Command line shortcut for screensaver timer?? 1

[MitelInMyBlood]

Okay all you command-line gurus, show me your stuff...

Is there some esoteric command I can use to set the Windows Screensaver timer in XP (pro)?


Thanks!!!!!!!

Original MUG/NAMU Charter Member

 

[twiSSt]

google search came up with this -

To Set the screen saver and time out :

SetScrTimeout.exe <timeout value in seconds>

Example:
To set the screensaver timeout value to 30 seconds, use this command:

C:\Tools\SetScrTimeout.exe 30



Twist

===========================================
Everything will be OK in the end.
If it's not OK, then it's not the end

 

[gbaughma]

There's powercfg (do a powercfg /? for options)... but that doesn't really address the screen saver.

A batch to modify the registry is going to be my guess on this....

Here is a .reg file....

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop]
"ScreenSaveTimeOut"="600"

... to set the screen saver to 600 seconds (10 mins)

Note: The second line must be blank.
Note2: Modify the registry at your own risk.


Just my 2¢

"What the captain doesn't realize is that we've secretly replaced his Dilithium Crystals with new Folger's Crystals."

--Greg

http://parallel.tzo.com

 

[gbaughma]

TwiSSt:

I found that one too. It doesn't work. That's not a valid command (at least not on my XP Professional)



Just my 2¢

"What the captain doesn't realize is that we've secretly replaced his Dilithium Crystals with new Folger's Crystals."

--Greg

http://parallel.tzo.com

 

[JockMullin]

What TwiSST is referring to is a tool created by Ramesh Srinivasan, which is available for download. Here is the full discussion:

Quote
I've uploaded a small program to my site, that can change the Screensaver timeout automatically. Download

http://windowsxp.mvps.org/utils/SetScrTimeout.exe

Save the file to a folder of your choice. (C:\Tools)

Usage
=====

To set the screensaver timeout value to 60 seconds, use this command:

C:\Tools\SetScrTimeout.exe 60

...
--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting

http://www.winhelponline.com

Unquote

 

[MitelInMyBlood]

Thanks (and a star) goes to twiSSt for the tip about setscrtimeout.exe

That works (you have to download the executable)

The registry hack works too, but doesn't take effect until a reboot. Powercfg looks like a potentially useful tool, but doesn't address the screen saver timer.

Also for the record, the value used with setscrtimeout.exe is in seconds, not minutes. Not a problem, just something to be aware of.

What was occurring, my employer forces a reset to a 10 minute screen timeout in their nightly (yes, nightly, geeze) boot sequence. Ordinarily that wouldn't be an issue, but I work at 2 desks with my chair between them, so I can swing around between workstations. I'm seldom at one of the workstations for more than 15 minutes at a time and it was annoying me beyond words to have to always have to put in my PW to wake the damn screen when I hadn't really been away, just attention diverted for a few mins.

I'm also an old Wordstar guy (circa 1980's) who started out with CP/M and knows my way around a keyboard, so I don't like "mousing" when I don't have to. Having to move my hand away from the kbd to move the %#$! mouse to click on something when the <ENTER> key is right there under my little finger is a REAL ANNOYANCE (and IMO represents poorly written code). Alas I digress.... I just hated having to either keep entering my p/w or else using the %#$! mouse to right-click on a blank area of my desktop (which is seldom blank) in the morning to get into the display properties, then click again on the screen saver tab, etc., etc.

Thanks again!!!


Original MUG/NAMU Charter Member

 

[strongm]

There's normally a reason why companies require and enforce screensaver (and other) policies.

 

[MitelInMyBlood]

True. However, I work inside a locked, controlled-access 'bunker' with no windows and precious little foot traffic other than those specifically authorized to be in here. I also have no problem with my workstation automatically executing a password-protected screen blanker after a reasonable period of inactivity. 10 minutes probably would have been fine if I was working from only one desktop. However, with two PCs only 6 feet apart and periodically working from them both, the 10 minute timer was a royal PITA. I was already changing the timer manually, now it's simply easier.

LESSON: When security is perceived as being more of an annoyance than a valid need, those annoyed by it will work harder to circumvent it than they will to work with it.


Original MUG/NAMU Charter Member

 

[kjv1611]

MitelInMyBlood,

In all honesty, if your employer has a standard set for the PCs, such as this for data security reasons, and you are running command-line code to get around it, that can't be a good thing - for you, I mean. I'd be really careful in that area, particularly with the economy the way it is. If your employer ever looked for an excuse to can you, and somehow found this thread, for instance, then they'd have their excuse - in writing.

If your situation demands different than the standard, then it may be worth your actually requesting an exception from your employer - just a thought, anyway.

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me

 

[fumei]

A valid point in terms of someone doing a run-around official policy.

Unfortunately, some times official policy is simply down right stupid and ignorant. Nevertheless, I have to agree with kvj in that care should be taken as employers DO have the "right" to enforce policies on their hardware. The fact is, if you work for someone, the computer you work with belongs to them...not you.

That being said, I sympathize greatly. I have a number of personal "hacks" on my computer that could get me into trouble.

Gerry

 

[MitelInMyBlood]

The "Policy" was designed for the droids and worker bees in the cube farms & bull pens. But for uniformity and ease of supporting a "standard" desktop it has to be a one size fits all. Trust that there are many-many other nuisances applied in the group policy to make computer use more a hassle than a help, but I understand the need. By contrast the labs are card-reader access controlled and the access list is very tightly controlled. Readjusting the screensaver timer with a simple batch file in the startup routine is no worse a sin than my manually having to dink with the ^#$! mouse to do it from the screensaver properties tab, just less hassle. It's not as though I was disabling it altogether. Thanks for watching out for me tho..


Original MUG/NAMU Charter Member