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schilrj · 05-11-2023, 02:30 PM

Originally posted by feldon34:

I think it comes down to how the Aquarium is initialized.
If it's run as a Program it's fine.
If it's run as a Screen Saver, it has problems.
If another program starts up as a screen saver and then loads the Aquarium, it tends to be fine.
Jim chased this problem for 20 years.

This seems to be the case, at least with what I'm experiencing. Since rolling back the drivers is not a feasible option for me, I've been trying to mess with the graphics settings.

My laptop has the Intel Iris Xe GPU, and also a NVIDIA RTX A2000 8GB GPU. When using the Windows 10 Graphics settings, I can choose to set the preference of the MarineAquarium3.scr to use the "High performance" GPU, which is the NVIDIA. Doing this fixes the trailing fish graphics in the screen saver preview, and also when running it as a program. However, when the system starts it as a screen saver (from letting sit idle), the trailing graphics are back.

After scouring on-line for more time than I probably should, I found something that said Windows uses "scrnsave.scr" in the System32 folder to launch the screen saver. I'm not sure if that's how it really works, but I tried it by adding the scrnsave.scr to the Graphics settings list and setting the GPU option for it to "High performance" as well. Still same result (works in preview and when run as a program, but not when Windows launches it as the screen saver). I also found the "MarineAquarium3.scr" and "scrnsave.scr" files in the SysWOW64 folder and added them to the Graphics settings list too (as High performance). Still same result.

When I set the Windows Graphics settings to "Power saving" (which is the Intel Iris Xe Graphics GPU), even for just the \System32\MarineAquarium.scr file, the trailing graphics return in the screen saver preview and when running Marine Aquarium as a program. It seems this is proof that Windows may be forcing it to use the Intel GPU rather than the NVIDIA when Windows launches the screen saver command. How to tell it to NOT do that is still outside my knowledge, if it can even be done at all.

I've also tried using the NVIDIA Control Panel to manage the 3D settings to use the NVIDIA GPU for the same files. Still no luck in fixing the trailing graphics.

I'll keep trying different combinations of the above and searching for answers as I can. If I stumble across the fix, I'll let you know. Until then, if anyone has any other ideas, I'd love to hear em.

05-11-2023, 02:30 PM	#19
schilrj Registered Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 6	Originally posted by feldon34: I think it comes down to how the Aquarium is initialized. If it's run as a Program it's fine. If it's run as a Screen Saver, it has problems. If another program starts up as a screen saver and then loads the Aquarium, it tends to be fine. Jim chased this problem for 20 years. This seems to be the case, at least with what I'm experiencing. Since rolling back the drivers is not a feasible option for me, I've been trying to mess with the graphics settings. My laptop has the Intel Iris Xe GPU, and also a NVIDIA RTX A2000 8GB GPU. When using the Windows 10 Graphics settings, I can choose to set the preference of the MarineAquarium3.scr to use the "High performance" GPU, which is the NVIDIA. Doing this fixes the trailing fish graphics in the screen saver preview, and also when running it as a program. However, when the system starts it as a screen saver (from letting sit idle), the trailing graphics are back. After scouring on-line for more time than I probably should, I found something that said Windows uses "scrnsave.scr" in the System32 folder to launch the screen saver. I'm not sure if that's how it really works, but I tried it by adding the scrnsave.scr to the Graphics settings list and setting the GPU option for it to "High performance" as well. Still same result (works in preview and when run as a program, but not when Windows launches it as the screen saver). I also found the "MarineAquarium3.scr" and "scrnsave.scr" files in the SysWOW64 folder and added them to the Graphics settings list too (as High performance). Still same result. When I set the Windows Graphics settings to "Power saving" (which is the Intel Iris Xe Graphics GPU), even for just the \System32\MarineAquarium.scr file, the trailing graphics return in the screen saver preview and when running Marine Aquarium as a program. It seems this is proof that Windows may be forcing it to use the Intel GPU rather than the NVIDIA when Windows launches the screen saver command. How to tell it to NOT do that is still outside my knowledge, if it can even be done at all. I've also tried using the NVIDIA Control Panel to manage the 3D settings to use the NVIDIA GPU for the same files. Still no luck in fixing the trailing graphics. I'll keep trying different combinations of the above and searching for answers as I can. If I stumble across the fix, I'll let you know. Until then, if anyone has any other ideas, I'd love to hear em.