only provide the links for downloading them.

Q: I downloaded a file with a .zip extension, what do I do with it now?
A: Download WinZip and unzip the file.

Q: I can't UNZIP the file(s).
A: Make sure you're using an up to date version of PKUNZIP. Our ZIP archives are compatible with version 2.04g of PKUNZIP. Some folks are still using version 1 of PKUNZIP, which is several years out of date, and doesn't recognize the compression techniques used in the current versions of the ZIP utilities. We recommend using a newer version of either PKUNZIP or WinZip.

Q: Where do .scr files go?
A: The .scr file is the screen saver file. It needs to be placed in your "Windows" directory. (usually c:\windows )

Q: Once my screen saver is installed, how do I find it?
A: In Windows 3.1: Go to your "Main" group and double click on "Control Panel". Then double click on "Desktop". The screen saver section is the third box down. In Windows 95 or NT: Click on Start, then choose settings, then control panel. Double click on "Display" and select the "Screen Saver" tab.

Q: How do I uninstall screen savers?
A: Most screen savers have an "Uninstall" program that is installed in a program group, so you would just run that. Win95 screen savers sometimes put an uninstall function in the "Add/Remove Programs" section of Control Panel. If a screen saver doesn't have an uninstall, try going to the home page for that particular screen saver by clicking on the icon. The site may have uninstall directions there. Most screen saver files get installed into the "Windows" directory. Try looking for files with a .scr extension (example: fred.scr) in the windows directory, and you can just delete the particular one you want to remove.

Q: I am having problems downloading. What can I do?
A: It could be any one of several different issues. Sometimes the problem is that the site home site where the file is located is overloaded or temporarily offline. Sometimes there are isolated outages on the internet that aren't the fault of the site itself, but rather a problem with the interconnection of networks between your computer and the other site. We know that it can be a hassle, and we apologize. The best advice is to try again later. Spurious outages are usually fixed/restored quickly.

Q: How do I download files?
A: Here are some directions for the easiest way to download files from our web site: 1) Put your mouse cursor over the link for the file, and press the RIGHT mouse button. That will cause a menu to pop up. 2) Click on the "Save Target as..." option. Different web browsers might use slightly different wording for this option -- the bottom line is to choose the option that allows you to save that file to your hard drive (rather than actually trying to open it right off the web). 3) A dialog box now opens that asks you where you want the Browser to place the file that it downloads. Make sure to pick a spot that you'll remember afterwards! We recommend you create a "Downloads" directory / folder right off the top C:\ directory, so you'll always know where to find it. 4) Click OK and the file will begin to download. Once it is downloaded you can either click on it and run it directly if it's an .EXE file, or if it's a .ZIP file, unzip it. (refer to the FAQ on .ZIP files if you do not know what to do with a .ZIP file).

Q:Where did XYZ Screen Saver go? It used to be on your site.
A: Every screen saver at screensaver.com is linked directly the original author's site. If they remove the file from their site, then we must also remove it. From time to time products are "retired" and we must remove the product. We don't normally remove products, so if a product disappears from ScreenSaver.com, it's for a good reason and means that it is no longer available for reasons beyond our control.

Q: Are the files that I download actually located at screensaver.com?
A: No. When you click to download a file, you're actually downloading it from the original "home" site for that file. We link directly to the source of that file so that if the file is updated by the original authors, we'll always be linking to the latest official file.

Q: Do all screen savers for Windows 3.1 work under Windows 95?
A: 99.99% of the time, the answer is "Yes". We are not aware of any screen savers on ScreenSaver.com that do not work with Win95 if they're specified as "Win3.1 or better".

Q: What is shareware?
A: Shareware distribution gives users a chance to try software before buying it. If you try a Shareware program and continue using it, you are expected to register. Individual programs differ on details -- some request registration while others require it, some specify a maximum trial period. With registration, you get anything from the simple right to continue using the software to an updated program with printed manual.

Q: Some of your screen savers have icons for both and . So which is it - free or not?
A: Actually, the answer is both! Usually you see and together, which indicates it's a shareware program, and there's a link to buy the full version. When you see the and icons together, it means that the version that you can download off ScreenSaver.com is completely free -- you are not required to purchase anything, and that screen saver can be used forever, free of charge. However, the icon is a link to an optional, enhanced version that you can choose to purchase. A good example is the "Hey, Macaroni!" screen saver -- there's a completely free version with 1 verse, but there's also an optional "extended play" version available for a nominal fee.

Q: How can I create my own screen saver?
A: If you're looking for a way that's easy, quick, and inexpensive, check out the Image Carousel 2 screensaver toolkit.

If you're looking for something more sophisticated (animation, music, sound effects, etc.), you might want to try Ovation Studio Pro from R.I. Soft Systems. Ovation Studio Pro is a professional development environment for creating interactive multimedia applications, presentations, Computer-Based Training, Screen Savers, and more. Ovation Studio Pro can be used to create very cool, high end screen savers including sound, animation, and more, with a royalty-free redistribution license. However, it requires a moderate level of computer experience and basic scripting / programming experience.

The final option is to contract R.I. Soft Systems to create a custom screen saver for you. Their past clients include Fosters Beer, Wal*Mart, Bacardi, Panasonic, Sparkle Paper Towels, and dozens more - click here for details.

Q: I don't know my password for my screen saver. How do I find out what it is?
A:You can't find out. But you can reset it back to something new. You can download the free utility file from R.I. Soft Systems, called PWZAP.ZIP. Running this file will reset your screen saver password. This file can be used for Windows 3.1 or Windows 95.

Q: The screen saver came set with a password. How do I find out what it is?
Q: The screen saver installed a password on my system. How do I find out what it is?
A: Actually, no it didn't. While each screen saver can opt to use or not use password protection (usually specified through the screen saver's settings options), all screen savers use the same system-wide password. There was probably already a password set from some time long past, but none of the screen savers were using the password option until the new screen saver was installed and the password option was turned on. See the previous note about using PWZAP.ZIP to reset a forgotten password.