Screen Saver Does Not Run If the Console Is Locked (254500)

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS

If you have a screen saver set to run after two minutes or more, the screen saver may not run if you lock the console by pressing CTRL+ALT+DELETE and then pressing ENTER.

When this occurs, Windows does not display the Computer Locked dialog box. Instead, the Unlock Computer dialog box is displayed.

CAUSE

There is a feature in the Windows 2000 Graphical Identification and Authentication (GINA) component that eliminates the Computer Locked dialog box. This feature is implemented by default in Windows 2000 Professional if the computer is in a workgroup. You can also force the feature to be on or off by using the DisableCAD value in the registry.

If the Computer Locked dialog box has been disabled by either of these methods, the GINA component does not properly allow the screen saver to run.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows 2000. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

260910 How to Obtain the Latest Windows 2000 Service Pack

The English version of this fix should have the following file attributes or later:

   Date        Time    Version         Size     File name 
   -------------------------------------------------------
   4/07/2000   7:40p   5.0.2195.2015   316,176  Msgina.dll

WORKAROUND

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To enable the Computer Locked dialog box, add the DisableCAD REG_DWORD value to the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

Enable the Computer Locked dialog box by setting the data value of the DisableCAD value to 0x0. Or, set the screen saver to run after one minute.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was first corrected in Windows 2000 Service Pack 2.

MORE INFORMATION

The data values for the DisableCAD value are:

0x1: disable CTRL+ALT+DEL
0x0: require CTRL+ALT+DEL

For additional information about how to install Windows 2000 and Windows 2000 hotfixes at the same time, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

249149 Installing Microsoft Windows 2000 and Windows 2000 Hotfixes