Vista Screensaver

Fredb38 · 16th May 2008

About two or three days ago my screensaver just stopped working. Nothing has changed on my end in the last three days. No new programs added, no new hardware added, have nothing wireless. Not sure where to start looking for the problem. Need help.

**Miz** · 16th May 2008

Do all screensavers not work or just the one you were using?

By "not work," do you mean it comes on but there's no animation, it doesn't come on at all or it tries to come on but there's an error message?

Fredb38 · 17th May 2008

Sorry about that. The screensaver is set for 30 minutes and came on if no usage for thirty minutes. Now it just does not come on. I checked the screensaver setup screen and all is the same. When at the screensaver setup screen the preview works fine.

**Miz** · 17th May 2008

For troubleshooting purposes, set it to use a different screensaver. It that works, you'll know the problem is with the original screensaver you were using.

If that doesn't make any difference, the most likely cause is something running in the background making Windows believe it's not idle.

When you plan to leave the computer idling, open Task Manager, click on the Processes tab and leave it open on the desktop. When you know enough time has passed that the screensaver should have kicked on, check Task Manager's list of processes to see if you can identify the culprit.

Fredb38 · 17th May 2008

I did what you said as far as trying a new screen saver. It worked! I then went back to the screen saver that I was using when it quit. Now it works again. Go figure. It acted as if it was just stuck.
I have no idea what made it stop or really what made it start again.
You have got to love Vista as I feel its going to do what it wants when it wants and not ask or tell you its messing with you.
I have had Vista for about 4 months and I run into this kind of stuff almost on a daily basics. Sure miss XP as it just ran and ran without all the challenges Vista creates.
Thanks for all the help.

**Miz** · 17th May 2008

I have a game that disables the screensaver and leaves it disabled. After I play that game I have to select a different screensaver, click Apply, re-select the screensaver I prefer, click OK.

If I don't go through that routine every time I play that game, the screensaver won't kick on even after a reboot. My guess is that you have a program or, more likely, a game that does the same thing.

That game (Avalanche) does the same thing on XP.

Fredb38 · 17th May 2008

I don't have any games but you may still be right. What I can't figure out is why did it start screwing up in the first place. I haven't installed anything in the last couple of weeks. I haven't changed anything that I can think of but I really can't speak for Vista. It does what it wants when it wants.
I guess if it wasn't for Vista I wouldn't have anything out of the norm to do.
Thanks again.