- WHAT ARE .SCR FILES? HOW TO
- WHAT ARE .SCR FILES? WINDOWS 10
- WHAT ARE .SCR FILES? WINDOWS 8.1
- WHAT ARE .SCR FILES? WINDOWS 8
Because our replacement string is one character shorter in length, an extra 00h byte value needs appended to each replacement to clear extra data and terminate the string.įor each instance found, examine the dump closely for instances of right-padding with a space (20h) character. Replace each instance of 'Windows' with the word 'Aliens'.
So, to make things consistent, search for all Unicode strings containing 'Windows': However, installed 'as is' the screensaver name and settings labels will continue to display 'Flying Windows' - which would be confusing for a user to select in Control Panel. Ensure the string is null terminated with a 00h value:Īt this point - if saved - the screensaver will use the Webdings alien character and function correctly. Once found, click the right column and type 'Webdings'. Use HxD's Find feature to search for 'wingdings' as shown below. Now, the screensaver needs an additional change to force it to use the Webdings font instead of Wingdings. This new value is 85 - hex value of the alien character. To illustrate this procedure, I chose the alien character, found in the Webdings font.īesides, nothing can fly through outer space quite like an alien.Īs with the smiley face modification, we will again change the Windows logo character FFh value to something new. Modifying this single byte changed Flying Windows to display smiley faces - as this photo illustrates: Taking it to the next levelĬhanging the Flying Windows screensaver to use a different Wingdings character is simple once you know where to make the change - but what if a person wished to use a character from an entirely different font? This too can be easily accomplished - albeit with a little more use of a hex editor. Finally, I found the address - 1E6C - that enabled me to transform Flying Windows to Flying Smiley Faces: In various addresses that appeared relevant, I changed FF hex values to 4A, saving and testing every change independently, reverting back to FFh if the change had no effect.
Turning to HxD, I opened the Flying Windows.scr file saved on the USB stick.
WHAT ARE .SCR FILES? WINDOWS 10
So based on this assumption - back again on a Windows 10 box - I opened Character Map, selected Wingdings and settled on the smiley face character, remembering its hex code value of 4A. I guessed it should then be theoretically possible to change this supposed character to another character found in the Wingdings font set. So, deciding to have a bit of fun, I began examining the screensaver file using the HxD hex editor.īased on observation, I assumed Flying Windows used the windows logo character (FFh) - last character of the Wingdings font - to fling through outer space.
WHAT ARE .SCR FILES? WINDOWS 8
To my amazement, the ancient screensaver worked flawlessly in both Windows 8 and 10. I chose the venerable Flying Windows.scr file - explorer listed this file as having a last modified date of - that seemed old enough. Turning it on - actually, hoping it would turn on - I decided to look through my ancient screensavers, pick one, then see if it would work in Windows 10. This old machine - no longer new and shiny - was found tucked away in a lonely corner, sporting a thin veneer of dust - a shameful badge earned from years of neglect and disuse. As my testing progressed, I remembered I still had an ancient Windows Millennium machine.
WHAT ARE .SCR FILES? WINDOWS 8.1
Ye olde screensaversĪs a user of Windows 8.1 and Windows 10, I've been testing backwards compatibility of various apps and programs.
You can also choose another screensaver (or simply specify 'None') in. When a screensaver is distributed as a simple SCR file, you have to locate the SCR file and delete it.
WHAT ARE .SCR FILES? HOW TO
How to un-install a screensaver? If an un-install procedure is provided with the screensaver, just un-install it launching the procedure.