# {SOLVED} ScreenSaver won't start



## TracyHD (Jan 15, 2000)

I set my screensaver to start when it is idle for x minutes, and the settings are saved only if I don't turn off the computer. (That is, screensaver is on) Once I restart the computer, I have to go back and save the settings because the screensaver is off. Why does this happen?


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## phobiussno (Nov 21, 1999)

Just to verify, but when you select a screensaver and your time settings do you then go to the bottom and click 'apply' and then 'ok' button... or do you just close out of the display properties?


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## TracyHD (Jan 15, 2000)

Of course I hit the 'Apply' button. I'm thinking maybe it has something to do with my win.ini file because that file is corrupted. It is still there, I just can't edit it.


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## LarryCore (Aug 26, 1999)

Sometimes we ask pretty basic questions - thats because we have no idea how much you know about computers. Hitting Apply isn't something that all people know they should be doing.

Anyway, WIN.INI does store your screensaver, so a reboot with a bad one will replace it. Do you have any other WIN.* files? Maybe a WIN.OLD? If so, boot to DOS, rename WIN.INI to WIN.BAD and then copy WIN.OLD to WIN.INI and reboot. If it makes things worse you can always copy the .BAD file back to .INI and be back to where you are now.


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## TracyHD (Jan 15, 2000)

I don't have any WIN.* files except for WIN.BAK and WIN.--- and WIN.SYD but those are corrupted as well. There's an error saying "File I/O error. Possibly bad file format or file is corrupted" ??


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## LarryCore (Aug 26, 1999)

Umm - what program are you trying to open these files with, that is giving you this error?


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## TracyHD (Jan 15, 2000)

With notepad. I'm confused. Since win.ini stores my screensaver and it is corrupted, is there a way I can make another win.ini file?


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## LarryCore (Aug 26, 1999)

I am confused too. Notepad shouldn't give that kind of error unless you have a problem with your hard drive.

Have you run Scandisk lately?

In any case, you can certainly create a new win.ini file, yes. Windows 9x doesn't actually even NEED one though, so you can just delete the corrupt one if you want. You may have to do this in DOS due to the IO trouble though.


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## TracyHD (Jan 15, 2000)

Yes I've ran scandisk, but the problem still persists. I'm wondering why certain problems load automatically when I turn on my computer, such as 'buddylist.exe' and norton's registryreminder.exe. They're listed on my win.ini file but I couldn't delete them because I couldn't edit win.ini anymore. Everytime I delete those files itself or win.ini, it keeps coming back once I restart the computer. This is why I can't delete win.ini.


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## LarryCore (Aug 26, 1999)

sounds like you have some kind of third party program running, that is restoring / protecting your system configuration.

Do you recall installing anything that might fall under this heading?


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## TracyHD (Jan 15, 2000)

I remember installing a trial version of Norton's AntiVirus. I deleted it, but the folder and the registryreminder.exe didn't delete. Also, I deleted America Online also but the buddylist.exe didn't delete either. Now both of them are stored in my drive and my win.ini. I really want to get rid of them but couldn't!


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## LarryCore (Aug 26, 1999)

No - neither of those would cause this.

I want to be 100% sure about this, so lets try something.

Shutdown to MSDOS mode. Type CD\WINDOWS then REN WIN.INI WIN.203 then type EXIT to restart windows.

Let us know what happens.


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## TracyHD (Jan 15, 2000)

I did exactly what you said but nothing happened to my win.ini. It's still there, still corrupted. The win.203 that I just created is corrupted as well. "File I/O error. Possibly bad file format or file is corrupted" ???


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## LarryCore (Aug 26, 1999)

Can you open other text files?

You may want to go to an MSDOS prompt and go to C:\WINDOWS and type in EDIT WIN.INI and see if you can view the file that way.

In any case, something is replacing your WIN.INI file. If you renamed it and it came back, something is running that is replacing it.

Can you boot in Safe Mode? If you delete the WIN.INI and boot in Safe Mode does it come back?


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## TracyHD (Jan 15, 2000)

I could open other text files. I went to MSDOS prompt and viewed WIN.INI like you said and it wasn't corrupted. I couldn't boot to safe mode though. (Restarted my computer, hit F8 when 'Starting Windows 95' appears in black background, but no Safe Mode, just regular mode like other times) I went to the HELP index and typed in Safe Mode. It said to press F8 and I did but I don't know why it didn't work. When I viewed WIN.INI before I deleted it, it was very long, but after I deleted it and restarted, it came back very short. Is there a way I can fix WIN.INI so it wouldn't be corrupted or find out what is replacing WIN.INI so I can delete it.


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## LarryCore (Aug 26, 1999)

I don't know what is causing the trouble, no. There really isn't a way to tell other than be eliminating all running programs, which starting in Safe Mode does.

You may want to try it again - this time press F8 over and over (not just once) and see if you get the menu. If not, try rebooting and this time hold down the right CTRL key. If that doesn't do it, try the right SHIFT key.


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## TracyHD (Jan 15, 2000)

I finally made it to safe mode. When I was there, I hit CTRL ALT DEL and deleted everything but Explorer and Winsaver because Winsaver wouldn't delete. I don't know what that is though. Well, I then went to C:Windows/System and deleted the Win.ini file. Then I emptied the recycle bin. I restarted to regular mode, but the win.ini was still there in the same folder. Is this how I'm supposed to delete all running programs like you said?


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## LarryCore (Aug 26, 1999)

When you start in Safe Mode nothing but explorer should start. Either you were not in Safe Mode or something is very wrong. I didn't mean for you to have to End Task files no, because there shouldn't be any. That would be the correct way to stop running programs in regular mode though.

Did it say Safe Mode in all 4 corners of the screen?

Also, I would have to guess that Winsaver is a screensaver program that is causing all this trouble. How about doing a Start, Find, Files for winsaver and when you find it rename it to something else. This may cause an error at boot, but see if the screensavers start working again.


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## twn_magnum (Dec 14, 1999)

Just wondering, have you run any antivirus software lately? Maybe a shot in the dark. If it is corrupting every boot, even when you deleted it, something must be making the file every time. Also, like Larry said, that screen saver program shouldn't run in Safe Mode, it may be messed up. Have you tried uninstalling it?

Btw, as a warning, one of my friends just recieved the Pretty Park.exe email virus. Don't open that email if you ever get it.

------------------
My Website
[email protected]


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## TracyHD (Jan 15, 2000)

I think so to. Do you know what cpiexe is? Sometimes that appears in safe mode also. I deleted it though. Anyway I renamed winsaver to winsaver123 but nothing changed. It acts like the same file just with a different name. Still appears in safe mode. I don't know how I managed to do so the first time, but when a file is in use, doesn't that mean you can't rename it? Now I can't rename it back even if I tried to because it is always in use. Thanks twn.magnum for responding. I have ran Innoculate just a couple of days ago. There aren't any viruses detected for winsaver. I can't delete it because I can't end task it. Now I don't even know what is really causing all the trouble. Win.ini or winsaver. Oh and thanks for the email warning.


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## Guest (Mar 22, 2000)

This maybe a shot in the dark, but goto http://www.moosoft.com/cleaner.html and download "The Cleaner". Tell us if it finds anything.


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## TracyHD (Jan 15, 2000)

It didn't find any trojans. But one thing I found interesting was when I clicked on 'Trojan List,' I saw Buddylist; type: password stealer. Apparently I have this buddylist.exe that I couldn't delete that always appears on Ctrl Alt Delete. It is also in win.ini under 'load'. Does this have anything to do with it?


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## Guest (Mar 23, 2000)

I was thinking that it did have something to do with it. Thats why i told you to get the cleaner. Maybe you should head on over to symantec and download the buddylist cleaner at ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/antivirus_definitions/norton_antivirus/fixbuddy.exe


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## TracyHD (Jan 15, 2000)

My screensaver finally works! Thank you so much Scorpion, Larry and everyone else. Now I know that buddylist was the center of it all and thats causing all the problems on my computer, not winsaver or win.ini. I cleaned it out and now my win.ini is no longer corrupted and my screensaver is working properly. It also deleted some of the stuff I couldn't delete that kept coming back. Once again thanks I appreciate it!


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## Guest (Mar 25, 2000)

Thats great that you got it fixed! remember, always keep your virus definitions up to date and scan often.


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## deyamag (Feb 13, 2007)

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thank U ol.


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