Okay, I’ve asked everywhere, probably even here, and no one knows. So I’m satisfied that the Windows XP Screen Saver on this computer will always reset itself to 1 minute and stop working. The Power Scheme operation will also just stop working.
Yes, I know, it’s probably some nasty third party software. (Why do people insist on putting software on computers? The OS would work perfectly if us numbskull consumers would just stop mucking up MicroSoft’s perfect operating systems with that rotten third party software. The OS should be designed so that software cannot be loaded on it, right?) I’m in no mood to disable every program, one at a time, and wait a day to see if that solves the problem. What is this, the 18th century?
So anyway, since the Windows XP Screen Saver is not fixable, are there any reliable (shudder) third party screen savers with a power saving function (which puts the monitor to sleep) that anyone can recommend?
Screen savers are not needed at all any more, since CRT monitors are pretty much gone. People still have them now, but it’s just for decorative reasons.
For screen shutdown/power saving features, Windows XP contains all that is needed in most cases.
Both the Screen Saver and the Power Schemes function in Display Properties (Monitor power > Power… > Power Schemes > Settings for Home/Office Desk power scheme) stop working. The Screen Saver fails to activate after the prescribed time (a check shows that the time has reset to 1 minute, but that’s irrelevant as it never activates anyway) and the monitor never turns off.
All my efforts to find a fix for this Windows XP issue have failed.
If a screen saver is no longer needed, it would still be nice if the monitor power could be set to shut down after 20 minutes of non-use. Is there a program that works with Windows XP that can do this?
If it helps anybody figure this out, I have found that every time I go to the TV Guide website it causes my XP power setting to not turn off the monitor … also happens once in a while after general web browsing sessions, but always after TV Guide … so I assume it’s something to do with Java.
My power settings do not appear to change, they just don’t work. I have to click on the time setting to make the “Apply” button reactivate … then it works.
I have this problem on my XP machine. Occasionally the power settings just won’t work. I’ll come in in the morning and the desktop is sitting right there glaring at me.
I’ve never been able to consciously fix it. I may have tried Turble’s suggestion before and that worked. I think sometimes it happens after installing updates, or it gets fixed after a reboot.
But yeah I am not sure that the OP’s problem is that the software is permanently futzed. I think this is a bug with XP and you should be able to solve it without having to find a different way to power save.