Question

windows XP Pro screensavers wait resets to 999

Asked by: xnir

i have windows xp pro SP3.
using the default "windows xp"  screensaver.

till a few days ago it was on the default wait: 10min.

now it is jumps to wait: 999 min
I changed it back to 10min but it keeps resets it self to 999 min after i apply the changed

any ideas?

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Asked On
2009-04-23 at 05:55:24ID24348697
Tags

windows XP Pro screensavers wait resets to 999

Topic

Windows XP Operating System

Participating Experts
2
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Answers

 

by: wfcraven12Posted on 2009-04-23 at 06:11:56ID: 24214562

is this on a domain or is it a home computer?

 

by: xnirPosted on 2009-04-23 at 06:18:07ID: 24214631

Domain, but no GP were made, and it only happens on one machine

 

by: wfcraven12Posted on 2009-04-23 at 06:43:58ID: 24214909

have you tried a different screensaver to see if it still happens?

do you have any USB/firewire devices connected?

what type of computer (make/model)?

any wireless or IR devices?

 

by: xnirPosted on 2009-04-23 at 06:53:31ID: 24215018

it happens  with any screensaver.

i have some USB connected: mouse, keyboard, printer, USB HUB

computer is Dell D630 laptop with wireless and IR devices.

 

by: wfcraven12Posted on 2009-04-23 at 07:12:19ID: 24215230

Do you use Remote Desktop on the D630 ever?  

 

by: xnirPosted on 2009-04-23 at 07:15:55ID: 24215276

I did a few times.

 

by: wfcraven12Posted on 2009-04-23 at 07:22:15ID: 24215366

Okay, you may want to try setting the timeout in the registry then.  RDC has a tendency of resetting the default screensaver timeout back to 10 minutes (600 seconds).  if you go into regedit & drill down to the following location you can modify the time to whatever you want it to be (in seconds).

HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Desktop\ScreenSaveTimeOut

I also would set it in the below location just to make sure it 'sticks' to your Profile

HKEY_USERS\.HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\ScreenSaveTimeOut


If that doesn't work, I'm at a loss & would only be able to suggest looking into startup items, video manufacturer (i.e. Nvidia).

 

by: BrainstormerPosted on 2009-04-23 at 07:23:53ID: 24215389

There are 2 places in Registry where the screensaver settings are located, one is the GPO policy setting, the other is the standard Windows registry.

I would use Sysinternals Regmon tool to detect what is changing the value ffor either location. You could also change the security permissions to block change.


 

by: BrainstormerPosted on 2009-04-23 at 07:28:27ID: 24215437

HKEY_USERS\.HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\ScreenSaveTimeOut

and

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Group Policy Objects\DOMAIN{GUID}User\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Control Panel\Desktop\ScreenSaveTimeOut



 

by: BrainstormerPosted on 2009-04-23 at 07:30:39ID: 24215462

Sorry, take it back, although it is still tru in a way:

HKEY_USERS\.HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\ScreenSaveTimeOut
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Control Panel\Desktop\ScreenSaveTimeOut

If the Policy setting exists it overwrites the 1st, if not the 1st is active.

Again, use the Regmon utility to monitor for changes to this value.

 

by: xnirPosted on 2009-04-23 at 07:36:08ID: 24215529

i will try and update.

 

by: wfcraven12Posted on 2009-07-14 at 06:10:34ID: 24849025

Why would Brainstormer get the credit when my response was the same & posted 8 minutes before?

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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