Bubbles screensaver has black background

Anonymous
2012-10-26T15:09:27+00:00

In Windows 7, the Bubbles screen saver created bubbles that moved over the top of whatever was on my screen at the time. 

In Windows 8, if I go to the screen saver settings and preview the Bubbles screensaver, it shows the same behavior – bubbles moving over the top of my existing desktop.

But when the Bubbles screensaver actually activates in Windows 8, the bubbles only appear over a background color which I selected.

Is there something wrong with my settings or video drivers?

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Anonymous
2012-10-26T15:10:02+00:00

There is nothing wrong with your screensaver settings, or your video drivers and system. . 

A design change was made in Windows 8 that prevents screensavers from drawing over an image of the desktop.  Any screensaver that previously drew over the desktop, such as Bubbles, will instead draw over a black background.  The screensaver preview is incorrectly showing Windows 7 behavior.

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Anonymous
2012-12-01T20:38:41+00:00

That was already answered above by a Microsoft Forum Moderator

"A design change was made in Windows 8 that prevents screensavers from drawing over an image of the desktop. Any screensaver that previously drew over the desktop, such as Bubbles, will instead draw over a black background. The screensaver preview is incorrectly showing Windows 7 behavior."

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-06-13T01:28:52+00:00

    I also preferred Windows 7 Bubbles - Bubbles screen saver in Windows 8 has been a big disappointment.  I wonder if there is a way around this. 

    I agree, I will never use it in this format. The whole reason I liked it before was because it was a transparent background. Sorry.

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-02-28T00:10:40+00:00

    Just a comment, since I don't know where your DWORD is supposed to go....There's something about the registry in Windows 8.1 -- Remember how we used to get to Run through HKLM (Hot Key Local Machine) in all previous versions of Windows?  In Windows 8.1, you get to Run through HKCU (Hot Key Current User).  Maybe if you try your DWORD through that way, it'll work.

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-01-24T23:14:56+00:00

    Heheh - thanks, this is a wholly acceptable workaround. Does anyone even use the hideous metro interface anyway?

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