How to Manually Start Screen Savers in Windows XP
Screen savers are images that display on your computer screen after a period of inactivity. While screen savers were initially introduced to prevent images from permanently burning into the monitor, developments in technology have done away with this risk. Today, screen savers are a way to personalize your computer with selected images. Screen savers can also be a security feature if you configure them to automatically lock your computer and require a password to access the system.
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Instructions
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Open your "My Computer" folder by double-clicking on the icon on your desktop or selecting it from your system's "Start" menu button. Double-click on the "Windows" folder, and then open the "System32" folder. By default, your computer's screen savers are stored in this folder. Screen saver files generally start with the letters "ss" and have a .scr file extension. If you cannot locate your screen saver in this folder, use your "Start" menu's "Search" option to search for ".scr." The search will locate any screen saver files on your computer.
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Locate the screen saver you wish to run manually and right-click on the icon. Click "Test" to run the screen saver and ensure it is the one you want to run manually.
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Right-click on the screen saver file icon again and select the "Send To" option. Choose the "Desktop (create shortcut)" option to send a shortcut to your computer's desktop. Double-click the icon to manually start your screen saver.
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Place the screen saver shortcut into your task bar if you do not want to minimize your programs to run the screen saver. Right-click on your task bar and choose "Properties." Select the "Show Quick Launch" option and click "Apply." Click "OK" to exit the "Properties" window. Click on your screen saver shortcut and drag it into the "Quick Launch" area of your task bar. By default, the "Quick Launch" toolbar is to the right of the "Start" menu. An icon for your screen saver will now appear in your task bar. Click on the icon once to manually start your screen saver.
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