Screensaver Download and Installation Guide
This guide is written primarily for Windows users. Please note that both the PC and Mac downloads are ZIP files.
Macintosh (System OS X) users
- Double-click on the “stonyfield_mac_setup” application.
- After installation is finished, press “OK” to open the OS X control panel.
- In the “Screensavers” list, you should see “Stonyfield Farm.” Select it from the list, and adjust the screensaver settings accordingly.
- To make any future adjustments to the screensaver, open OS X’s “System Preferences” pane and select “Desktop & screensaver.”
Windows PC users
Downloading | Installing the files | Display problems | Uninstalling screensavers | Virus control | Adware/spyware
Downloading
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Click on the appropriate hyperlink for Windows or Mac to start downloading the screensaver. Before downloading, please check the system requirements for your PC or Mac. After you click on the download link, a window will appear, asking the following question (slightly different depending on the browser you’re using). Always choose the option “Save.” This will place the file on your hard disk, where you can virus-check it before opening it. |
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Beginners: Please look where you save the file. Your browser will not automatically save your files to a “correct” folder; you may have to search through the folders in the “Save As” dialog box until you have found the one that you want to put the file into. The latest versions of Windows usually try to place the files into “My Documents“ or onto the Desktop, where they are easy to find. |
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Installing the files
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ZIP files: The downloaded files for both the PC and the Mac screensaver are compressed ZIP files. Windows XP can open zipped files without a problem; just double-click on them. For earlier versions of Windows, you will need an unzipping program. (Windows default settings will not show you the file type. If you can’t see the file extension, go to “File -> View Options,” and uncheck the box that says “Hide extensions for known file types.”) |
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If you don’t have any unzipping program, try our favorite shareware program: WinZip. Many other unzipping programs exist, and you can of course use any of them. For simplicity, our instructions are based on WinZip only. Double-click on the downloaded .ZIP file. The WinZip window will automatically open with the contents of the file visible. |
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Most screensavers now have fully automatic installation. You only need to double-click on the downloaded file and follow the on-screen instructions. After installation, go to “Control Panel -> Display Settings,” or simply right-click your mouse on the desktop and choose “Properties.” Then choose the “Screensaver” tab. Select your new screensaver’s name from the drop-down list. Then check the settings. (Note: Not all screensavers work in Preview mode. You may need to restart Windows to be able to use the screensaver.) |
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Display problems
Display problems are mostly caused by advanced 3D screensavers that require high-quality graphic cards with plenty of video memory. Also, it is essential that you always use the very latest video drivers. Go regularly to Windows Update and scan for updates. On the left side, under “Drivers,” you should see any possible drivers you might be missing. If a 3D screensaver still does not work, it might be time to upgrade your graphics card.
Some screensavers do not tolerate energy-saving features. If you notice that a screensaver crashes when the PC is left alone for a longer time, try disabling low-power standby and monitoring shutdown.
Uninstalling screensavers
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To see the uninstall option, from the “Start” menu select “Settings -> Control Panel -> Add/Remove.” You will see a list of all programs that have been installed on your computer. Scroll down the list and look for “Stonyfield Farm Screensaver.” Highlight it, and click the “Change/Remove” button. |
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Virus control
All screensavers are virus-scanned before they go to the listings, so in principle, they should all be clean. We still strongly advise scanning them again before you install them—and that you routinely scan not only screensaver files, but any files you download. If you don’t have a anti-virus program, try some of the free evaluation versions available, like McAfee VirusScan or Norton Anti-Virus. However, you should install only one anti-virus program at a time.
Always scan downloaded files before opening them. Remember to update your anti-virus program regularly; otherwise, it will not be able to protect your computer from the latest viruses. Registered users will be notified of the latest updates.
Adware/spyware
| Viruses in downloaded files are very rare these days, as most current viruses now arrive by email. There is a new annoyance, however, and that is adware/spyware: commercial “bundled” files that can add a toolbar, search companion, or other widget to your browser. This widget will then track the sites you visit and search words you use, and send this data back to the companies that developed these programs. Some can even open pop-up windows unrelated to the websites you visit.
Again, all screensaver files listed and reviewed at Freesaver.com have been scanned for adware/spyware. Any author who tries to insert adware/spyware into their files will be banned from Freesaver. If you have adware/spyware on your PC, it was likely downloaded elsewhere than from our website, or possibly from advertising banners. Stonyfield.com has rotating banners showing thousands of different ads during the year. Obviously, these are not our content, and there is no way we can test or validate products advertised in these banners. Just as a newspaper or magazine is not responsible for the quality of the products advertised on their pages, we cannot be held responsible for products advertised in these banners or pop-up windows. We will especially warn you against any banner or pop-up that uses Active-x direct installs. These will always ask your permission first; once you agree, you have no way of knowing what is being installed on your PC. |
If you have any suspicions that you might have unwanted extras on your PC, always check the “Settings -> Control Panel -> Add/Remove.” list first, and look for anything starting with “Search…” or “Toolbar…” After removing anything that you are not aware of having chosen yourself, use any of these three excellent adware/spyware removal programs:
Always use the latest version available, and check for updates frequently. Running these programs regularly is useful even if you have no knowledge of downloading or installing any extras. Any free downloads can contain bundled files, especially music files downloaded through peer-to-peer networks. When you first run AdAware/SpyBot, you will be surprised by the quantity of adware/spyware the software finds. About 90% of it will probably be simple tracking cookies that you can get from advertising banners and page counters, rather than proper programs. Once you start using these removal tools regularly, the quantity of adware/spyware will drop quickly.
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