Screensaver Wait Time resets to 1 minute

[Kuplo]

Not I. I had that service turned off for a while, however a couple days ago I tried to install and or run some piece of software (can't remember which software it was) and I had to turn that service back on because of an error message.

I've just resolved to ignore the problem until/unless Microsoft comes up with a proper fix and use the option to just turn off the screen instead of fire up the screensaver since I don't *usually* sit around waiting to watch my screensaver, although it's still sits in the back of my mind that its not working properly which I admit does bother me a bit at times.

 

[Tinkerdog]

Is there a script or program that could be run at startup using the Scheduler to reset the wait time to whatever we want??

 

[Kuplo]

I've put in a technical support request with Gateway right now, they should get back to me either today or tommorrow. I'll post here what they suggest if they come up with anything new.

To me recovering the computer using the restore disks will NOT be an answer for me. They will have to figure out exactly what's going on and why it's happening, since it's not just my computer it's obvious that there is some issue that needs to be properly addressed besides trying to restore the computer system with the recovery disks in my opinion. We'll see if I get anywhere with them, Im usually pretty good about hounding tech support until they do something.

 

[Tinkerdog]

I've put in a technical support request with Gateway right now, they should get back to me either today or tommorrow. I'll post here what they suggest if they come up with anything new.

To me recovering the computer using the restore disks will NOT be an answer for me. They will have to figure out exactly what's going on and why it's happening, since it's not just my computer it's obvious that there is some issue that needs to be properly addressed besides trying to restore the computer system with the recovery disks in my opinion. We'll see if I get anywhere with them, Im usually pretty good about hounding tech support until they do something.

The recovery route won't work... been done, done that.... sigh.

As soon as you finish the recovery, but BEFORE downloading any MS updates or installing any other software, if you test the screensaver waittime, it will reset back to 1 minute upon reboot. There is some software they have installed that is causing the problem.

Hope you get somewhere with them..... the phone support people I talked to were complete idiots. I spent about an hour with them before it dawned on them that the problem occurs after initial bootup.... There is nothing you can do to create or prevent the problem....

I will be pulling for you!

Meanwhile, I will look for some 3rd party software that can rotate and setup the wallpapers and screensavers upon bootup.... hopefully that will get us over the hump!

 

[Kuplo]

Gateway was completely and totally useless (guess I'll go back to building my own computers next time with this type of support).

Here is what they wrote me back:

"Thank you for contacting Gateway. I apologize for the inconvenience that you have experienced. If the issue is resolved by turning off the "Windows Management Instrumentation" in Windows Services, I suggest having using that workaround until the issue has been resolved.
Turning off the service will not affect the operating system as this is not necessary for Windows to run properly"

That is the extent of their email support message. Nothing to say about what will actually "fix" the issue, only telling me what I already know and have done and have told them I tried in my original email.

Oh well... As it turns out, this computer is now running our Magic Jack telephone service so it never gets shut down except for windows updates to do a reboot so... Set it and forget it I suppose. Because I have the WMI running since last boot and set the screensaver for 10 minutes and it starts up in 10 minutes where as it didn't before and so I guess I'll just leave it alone until someone comes up with a permanant solution.

 

[irogiant369]

Im having the same issue, after i disable WMI i boot my pc and the screen saver working fine, however i then had to do something on my sons screen name so i switch user and on my sons user name an error message, system security is not turn on, i try turning it on, and wont allow me to, turn it on, if i re-enable WMI and went back to my sons user name this time it allow me to turn on system security, another strange thing with this issue, only main administrador account is affected, my sons screen saver will not revert to 1 after reboot, only my screen name im logged in as administrador. this is frustrading.

 

[Tinkerdog]

Well, I went crazy and downloaded the Vista 7 Beta this weekend to see how it would do on the Gateway DX4720...

I have 2 hard drives, so the beta would go on the second non-OS drive. I went into BIOS and turned off the OS drive, rebooted and pressed FN-F10 (the F10 Menu) to get to the boot up Menu.

I selected the DVD drive, and with my beta DVD disk there, installed the Vista 7 to the 2nd drive.... after getting it installed, I rebooted back in and checked it out.

I set the screensaver to 5 minutes.. rebooted and lo and behold!..... it was STILL 5 minutes... YEEEEAAAA!!!.

And it works really well.

So.... moral is... Gateway has some goofy driver code in there for some of the hardware... probably the Media Card reader stuff.... kicking the Screensaver Wait-Time somehow.....

I live without it now.... so I have the original Vista-64 from Gateway on the SATA drive... and Windows 7 -32bit on the 2nd drive in Dual boot....

Sweeeeeetttt !!! I will put this puppy through the paces this week and see how it goes....

(The reason I put the Windows 7 32 bit instead of 64 is because I have some hardware I connect to it which does not have 64 bit drivers as of yet... maybe someday).

 

[Tinkerdog]

Well, I went crazy and downloaded the Vista 7 Beta this weekend to see how it would do on the Gateway DX4720...

I have 2 hard drives, so the beta would go on the second non-OS drive. I went into BIOS and turned off the OS drive, rebooted and pressed FN-F10 (the F10 Menu) to get to the boot up Menu.

I selected the DVD drive, and with my beta DVD disk there, installed the Vista 7 to the 2nd drive.... after getting it installed, I rebooted back in and checked it out.

I set the screensaver to 5 minutes.. rebooted and lo and behold!..... it was STILL 5 minutes... YEEEEAAAA!!!.

And it works really well.

So.... moral is... Gateway has some goofy driver code in there for some of the hardware... probably the Media Card reader stuff.... kicking the Screensaver Wait-Time somehow.....

I live without it now.... so I have the original Vista-64 from Gateway on the SATA drive... and Windows 7 -32bit on the 2nd drive in Dual boot....

Sweeeeeetttt !!! I will put this puppy through the paces this week and see how it goes....

(The reason I put the Windows 7 32 bit instead of 64 is because I have some hardware I connect to it which does not have 64 bit drivers as of yet... maybe someday).

The Windows 7 worked GREAT on the Gateway! No problems I detected. Screensavers worked and restored correctly upon reboot with correct waittimes restored (no Gateway driver code installed from the Recovery Partition - all from MS).

So, I am assuming that if you had the install Disks for Vista (not the Recovery Boot disk), you could reinstall Vista on your Gateway and all the problems would disappear. You would need to put the SATA and Network Drivers from Gateway on a CD, DVD or USB stick so you could install VISTA though, when you get to the partioning / hard disk selection screen during installation.

So, hang tight.... Windows 7 will SOON be here. Get a copy, install it FRESH, reinstall your data, and enjoy your NEW PC !!

 

[Kuplo]

While I would like my screensaver to work by itself after a reboot, it's not bothersome enough to me to have to go to Windows 7 when ever it's released. I've only had Vista a couple years now (on and off really, I have uninstalled it to go back to XP many times and reinstalled it many times later on when I got the itch to do so), so Im definitely in no hurry to do the whole OS dance again.

I've got a legitimate copy of Vista that I was using on my old computer but I just can't justify the time to back everything up, and install it fresh on this gateway right now since other than the screensaver, the computer runs tops. My copy of Vista was an upgrade copy but after a major snafoo with Windows Update screwing up my OS installation I spent 8 hours on the phone with MS support trying to get the OS back up and running, and finally determined that it wasn't going to happen so I had to wipe it clean and install fresh. For the 8 hours I spent on the phone giving MS tons of information so the next time this happened to someone else they might be able to fix it, they gave me a full copy serial number so that I never need upgrade from XP again. Yeah I know, $299/8=$37per hour Not bad if you ask me.

 

[Mitalis]

I'm an owner of a Gateway LX6200 PC and I'm also one of the people plagued with the Screensaver resetting to 1 minute after every reboot. What I find odd about this problem is the screensaver doesn't ever kick in, even being set at 1 minute.

Until I manually adjust it to some other number only then will the screensaver kick in. It's quite frustrating.

I'm not running any wireless devices on my computer. Although I will say there is a control panel on the front of my computer that has an IR receiver to respond to the media center remote that came with this machine... Do you think that could be the issue?

I'm kinda reluctant to disable any service that the O/S requires to properly operate. Is there any other solution to fixing this?

 

[Tinkerdog]

I'm an owner of a Gateway LX6200 PC and I'm also one of the people plagued with the Screensaver resetting to 1 minute after every reboot. What I find odd about this problem is the screensaver doesn't ever kick in, even being set at 1 minute.

Until I manually adjust it to some other number only then will the screensaver kick in. It's quite frustrating.

I'm not running any wireless devices on my computer. Although I will say there is a control panel on the front of my computer that has an IR receiver to respond to the media center remote that came with this machine... Do you think that could be the issue?

I'm kinda reluctant to disable any service that the O/S requires to properly operate. Is there any other solution to fixing this?

I've found no solution. I am convinced the problem is with some device driver loading up that is proprietary to the Media Manager on the PC. Maybe by disabling some of the startup drivers for the MM will it probably work ok.

I've learned to live with it. I just change the Timeout to 10 minutes and let it go until next time.

I'm waiting for my copy of 7, then it will be a Fresh install and this problem will be history!

 

[baconcow]

Hi,

I just found this topic. I can confirm that this is not a problem that is confined to Vista operating systems only. I have not read the entire topic so I am unsure if others have had it with non-Vista OS's. I have recently been getting this issue with Windows XP SP3. For some reason, my screensaver time reverts to 1 minute. It seems to be often, but random. I have also noticed times where it has changed and the screensaver will not actually activate after a minute. I am also noticing that my computer LCD sometimes does not go off after 15 minutes of no activity. I plan on formatting soon to clear this, and other issues up.

Just thought I would contribute, just in case it mean anything.

 

[migawka]

I had the same as @baconcow said but with Windows XP SP3. the SS time out is reset automatically to 1 minute and doesn't activate at all.

 

[FallenAnjel]

I can't believe I found this thread via Google. I"m even more impressed that I actually signed up for this forum, prob. a couple years ago as my "normal" name and pass worked, LOL

Anywho: I have a Gateway M7301u (my 'info' to the left is wrong, lol) Vista Home Premium laptop. I bought it in Radio Shack just over 2 years ago.

I too have the same problem. Upon every restart (and sometimes not even a restart---but I haven't pinpointed what is the cuplrit), my screensaver and "shut display off" command is TOTALLY IGNORED.. I usually leave the screen saver to 1 minute (on blank) and the "shut display off" at 2 minutes. Sure enough, I was about to go to bed tonight, and 5 minutes later, the screen is still on.

It's VERY frustrating, so I've gotten used to always checking the "shut display off" setting before leaving the laptop for the night.

Obviously this thread is almost 3 yrs old and there seems to be no solution, but I thought I'd just post and let everyone know you're all not alone! LOL

 

[sancri]

Hi.


Not a real solution, but a workaround: I have set the desired timeout in "Group Policy > User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Control Panel > Display". I enabled the "Screen Saver timeout" and set it to 420 (7 seconds x 60). Now, I can not change the "Screen saver" "Wait" time the usual way from "Display properties", but so does nothing else

Screen Saver Timeout Period - Set or Change - Windows 7 Help Forums


Hope this will help someone.

 

[wither 3]

Way back when, Brink recommended that you try sfc /scannow. I haven't seen anything in this thread where someone has tried it. Perhaps I missed it.

 

[Fiery]

I had a similar problem except my screensaver wasn't working at all, one fix was "hotcorners" Hot Corners Screensaver Tool for Windows - Hot Corners

The other one which works, is open GPEDIT.MSC > User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Display > Screen Saver Timeout, the default value should be 900 seconds. Click Enable and put in what ever time you want (mine is set for 1800 seconds). Reboot.

If you alter the settings in GPEDIT, if you click on Personalise then Screensaver you will see the timeout is now greyed out.