Marine Aquarium 3.1 Unofficial Installer

feldon34 · 07-04-2010, 06:37 PM

To facilitate installation of Marine Aquarium 3.1 (and to prevent the antivirus problems of posting an SCR file), I have packaged Marine Aquarium 3.1 in a self-extracting RAR file. By default, the Aquarium will install into %SYSTEMROOT%\system32\ and will try to set itself as the default screen saver (and display the Preview screen).

Download Marine Aquarium 3.1

The installer will prompt you to replace your existing MarineAquarium3.scr screen saver with the new one. If you wish to, click Yes.

I know this will not work on every system, but this will handle most situations for the coming days/weeks until SereneScreen.com has been updated with 3.1. This package is designed for users who already have Marine Aquarium 3 installed.

This installer was created by me and is NOT a product of SereneScreen, Jim Sachs, or Prolific Publishing. We are not responsible for any problems which may occur as a result of using this installer.

Jim Sachs · 07-04-2010, 06:50 PM

Thanks, Morgan - that was very nice of you!

StuDisney · 07-04-2010, 11:36 PM

Installed on my Dell(XP) with no problems

engelens · 07-05-2010, 01:52 AM

Installed smoothly on my laptop! I had to remove the shortcut to the old version, though. I replaced the old version with the new version, but even then the shortcut launched the old version... All solved now. Now I can update my other computers. I also installed MA3 on the computer that runs my home domotics, it now runs on the touchscreen built into the wall. Beautiful!

...On second thought, it seems something does not work as expected. Windows still launches the old version as screensaver, even when I right click the new version and select "install'...

Jim Sachs · 07-05-2010, 07:39 AM

engelens - You did not mention which version of Windows you are using. Morgan's installer puts Marine Aquarium in the proper place for the majority of users, but if your version of Windows expects screensavers to be somewhere else, then it will find and launch the old one. Perhaps you could do a Search for the program, and delete all previous copies.

feldon34 · 07-05-2010, 07:56 AM

Also, this installer doesn't create a shortcut. It writes MarineAquarium3.scr to %systemroot%\system32\ so for most people, their existing shortcut will work.

If I thought MA3.1 was weeks away from being released on SereneScreen.com, I'd do a more advanced installer.

engelens · 07-05-2010, 08:56 AM

Ok, I found it in the system32 folder and replaced it with the new version. It now seems to work. The mistake I made was to change the installation folder you indicated and create a shortcut towards the extracted file (I use it as a programme as wel as a screensaver)

The shortcut launched the new version, but the old version was still in the system32 folder. I use XP, by the way. (At work, I run it on my mac at home

cjmaddy · 07-05-2010, 09:00 AM

For the record, this new installer is working with Win2kPro, as intended. - It auto-replaced Beta10d in the WINNT\system32\ folder with v3.1, and the existing desktop icon for MA3 (Beta10d), now loads MA3.1 - Also, Windows launches MA3.1 after the allotted time, as the default screen saver.

No problems....100% success!....

Jim Sachs · 07-05-2010, 09:06 AM

Good old Win2k - the last of the straightforward operating systems

jleslie · 07-05-2010, 09:56 AM

Although it goes End-of-Life on the 13th...

http://support.microsoft.com/lifecyc...a=windows+2000

John

feldon34 · 07-05-2010, 10:22 AM

There's a quote about cold dead fingers.

Remember when we only had 2 choices for installers?

InstallShield -- A lumbering dinosaur lacking grace and agility. Typically added 8-10MB of data to any installer. Often requiring brain surgery to uninstall.

Microsoft Installer (MSI) -- a systemwide installer system that, if it fails, prevents installation of any program requiring it. Countless tech support hours have been spent trying to remove, update, or otherwise make MSI do something useful.

Fortunately there are many installer builders now, and most are very space efficient and just plain work. Nullsoft (makes of Winamp) wrote their own installer. I've used AGInstaller by Agentix and it was pretty cool. Both of them only add about 250kb to the download package. AGInstaller could be fully scripted to run a batch file or executable as well as verify certain conditions and read system variables.

Nicki · 07-05-2010, 11:13 AM

No problems with my Windows XP laptop. There were some things to clean up from my own 'installation' which wouldn't be of relevanve for someone just updating from 3 to 3.1.

Mountainmaster · 07-15-2010, 08:40 PM

This installer does not work on 64-bit Windows versions. It will try to install in c:\Windows\system32 but instead the OS redirects the installation to c:\Windows\SysWOW64. Paradoxically system32 is only accessible to 64-bit programs. 32-bit programs, such as Morgan's installer, are redirected to SysWOW64.

The installer will seem to work initially because when it sets MA as default screensaver it uses MA 3.1 which it installed in c:\Windows\SysWOW64. However, when you set another screensaver as default and then try to pick MA again it will revert back to the old 3.0 version which is still in c:\Windows\system32.

The start menu shortcut also points to this old 3.0 version.

A workaround for 32-bit installers on 64-bit Windows is to install in c:\Windows\Sysnative\. This will redirect the installation to the true c:\Windows\system32\ folder. Leave it to Microsoft to think up something as crazy as this.

My advice for 64-bit Windows users is to wait for the SereneScreen installer.

If you already used this installer on 64-bit Windows you need to move c:\Windows\SysWOW64\MarineAquarium3.scr to c:\Windows\system32\MarineAquarium3.scr and overwrite the old version. (use Windows Explorer to do this because if you use a 3rd party file manager which happens to be a 32-bit application it will run into the same redirection problems as the installer)

feldon34 · 07-16-2010, 01:20 AM

I could make an installer that puts the file into the folder you've suggested. Sysnative. LOL

Mountainmaster · 07-16-2010, 06:27 AM

That would not work with Windows XP. I forgot to mention that the Sysnative alias is only present in Windows Vista and 7.

feldon34 · 07-16-2010, 07:41 AM

2 downloads.

Wizwad · 07-16-2010, 07:51 AM

Nice to see you back, Mountainmaster!

And is it just me who feels that the people in charge of MS project development strategy need to have their heads knocked together?

feldon34 · 07-16-2010, 08:05 AM

Windows Vista/7 should have been a from-the-ground up project. Just make it a clean break from XP and make a truly awesome, innovative OS. Let XP apps run in a window. It worked for Mac OS X and hell, it's built into Windows 7 ANYWAY.

Instead we have crap grafted onto crap. 20 years of legacy code.

Dale · 07-16-2010, 10:22 AM

Originally posted by feldon34:

Instead we have crap grafted onto crap. 20 years of legacy code.

Or you could use "standard" UNIX, 40 years of legacy code, and.....

feldon34 · 07-16-2010, 12:46 PM

Does anyone use standard UNIX?

07-04-2010, 06:37 PM	#1
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	Marine Aquarium 3.1 Unofficial Installer To facilitate installation of Marine Aquarium 3.1 (and to prevent the antivirus problems of posting an SCR file), I have packaged Marine Aquarium 3.1 in a self-extracting RAR file. By default, the Aquarium will install into %SYSTEMROOT%\system32\ and will try to set itself as the default screen saver (and display the Preview screen). Download Marine Aquarium 3.1 The installer will prompt you to replace your existing MarineAquarium3.scr screen saver with the new one. If you wish to, click Yes. I know this will not work on every system, but this will handle most situations for the coming days/weeks until SereneScreen.com has been updated with 3.1. This package is designed for users who already have Marine Aquarium 3 installed. This installer was created by me and is NOT a product of SereneScreen, Jim Sachs, or Prolific Publishing. We are not responsible for any problems which may occur as a result of using this installer. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

07-04-2010, 06:50 PM	#2
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,791	Thanks, Morgan - that was very nice of you! Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

07-04-2010, 11:36 PM	#3
StuDisney Registered Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: WDW/Orlando Fl. Posts: 44	Installed Installed on my Dell(XP) with no problems "Our greatest natural resource is the minds of our children." “Growing Old is Mandatory - Growing Up Is Optional”

07-05-2010, 01:52 AM	#4
engelens Registered Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Belgium Posts: 34	Installed! Installed smoothly on my laptop! I had to remove the shortcut to the old version, though. I replaced the old version with the new version, but even then the shortcut launched the old version... All solved now. Now I can update my other computers. I also installed MA3 on the computer that runs my home domotics, it now runs on the touchscreen built into the wall. Beautiful! ...On second thought, it seems something does not work as expected. Windows still launches the old version as screensaver, even when I right click the new version and select "install'... Last edited by engelens; 07-05-2010 at 07:21 AM.

07-05-2010, 07:39 AM	#5
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,791	engelens - You did not mention which version of Windows you are using. Morgan's installer puts Marine Aquarium in the proper place for the majority of users, but if your version of Windows expects screensavers to be somewhere else, then it will find and launch the old one. Perhaps you could do a Search for the program, and delete all previous copies. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

07-05-2010, 07:56 AM	#6
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	Also, this installer doesn't create a shortcut. It writes MarineAquarium3.scr to %systemroot%\system32\ so for most people, their existing shortcut will work. If I thought MA3.1 was weeks away from being released on SereneScreen.com, I'd do a more advanced installer. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

07-05-2010, 08:56 AM	#7
engelens Registered Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Belgium Posts: 34	Ok, I found it in the system32 folder and replaced it with the new version. It now seems to work. The mistake I made was to change the installation folder you indicated and create a shortcut towards the extracted file (I use it as a programme as wel as a screensaver) The shortcut launched the new version, but the old version was still in the system32 folder. I use XP, by the way. (At work, I run it on my mac at home

07-05-2010, 09:00 AM	#8
cjmaddy Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lancashire, UK Posts: 7,854	For the record, this new installer is working with Win2kPro, as intended. - It auto-replaced Beta10d in the WINNT\system32\ folder with v3.1, and the existing desktop icon for MA3 (Beta10d), now loads MA3.1 - Also, Windows launches MA3.1 after the allotted time, as the default screen saver. No problems....100% success!....

07-05-2010, 09:06 AM	#9
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,791	Good old Win2k - the last of the straightforward operating systems Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

07-05-2010, 09:56 AM	#10
jleslie Engineer Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London, UK Posts: 1,279	Although it goes End-of-Life on the 13th... http://support.microsoft.com/lifecyc...a=windows+2000 John

07-05-2010, 10:22 AM	#11
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	There's a quote about cold dead fingers. Remember when we only had 2 choices for installers? InstallShield -- A lumbering dinosaur lacking grace and agility. Typically added 8-10MB of data to any installer. Often requiring brain surgery to uninstall. Microsoft Installer (MSI) -- a systemwide installer system that, if it fails, prevents installation of any program requiring it. Countless tech support hours have been spent trying to remove, update, or otherwise make MSI do something useful. Fortunately there are many installer builders now, and most are very space efficient and just plain work. Nullsoft (makes of Winamp) wrote their own installer. I've used AGInstaller by Agentix and it was pretty cool. Both of them only add about 250kb to the download package. AGInstaller could be fully scripted to run a batch file or executable as well as verify certain conditions and read system variables. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

07-05-2010, 11:13 AM	#12
Nicki Sugar Plum Fairy Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Toronto Posts: 1,267	No problems with my Windows XP laptop. There were some things to clean up from my own 'installation' which wouldn't be of relevanve for someone just updating from 3 to 3.1. Run you clever boy. And remember...

07-16-2010, 01:20 AM	#14
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	I could make an installer that puts the file into the folder you've suggested. Sysnative. LOL "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

07-16-2010, 07:41 AM	#16
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	2 downloads. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

07-16-2010, 07:51 AM	#17
Wizwad Only me... Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Essex, England Posts: 2,584	Nice to see you back, Mountainmaster! And is it just me who feels that the people in charge of MS project development strategy need to have their heads knocked together? Mark ----------- Intel i7 12700K \| Aorus Z690 Pro \| Corsair DDR5 5600 32GB \| Asus Dual RTX3060ti 6GB v2 Mini OC \| Corsair RM850 Gold PSU \| 1TB NVMe M.2 WD Black SN850 \| 4TB Seagate BarraCuda HDD \| Corsair Airflow 5000D Case \| HP 32QHD 4K Monitor \| Windows 11 x64 Professional

07-16-2010, 08:05 AM	#18
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	Windows Vista/7 should have been a from-the-ground up project. Just make it a clean break from XP and make a truly awesome, innovative OS. Let XP apps run in a window. It worked for Mac OS X and hell, it's built into Windows 7 ANYWAY. Instead we have crap grafted onto crap. 20 years of legacy code. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

07-16-2010, 10:22 AM	#19
Dale Banned Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Western Missouri Posts: 960	Originally posted by feldon34: Instead we have crap grafted onto crap. 20 years of legacy code. Or you could use "standard" UNIX, 40 years of legacy code, and.....

07-16-2010, 12:46 PM	#20
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	Does anyone use standard UNIX? "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman