Active Directory / Group Policy / Silent Install

General Discussions
1

These instructions are for iScreensaver 5 or earlier. For Managed Installation instructions for Version 6, please go here:
https://iscreensaver.com/help/notes/managed_installation/managed_installation.shtml

iScreensaver 5:

For Windows users who need to do a screensaver installation across multiple machines in a managed (Active Directory or Group Policy) network:

Instructions for doing a Managed Install / Active Directory scenario:

  1. If you haven’t done so already, upgrade to iScreensaver Designer 5 and re-build your screensaver.

  2. On a test machine that you have an Administrator account, log in, and copy the installation folder to this machine.

2A. Install the saver using the EXE installer file using the “Install for All Users” option.

2B. This will put Two items (a .SCR file and a LIBS folder) into your C:\WINDOWS folder.
for example: C:\Windows\MyScreensaver.scr and C:\Windows\MyScreensaver Libs\
It will also set some registry keys.

2C. If you want to set per-computer screensaver options (such as audio volume, or the use of the HUD), then open the screensaver control panel, click “Options” and set your desired options. Close the control panel.

2D. Verify that the screensaver functions normally.

To roll out the screensaver system-wide:

  1. Create an Active Directory install process which does the following things:

3A. Places the two items (the .SCR file and the LIBS folder noted above) in C:\WINDOWS (or the equivalent WIN32 folder as per your configuration). Important: do not rename either the SCR or the Libs folder, as they reference each other by name. If you need them named differently, change the name in your .ISC project file in iScreensaver Designer, and re-build the screensaver, then start over at step 1.

3B. Selects the SCR as the currently selected screensaver by setting the registry key:
HKCU/Desktop/SCRNSAVE.EXE=C:\WINDOWS\MYSAVER.SCR
Adjust the path to match your installation. note that this path MUST be the short (8.3) format path, even on Vista/7/8/10.

You may also want to Shadow the system.ini value as well.
See
https://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms815030.aspx

3C. If you want to set screensaver-specific registry values (see 2C above) then also copy the appropriate registry keys you chose into:
HKCU/Software/iScreensaver/ < myScreensaverName > /

Additional necessary permissions:

  1. The screensaver needs access to the IE8 rendering engine. JavaScript must be enabled.

  2. The screensaver needs read / write access to the %tmp% folder during operation.

  3. If Flash (or QuickTime) content is included, access to these plugins must be allowed.

  4. Anti-virus software must not block the operation.

Troubleshooting? See here https://iscreensaver.com/forum/discussion/41/x

2

On rolling out the screen saver system wide, how do i create a system install process, please provide me with step by step on how to go about doing this, this is the first time i am doing this and i have no idea how to go about it, i have managed to install on a single machine but now i need to install for all the logons.

3

We’ve provided the instructions for how to set things up to work with iScreensaver. In order to do this, you’ll need to use Microsoft software. As I’m sure you can understand, we can’t provide technical support for software from other companies. You’ll need to get training and support from them:

Links:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsserver/bb310732.aspx
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/technologies/directory/activedirectory/default.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/us/ad-main.aspx

Good Luck!

4

Hi,
I’m trying to create a screensaver for Windows XP while running iScreensaver on Mac.

Everything works perfectly, I create an installation EXE file and it installs correctly.

But I need to have the SCR file, and I cannot see where it is placed. I have turned invisible/system file into visible and still cannot find the SCR file.

I’ll be very grateful for help!

5

You’ll end up with two items:

MYSAVR.sCr (the screensaver .scr file)
MYSAVR Libs (a folder containing the DLLs, etc.)

The name of the screensaver will either be a short 8.3 DOS format name (such as MYSAVR.sCr) or if you have “Use Short Filename” enabled, or else the full name you provided in the editor.

Normally, these will be inside C:\WINDOWS on an XP system.

If you really can’t find them, try running the uninstaller, and you’ll see the DOS path names where the files are before they are deleted. (You’d of course have to re-install a 2nd time after that)

6

Thank you for the prompt reply!
I’ll try to run the uninstaller now.

7

Forgot one thing which might explain your trouble:

  • Normally the install defaults to “For all users” which requires administrator permissions and puts the files in C:\WINDOWS .

  • If you have chosen “Install for Me” then the file will go into your user’s folder. On XP this is typically located here:
    C:\Documents and Settings\\Application Data\

The easiest way to find this location:

  • click the start menu
  • click “Run…”
  • in the Open: field, type
    %appData%
  • hit the OK button

This will open the user’s Application Data folder.

8

A discussion with several variations on the techniques for doing mass deployment can be found here:
http://community.spiceworks.com/topic/135446-deployment-of-a-system-wide-screen-saver

9

Note: This thread discussess instructions for iScreensaver 5 or earlier.

For Managed Installation instructions for Version 6, please go here:
https://iscreensaver.com/help/notes/managed_installation/managed_installation.shtml