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Vista Screen Saver Won't Start

conshok26

conshok26

macrumors 6502
Original poster
I have vista installed on my Macbook Pro and for one reason or another the screen saver won't start. I have it turned down even to start after a min and nothing. anyone else having the same problem?
 
Try repairing permissions (in disk utility app)

What about when you try 'test' in system preferences?
 
i think there is some confusion about which screensaver you are talking about.

for everyone's purposes, can you let us know whether you're having problems with the Vista screensaver or the OS X screensaver.
 
The OP's talking about Vista I'm pretty sure. 🙂

conshok26, do the screensavers preview fine? I can only think that there might be some sort of background task keeping it from becoming "idle" — though it should only be input from the keyboard of mouse that stops it. Are you using any peripherals like an optical mouse that might be jumping around a little?
 
sorry about the confusion..I'm using vista in boot camp and i'll leave my system running and no screen saver goes on. I do have a mighty mouse plugged in that might be the cause. I'll try just letting sit idle doing nothing and unplug the mouse for a test.
 
still having the same problem after trying it without the mouse and still not working. anyone else have an idea what might be stopping the screensaver starting in vista?
 
I believe the this screensaver problem exists for Windows XP as well.

A method I have come across is to create a shortcut of a screensaver file (*.scr) to your desktop and anytime that you want the screensaver on, just double click on the shortcut.
 
I'm having the same problem with my macbook. I've read posts on different sites that all seem to talk about killing 'ehtray.exe' as a workaround to fixing the problem. There's also apparently an optional windows update (HID Non-User Input Data Filter) that fixes the issue. None of these have worked for me.

http://blogs.sqlxml.org/bryantlikes/archive/2006/12/13/screen-saver-doesn-t-activate-in-vista.aspx

I experience this problem with no usb devices plugged into my system at all. The fact that it's a laptop could have something to do with it I suppose (power management and all that) but who knows, I'm at a loss.
 
jayemery said:
I experience this problem with no usb devices plugged into my system at all. The fact that it's a laptop could have something to do with it I suppose (power management and all that) but who knows, I'm at a loss.
Click to expand...

Yea well... Half the components in our macs are USB. Wi-Fi, trackpad, keyboard, IR sensor.
 
thebeephaha said:
Yea well... Half the components in our macs are USB. Wi-Fi, trackpad, keyboard, IR sensor.
Click to expand...

Ahh, so you think it could be some internal USB component causing the issue? If that's the case, I guess I'm SOL, but I'm surprised there aren't more mac people complaining about this.
 
jayemery said:
Ahh, so you think it could be some internal USB component causing the issue? If that's the case, I guess I'm SOL, but I'm surprised there aren't more mac people complaining about this.
Click to expand...

actually, of the Mac people i know, very few use a screensaver.
 
I'm having this problem in Windows XP as well (no screensaver, no shutdown after a period of time - etc...)

Using Bootcamp 1.2 - no definitive solutions?
 
After I upgraded to BootCamp 1.2 beta, Windows XP/Vista is able to turn off the display after some idled time.
 
Anyone find an answer to this yet?

I have exactly the same issue - I've got the latest version off Bootcamp (downloaded and installed yesterday) and Vista Home Premium.
 
I know I'm in the wrong spot but I have vista on my new HP and my screen saver won't work at all either. I have my 19" wide screen monitor connected to my laptop and I've tried EVERY setting I can think of to get it to work but no luck and I've only had this new PC 2 weeks. Can anyone help me with this. I'd sure like to get my screen saver to work. And yes, preview works fine but when the time comes for it to run, nothing!
 
I just installed XP through Bootcamp on Leopard, and my screensaver will come on, but then like a minute or 2 later, without touching anything, the screensaver turns itself off.

I only installed Windows for some stock trading programs. Well yesterday was the first day I left my machine on, and when I left, the screensaver was on. When I got home it wasn't, so I figured no big deal. Well when I switched to OS X, I could see all these numbers and candlestick bars from charts like burned into the screen. I was stunned, then doing some reading, it said LCD's can't have burn in so turn a screen saver on or turn if off overnight and that did the trick. But at first, man that stuff was so noticeable. Glad it was temporary, but would still like to get the screensaver working.

Anyone figure it out yet?
 
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