Screensaver doesn't come on

[Guest]

My home PC, a Dell XPS is running on XP Home edition and for some reason, the
screensaver doesn't come on. I've tried various screensavers, from those
that I have downloaded to those supplied by the OS, all of them just stopped
working.

HELP..

 

[Jason Green]

Do you get any kind of error message or anything?
When you go into the display control panel|screen saver, choose a screen
saver and click preview, what happens?
If you go to %windir%\system32, do you have any screen saver files?

 

[Bob I]

Usually the screensaver doesn't come on because a program is
running(check for mail every 5 minutes as example) or you have hardware
that is keeping it awake(noisy wireless mouse for instance).

 

[Guest]

I have the same problem. In my case I am trying to install F-Secure
anti-virus software which is available as part of my cable monthly fee
service provider cogeco.ca. When Trying to install it gets to about half way
and quits. Something blocks it from finishing. BUT, every 30 sec it trys to
re-install itself interrupting my activity on the internet. What I have
found is in Task Manager there is a program called Restart.exe that shows
itself for about 2 sec which is the reason for the interrupt. It is trying
to re-start the anti-virus software that it did not comlete installing.
Suggest you try Search>restart.exe for info.
Bill

 

[TaurArian]

Just to add:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;326719
Screen Saver May Not Start in Windows XP

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_s.htm#ss
Troubleshooting Screen Saver Issues in XP

Posting from another user by the name of David:
â€I figured out what the problem is. It's the Microsoft Wireless Mouse. If I switch
the mouse to one with a tail the screensaver works.â€
then David posted again
â€I got a fix. I changed to connection to the computer using the USB to PS2 adapter
that came with the mouse. Now I get the screensaver. I would be interested to find
out why this works.â€

 

[Guest]

I think David, hit the nail on the head. I installed a Microsoft Wireless
Desktop Set,and lost my screen saver. I used the (green USB-to-PS/2 adapter)
for the Mouse, and the (round purple PS/2 Keyboard plug) for the Keyboard.
My Screen saver returned, but unfortunately I have a constant green light on
my Receiver,
a small price to pay for the screen saver.
Thanks for the Info, I hope my little bit of Info is of help to some one.

 

[Guest]

Further to my, all is working OK post, It is not ! Having reconfigured my
mouse & key board as described before, I discovered a problem when typing in
my pass words and holding down the shift key for uppercase,that some times
the letter that I pressed would not type in uppercase. therefore every time
you type in a password, it don't work. this took a bit of finding out, as you
can't see what you are typing in a password box. I had to reconfigure my
mouse & keyboard, directly back to the USB 2 only connection ( with no screen
saver ) back to square one.
Has any body got an answer to this problem ?