Running a windows XP screensaver on Windows 10

Hi everyone, I came across this forum while troubleshooting and I am hoping someone might be able to help me. I am trying to enable an old screensaver from 2005 (Win XP era) to run on my Win10 home PC.

It is called Rainy Screensaver from Elastic Systems (now defunct.) I loved this screensaver and I would love to be able to use it again. I have it installed and registered (legitimate license) on my computer running win 10 Pro (version 2004). The screensaver previews properly in the screensaver thumbnail window, I can open the config tool and adjust the display settings, and I have the .scr file in the system32 folder. When I try to run the screensaver, I get an error that reads "Rainy Screensaver could not draw to this display. Another graphically intensive application is running that has frequent or exclusive access to the display. Rainy Screensaver won't run while this application is active." I have no apps running currently.

Would anyone know a trick to running legacy screensavers? I would be thrilled to be able to run this again. I would also like to add that I re-downloaded the exe today and installed it on a win7 laptop and it worked without any issues.

Thank you for reading, and thank you even more if you can give me any advice.

Smartish said:

Hi everyone, I came across this forum while troubleshooting and I am hoping someone might be able to help me. I am trying to enable an old screensaver from 2005 (Win XP era) to run on my Win10 home PC.

It is called Rainy Screensaver from Elastic Systems (now defunct.) I loved this screensaver and I would love to be able to use it again. I have it installed and registered (legitimate license) on my computer running win 10 Pro (version 2004). The screensaver previews properly in the screensaver thumbnail window, I can open the config tool and adjust the display settings, and I have the .scr file in the system32 folder. When I try to run the screensaver, I get an error that reads "Rainy Screensaver could not draw to this display. Another graphically intensive application is running that has frequent or exclusive access to the display. Rainy Screensaver won't run while this application is active." I have no apps running currently.

Would anyone know a trick to running legacy screensavers? I would be thrilled to be able to run this again. I would also like to add that I re-downloaded the exe today and installed it on a win7 laptop and it worked without any issues.

Thank you for reading, and thank you even more if you can give me any advice.

I like the escher XP screensaver -- well known artist who drew those "Impossible architectures"

I'm on a Linux laptop currently but here's one of the images -- there's about 15 in the screensaver which displayes as a slideshow.



More images -- enjoy

M.C. Escher Wallpapers - Wallpaper Cave

Cheers
jimbo

Thanks for the link jimbo.

Thanks for the replies, here is some more info, sorry about not including it before.

My specs:


I have run the installer as compatibility for winXP service pack 3, and a few other OS versions. None work.

If I click the .scr file directly from the sys32 folder, it is the same result with the error message.

I don't think I have any control dialogs. At least nothing I have set up.

If I select it in the Screensaver Settings window, I see it running in the mini window, where it previews the animation.