The Screen Saver Policy Settings Are Not Enforced on a User's Computer (811460)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional
  • Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition

SYMPTOMS

After you configure policy settings that enforce a screen saver (for example, you set the screen saver to activate after 15 minutes of inactivity), a screen saver may not appear when the user's computer has been inactive.

CAUSE

This problem may occur if the user has set the screen saver option to None.

Note To determine whether a screen saver has been selected, and to set or to change the screen saver, follow these steps:
  1. Right-click the desktop, and then click Properties.
  2. Click the Screen Saver tab, and then view the Screen saver box to determine whether a screen saver has been selected.
  3. To set or to change the screen saver, click the screen saver that you want to use in the Screen saver list.
  4. Click OK.

RESOLUTION

Service pack information

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

322389 How to obtain the latest Windows XP service pack

Hotfix information

A supported fix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Apply it only to computers that are experiencing this specific problem. This fix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Windows XP service pack that contains this hotfix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the fix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

NOTE: In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The typical support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.

The English version of this fix has the file attributes (or later) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel. 
   Date         Time   Version       Size     File name
   -------------------------------------------------------
   23-May-2003  12:20  5.1.2600.115  430,080  Winlogon.exe
Note After this update has been installed, if the user changes the screen saver on their computer to None, the user's computer will be locked when the computer has been inactive for the specified period if both the ScreenSaveActive policy setting and the ScreenSaverIsSecure policy setting are enforced. After the computer is locked, the user must type their password to gain access to the computer.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section. This problem was first corrected in Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

195655 HOWTO: How to Set a Screen Saver Through a System Policy

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:10/10/2005
Keywords:kbHotfixServer kbQFE kbWinXPsp2fix kbQFE kbWinXPpreSP2fix kbfix kbbug KB811460
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