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General discussion

screensaver and power saving settings will not work

Nov 14, 2005 8:43PM PST

This is a new Dell P4 processor 630w/HT technology 3.0 GHz, 1 GB DDR2 SDRAM @ 400MHz,160 GB, XP Pro 256 MB ATI DVI Vidio. The system will not start the screensaver or any of the power saving settings. Dell is no help at all.

Discussion is locked

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I've found...
Nov 14, 2005 8:55PM PST

That sometimes Windows seems to "forget" these options are set, and you have to change them in order to make them recognized again. It gets even better, in that on some systems, for reasons I've yet to figure out, certain systems have these settings set to "ignore" again after certain Windows updates are applied. It's only certain systems, and I can't find a common connection between any of them. We have multiple Dell Optiplex systems at work, and only a handful will do this... And of that handful, only a few will exhibit this behavior at any given time.

Looks like you've got what I've taken to calling a Gremlin System. Be prepared for this to happen repeatedly for the duration of your ownership of that system.

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I have the same issue on two machines..
Feb 1, 2006 10:31AM PST

One is an HP zd8000 laptop running Windows Media Center OS. I tried the msconfig recommendation in the thread, and also searched for the DVDLauncher int he registry as well.

The msconfig did not help and there is no registry entry for DVDLauncher.

There is a wireless mouse on this machine and I have found that unplugging it sometimes helps, but does not always work..

The other machine is a couple of year old Dell desktop running XP home edition. This one runs Windows media player, with the audio output going into a cable TV modulator for whole house audio. I want the feed the video output into the same modulator for picture slideshow, but need the screensaver to make this happen..

Any other ideas on how to fix this??

TIA,

Bryan

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i found solution
Feb 2, 2006 5:11AM PST

i fixed my screen saver i deleted all associated files to dvd launcher in msconfig startup i also re installed
(From cold start up boot inserted gigabyte disk and reinstalled )

(Inf ) ( this is part of screen saver updater this has fixed my screen saver and havent had any more problems

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Any recommendation of what files to look for re DVDLauncher?
Feb 2, 2006 10:15AM PST

I got my one machine straightened out my removing keyboard and mouse and disabling the DVD drive . Yeah I know it sounds weird, but I use this machie for a very specific purpose.

The other one is a HP zd8000 laptop. The only programs I see that could play a DVD include Windows Media player, InterVideo WinDVD and maybe Windows Movie Maker..

Not sure where to go next with this one. Just can't seem to get it to consistently roll to screensaver.

TIA,

Bryan

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screensaver and power saving settings
Nov 19, 2005 8:03AM PST

The problem with the screensaver has something to do with the wireless keyboard and mouse. It is a microsoft comfort keyboard 1.0A moodel 1027. Can anyone suggest a fix for this?

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I've heard of this before
Nov 19, 2005 7:02PM PST

I have a Belkin Wireless keyboard and mouse that don't affect the screen savers, but I've heard this before with other wireless keyboard's and mouses, (mice?).

As far as I can remember, no real solution was found, except to change to a normal keyboard and mouse, or a different make of wireless keyboard and mouse.

Sorry.

Mark

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screensaver fix that worked for me
Feb 2, 2006 11:44AM PST

hi, I have found the solution to my screensaver not working.

I connected a wireless keyboard/mouse into USB, and my screensaver stopped working.

SOLUTION: unplug wireless keyboard mouse from USB and instead use a USB/PS2 adapter to connect mouse. Then also plug in the keyboard into its socket.

babolat0405

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Problem Solved
Apr 19, 2006 12:32PM PDT

This problem seems to occur only with Microsoft wireless desktop sets, and not consistently. I use two machines, with the identical wireless keyboard and mouse; on one (the newer one as it happens, dual core Pentium and all the bells and whistles) the screensaver does not work, on the other (5 years old) it does.

Moving the wireless transceiver off USB and plugging into the PS2 keyboard/mouse ports (the Microsoft manual that came with the desktop set explains how)eliminates the problem. As far as I can see there is no down-side to using these two ports, and as a bonus it frees up a USB port.

On my machine this also seems to have fixed some other flaky behaviour; my back-up program (Iomega Backup Pro which backs up to a USB connected drive) no longer hangs on boot-up, and USB thumbdrives that are plugged in at boot-up are recognized, rather than having to be disconnected/reconnected.

Given all that, the only question remaining is; does Microsoft ever test their stuff on real equipment?

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Screen savor is now working
Sep 6, 2006 2:32PM PDT

Thank You Mark. I tried everythig to get the screensaver working. I unpluged my mouse and wa..la!!Up came the screensavor!! Who would ever think it was the mouse!!
bev

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Connect wireless mouse/ desktop using the PS/2 connector
Jan 17, 2006 2:39AM PST

I hope by now you have solved your problem. I just got a new computer made by a computer shop with Windows XP Pro SP-2 and had the same problem, as do many people. I had been searching the web for solutions and finally came up with two. For me it had to do with my Microsoft Wireless Desktop set, and more specifically I think it's primarily the USB connection for the mouse. Do not connect the the desktop set/mouse to the USB port. Instead, use the PS/2 connections. I will quote the Getting Started pamphlet for Microsoft Wireless Desktop Sets. Your mouse should have come with an USB-to-PS/2 adapter as described below. Be sure to follow their directions:
"1. Shut down and turn off the computer. 2. Plug the purple PS/2 connector into the computer's round PS/2 keyboard port. 3. Plug the USB connector into the green USB-to-PS/2 adapter, and then plug the adapter into the computer's round PS/2 mouse port." Bingo! My screensaver started working. I did have some problems later after loading a DVD. I saw the solutions that disabled the DVDlauncher, but didn't see the same terminology in the startup selections for my computer. I suspect it has something to do with the video card but will have to research more. Right now, I just have to restart the screen saver as though it's the first time, and it starts working again. The other solution which others have eluded to, involves disabling the DVDlauncher. Here is the link: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/911895/en-us, that describes how to do that. Perhaps this posting will help others, because it is extremely frustrating not to have the screen saver going after having it in earlier Windows operating systems.

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Problem solved!
Nov 24, 2005 2:52AM PST

Finally got through to someone in T. suport at MS and the fixed it by having me go to msconfig,selective startup,uncheck Process SYSTEM.INI File, Process WIN.INI File and Load Startup Items. Then click the services tab and check the "Hide All Microsoft Services" It's VERY IMPORTANT that you make sure to hide the MS Services. Then click "Disable All" Reboot Idid have to remove McaFee and reinstall as it was not working after this was completed.

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RE:
Dec 21, 2005 9:38PM PST
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I seem to be having the same problem...
Dec 21, 2005 1:36PM PST

I have the exact same problem, Dell is stating that since I purchased the computer through Costco and not directly from them they are unable (unwilling) to help. I have paid Microsoft to help me....but so far I have spent 5 hours with them on the phone with no solution. They are going to send this topic to a Microsoft research team to see if a solution is out there. I am disappointed with Dell....warranty? Microsoft and I have reloaded my SSMYST program...that did not help. We performed two complete system scans...no help. The screen saver still does not work. I find that if I close MSN, my power features work however. If MSN is open, the CPU stays on....Have you found any fixes????

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2 thing.s
Dec 21, 2005 11:44PM PST

1. Dell did not write this OS. With all the spyware out there, the damage is not Dell's fault. Or their responsibility to fix. They may help you reload the OS.

2. You didn't dismiss the solution here so I suggest you read the discussion and try them.

Bob

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Dell and fault....
Dec 22, 2005 2:11PM PST

I was dismissed by the way that Dell handled my situation on the phone...passed to one person than another, finally stating that "since I did not purchase the system directly from Dell...they could not help me."

I have read the discussion. I have attempted the clean boot answer, but that is not answering the problem.

There appears to be a link between the ATI graphics package, XP updates and wireless mouse. If you remove the ATI programs from the start up the screen saver works.

As of right now, Microsoft is looking into the problem, they have been hearing about this: Dell's, ATI card, and XP home and professional versions. I will post the findings when they call back this Saturday.

Please let me know if you hear anything besides clean boots. Thanks!!!!

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Same Problem Fixed - Maybe
Dec 27, 2005 1:32AM PST

I was experiencing the same problem and was starting to get really frustrated. I went on-line and had a chat session with Dell, and although the tech was very helpful and polite he was not able to help. The tech did give me a direct number to XPS support and this tech WAS able to walk me through a fix.

We went through the clean boot process and then confirmed that it was not a system process that was causing the problem. We then turned off all startup programs and started them three at a time until the problem came back. Once we hit on three it was easy to find the one program that was creating the conflict. It was "DVDLauncher." I turned this one off and turned all the other programs back on and the problem did not come back.

I hope this helps.

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Removing DVDLauncher Fixed It for Me
Jan 15, 2006 6:59AM PST

I have the same basic Dell P4 with 256mb ATI Video Card that others have mentioned. To make it short, what worked was removing the DVDLauncher start up from the registry.

The registry key was HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run and the entry was DVDLauncher REG_SZ C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe.

I put everything else back that I had disabled and the screen saver and power settings still work.

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Screen Saver and Power Saver not working
Sep 24, 2010 11:09PM PDT

Dell Latitude D620 computer, MX XP Operating System - cannot get screen saver to work nor will the screen turn off after the time set for it to do so. I hope someone can supply an answer.

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(NT) And You Tried The Suggestions In This Thread?
Sep 26, 2010 5:29AM PDT
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Screen Saver and Power Saver not working
Sep 26, 2010 2:26PM PDT

I tried the suggestions I understood. I do not know what else will be affected if one disables the DVDLauncher in the registry so I did not try that. I was hoping for a solution that lay folks could do a little easier than that.

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A Simple Registry Edit
Sep 27, 2010 5:41AM PDT

Make a backup of the registry first, then delete the entry.. It's not too complicated and can be restored simply by using the registry backup should it be needed.

Hope this helps.

Grif

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Screen Saver and Power Saver not working
Sep 28, 2010 11:16PM PDT

Hmmm... there is no DVDLauncher REG_SZ C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe.

In the Registry, I successfully browsed all the way to "\Run" in the path below, but do not see the DVDLauncher.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run and the entry was DVDLauncher REG_SZ C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe.

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Screen Saver and Power Saver not working
Jun 3, 2012 8:09AM PDT

Just to make sure someone knows about my battle with the screensaver not starting when I hooked up a Logitech M515 optical mouse on an Inspirion 8500 (2002 vintage) running Windows 2000Pro w/service pack 4. Tried numerous fixes found online. None worked until I found the Logitech forum. SetPoint 3.1.116, found on the logitech site, corrected the "Optical Mouse Not Allowing The Screensaver To Start" problem immediately.

The mouse tilt wheel function also works fine with this old driver.

This driver is generic enough to work with just about any mouse. The driver is listed for Windows 2000 and XP.

Hope this helps soemone who has spent as much time as I have trying to keep the mouse and have the screensaver work.


Now, a question for Logitech. Why does this driver work fine, but 6.X driver does nothing for the problem. Maybe someone should look at this driver and find out what was screwed up in the new drivers.


NAH, that would make too much sense.

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my solution
Jul 16, 2012 2:44AM PDT

I boot into safe mode after i have set the screensaver and power
in safe mode I set them the same settings
reboot and most times it works