Windows XP Horror Edition
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This article contains spoilers! |
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Windows XP Horror Edition is a screamer application created by a user WobbyChip, and was first given to Siam Alam to showcase and popularize the virus.
Gameplay
Payload
Windows XP Horror Edition is a program that disguises itself as a Windows XP update but instead installs a virus onto the user's computer. Once launched, the program presents a fake update for Windows XP, accompanied by the installation music for Windows XP. The update appears to progress to 66% completion before issuing an error message claiming that "Setup cannot copy the file ntdll.dll, Setup will use the file 666.sys." Following this, the program's background turns red, and the Windows XP logo changes to an eye with the words "Don't Look Behind You" accompanied by a creepy chime soundtrack.
At 100% completion, the screen shows glitchy static before turning black, with the cursor still visible. After a short pause, the screen displays a false Windows XP startup animation in red, featuring a skull in the logo. Once the user logs in to Windows XP Horror Edition, they are greeted by a desktop wallpaper full of skulls, a red taskbar labeled "DEAD," and four icons labeled "My Computer," "NOTHING," "DON'T OPEN ME.txt," and "Recycle Bin." The background changes to creepy pictures and glitchy effects at specific points, accompanied by Thresh's Theme from League of Legends. Clicking the "DEAD" button opens the Start menu, which appears in red with "666" on the top bar. Clicking on any programs within the Start menu causes them to disappear. Clicking the icon on the top bar greets the user with a wooden door, which opens after a few moments with a loud squeak sound. The user is then jumpscared by Lisa from the Silent Hills demo, P.T, before being greeted with "GO TO SLEEP" written in blood on the screen. Opening the "DON'T OPEN ME.txt" file opens a Notepad window with the message "CONGRATULATION YOU OPENED ME, DO YOU WANNA PLAY A GAME, OKEY THEN LOOK BEHIND YOU." The screen then changes to a jumpscare from the videogame Granny, with a very loud screech, followed by "Game Over." The Notepad icon then twitches and cannot be opened again.
The software known as "NOTHING" displays a video called "The Sad Man," created by the animator Jake Lava, upon launching. At certain points during use, the background may change to a Half-Life 3 wallpaper with a trollface version of Bill Gates' head or to other horror images, such as "Sake of Windows XP". Additionally, after displaying several error messages, the software will emit the Nope.avi sound before returning to the desktop. Upon opening the "My Computer" icon, a message will appear asking the user if they truly wish to "trash" their computer permanently. Selecting "Yes" will result in the My Computer icon moving to the Recycle Bin icon, and the screen will then turn black before presenting a Phantom BB jumpscare from Five Nights at Freddy's 3. Following this, the FNaF 1 scream will play, a false BSOD will appear with the message "The problem seems to be caused by the following file 666.sys," and this message will repeat several times in a line-by-line fashion. Finally, the computer will display a real BSOD and reboot. Upon the next boot, the program's final payload overwrites the Master Boot Record (MBR) and displays an eye along with the message "I'M WATCHING YOU" at the bottom of the screen.
Restore solution
The program disables Task Manager upon launch, making it impossible to stop using this tool. To fix the overwritten MBR, the user may use the Windows setup loader on the installation media, access the Command Prompt through "Repair Your Computer," and enter the commands "bootrec /fixboot" and "bootrec /fixmbr." Alternatively, the MBR can be repaired using NeoSmart's Easy Recovery Essentials, a recovery/diagnostic tool designed to restore non-functioning computers. A "Peaceful" version of the software differs from the standard version in two ways. First, after the Phantom BB jumpscare from FNaF 3 and false BSOD, the application simply closes instead of causing the computer to crash with a real BSOD. Second, the user may close the application by pressing either ALT + F4 or CTRL + ALT + DEL.
Links
NOTE: The following applications contain multiple screamers, as well as a malicious script that may harm your computer!
- Destructive Version: archive.org/details/WinXP.Horror.DestructiveCreatedByWobbyChip_201811
- Destructive & Peaceful Versions: archive.org/details/winxp.horror.destructive
Showcases
