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Q140240: Screen Saver Files Become Associated with Fax Viewer

Article: Q140240
Product(s): Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product
Version(s): 95
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): win95 appscomp kbAppCompatibility
Last Modified: 28-JUL-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows 95 
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IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry.
Before you edit the registry, you should first make a backup copy of the
registry files (System.dat and User.dat). Both are hidden files in the
Windows folder.

SYMPTOMS
========

When you double-click a screen saver (.scr) file, or use the right mouse button
to click the file and then click Test on the menu that appears, the screen saver
may not start. Fax Viewer may start instead, and display the following error
message:

  This file cannot be opened. It is not a fax image.

CAUSE
=====

When you install Microsoft Mail version 3.2, the following entry is added to the
[Extensions] section of the Win.ini file:

  scr=c:\<msmail>\faxview.exe ^.scr

When you install Windows 95 on a computer that is already running Microsoft Mail,
or install Microsoft Mail on a computer that is already running Windows 95, this
Win.ini entry is copied to the (Default) value under the following registry
key:

  Hkey_Classes_Root\Scrfile\Shell\Open\Command

This registry value is given the following value:

  c:\<msmail>\faxview.exe %1

This registry entry causes Windows 95 to attempt to use Fax Viewer to open files
that have an .scr extension. Because screen saver files are not in the proper
fax image format, you receive an error message.


RESOLUTION
==========

NOTE: For information about how to edit the registry, view the Changing Keys And
Values online Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe). Note that you should
make a backup copy of the registry files (System.dat and User.dat) before you
edit the registry.

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may
require you to reinstall Windows 95. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems
resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry
Editor at your own risk.

To work around this problem, modify the (Default) value under the following
registry key:

  Hkey_Classes_Root\Scrfile\Shell\Open\Command

This registry value should be given the following value:

  "%1" /s

NOTE: You should include the quotation marks when you type the above value.

This value causes Windows 95 to start the screen saver as if it were an
executable file, using the /S parameter on the command line.


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Keywords          : win95 appscomp kbAppCompatibility 
Technology        : kbWin95search kbZNotKeyword3
Version           : 95

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