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Time screen saver 2

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porkchopexpress

porkchopexpress

IS-IT--Management
May 26, 2005
3,996
GB
Can anyone recommend a screen saver that will display the time, can be managed with group policy and is easy to install on multiple clients? I googled this and got lots of results so i wondered if anyone already uses something like this.

Cheers for suggestions.
 
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Why the need to download an additional Screensaver, when Windows's own "3D Text" screen saver can do that and is obviously Group Policy compliant.



----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.
 
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Forgot to mention, its usually installed by default in all Windows XP systems unless specifically removed either durng installation of the OS or afterward.



----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.
 
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have u found the gpo settings for it yet, or need pointing to it?

Hope this Helps.

Neil J Cotton
njc Information Systems
Systems Consultant
 
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Ncotton, I would like to know what the settings are to use the screen saver for time.

JG
 
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From the Screensaver tab in Display Properties, Select 3D text as your screen Saver, then click on Settings. The First Radio Button to the Left, says "Time". Select it, and configure the rest as you desire.

Whe your ready to set it as group policy, set the Screensaver Executable name in the Group Policy Editor to point to the screensaver file "sstext3d.scr" on the server that has the domain. That way all clients will pull the same file with the same settings.




----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.
 
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Vacunita has it pretty much nailed there, if you need any other assistance, let us know.

Hope this Helps.

Neil J Cotton
njc Information Systems
Systems Consultant
 
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and for the Group Policy Location, as far as I remember

create a new folder on the server, share it, go to an XP client, copy the c:\windows\system32\sstext3d.scr into the new share on the server.

User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Control Panel > Display > Screensaver Executble Name > \\server\scrshare\sstext3d.scr

Hope this Helps.

Neil J Cotton
njc Information Systems
Systems Consultant
 
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Please ignore the above post...it isn't entirely correct, it doesn't work as you requested it....

I have written you a new Administrative Template for you to use in your Group Policy controlled AD network.

I assume you know how import ADM files, so I wont bore you with it.....copy the below text and paste into a txt file, save as c:\windows\inf\NJCEdits.adm, make sure you set the Save as Type to "All Files", and dont leave it as txt. Import. Click View from the file menu, filtering, UNCHECK "only show settings that can be fully managed.". This will ensure that you see all the settings.

I haven't got time to actually test this right now, but if it doesn't work, read the errors, and look for possible spelling mistakes or missing ""'s etc, as the error messages are pretty meaningfull, and also contains the line numbers. I will test it when i have a minute, and post back if there are any corrections.

When you have it imported you will need to enable "Screensaver Executable", and use the default entry i put in. And also Enable, "Set screensaver to show time"

code below
----------
Code: 
CLASS USER
    CATEGORY !!NJCISEDITS
        CATEGORY !!SCREENSAVER
    
            POLICY !!ScreenSaverFilename
                KEYNAME "Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Control Panel\Desktop"
                #if version >= 4
                SUPPORTED !!SUPPORTED_Win2kSP1
                #endif

                EXPLAIN !!ScreenSaverFilename_Help
                PART !!ScreenSaverFilename EDITTEXT
                    VALUENAME "c:\windows\system32\sstext3d.scr"
                END PART
            END POLICY

            POLICY !!ScreenSaverShowTime
                KEYNAME "Software\Microsoft\Screensavers\Text3d"
		EXPLAIN !!expScreenSaverTime  
                VALUENAME "DisplayTime"
		    VALUEON  1
		    VALUEOFF 0
            END POLICY

            POLICY !!ScreenSaverActive
                KEYNAME "Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Control Panel\Desktop"
                #if version >= 4
                SUPPORTED !!SUPPORTED_Win2kSP1
                #endif

                EXPLAIN !!ScreenSaverActive_Help
                VALUENAME "ScreenSaveActive"
                    VALUEON  1
                    VALUEOFF 0
            END POLICY

            POLICY !!ScreenSaverIsSecure
                KEYNAME "Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Control Panel\Desktop"
                #if version >= 4
                SUPPORTED !!SUPPORTED_Win2kSP1
                #endif

                EXPLAIN !!ScreenSaverIsSecure_Help
                VALUENAME "ScreenSaverIsSecure"
                    VALUEON  1
                    VALUEOFF 0
            END POLICY    

            POLICY !!ScreenSaverTimeOut
                KEYNAME "Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Control Panel\Desktop"
                #if version >= 4
                SUPPORTED !!SUPPORTED_Win2kSP1
                #endif

                EXPLAIN !!ScreenSaverTimeOut_Help
                PART !!ScreenSaverTimeOut_Tip1  TEXT
                END PART
                PART !!Blank                  TEXT
                END PART
                PART !!ScreenSaverTimeOutFreqSpin   NUMERIC DEFAULT 900
                    MIN 0 MAX 599940 SPIN 60
                    TXTCONVERT
                    VALUENAME "ScreenSaveTimeOut"
                END PART
            END POLICY
        END CATEGORY
    END CATEGORY

[strings]
NJCISEdits="NJC Info Sys GP Edits"
SCREENSAVER="Screensaver settings"
ScreenSaverTime="Set Screensaver to Show Time"
expScreenSaverShowTime="Enabling this setting will set the screensaver to display the time.\n\n This setting will only be operational if you specify the screensaver to be set to Text3d, ssText3d.scr.
CPL_Display_HideScrsav="Hide Screen Saver tab"
NoDispScrSavPage_Help="Removes the Screen Saver tab from Display in Control Panel.\n\nThis setting prevents users from using Control Panel to add, configure, or change the screen saver on the computer."
ScreenSaverActive_Help="Enables desktop screen savers.\n\nIf you disable this setting, screen savers do not run. Also, this setting disables the Screen Saver section of the Screen Saver tab in Display in Control Panel. As a result, users cannot change the screen saver options.\n\nIf you do not configure it, this setting has no effect on the system.\n\nIf you enable it, a screen saver runs, provided the following two conditions hold: First, a valid screensaver on the client is specified through the "Screensaver executable name" setting or through Control Panel on the client computer. Second, the screensaver timeout is set to a nonzero value through the setting or Control Panel.\n\nAlso, see the "Hide Screen Saver tab" setting."
ScreenSaverActive="Screen Saver"
ScreenSaverFilename_Help="Specifies the screen saver for the user's desktop.\n\nIf you enable this setting, the system displays the specified screen saver on the user's desktop. Also, this setting disables the drop-down list of screen savers on the Screen Saver tab in Display in Control Panel, which prevents users from changing the screen saver.\n\nIf you disable this setting or do not configure it, users can select any screen saver.\n\nIf you enable this setting, type the name of the file that contains the screen saver, including the .scr file name extension. If the screen saver file is not in the %Systemroot%\System32 directory, type the fully qualified path to the file.\n\nIf the specified screen saver is not installed on a computer to which this setting applies, the setting is ignored.\n\nNote: This setting can be superseded by the "Screen Saver" setting.  If  the "Screen Saver" setting is disabled, this setting is ignored, and screen savers do not run."
ScreenSaverFilename="Screen Saver executable name"
ScreenSaverIsSecure_Help="Determines whether screen savers used on the computer are password protected.\n\nIf you enable this setting, all screen savers are password protected. If you disable this setting, password protection cannot be set on any screen saver.\n\nThis setting also disables the "Password protected" check box on the Screen Saver tab in Display in Control Panel, preventing users from changing the password protection setting.\n\nIf you do not configure this setting, users can choose whether or not to set password protection on each screen saver.\n\nTo ensure that a computer will be password protected, also enable the "Screen Saver" setting and specify a timeout via the "Screen Saver timeout" setting.\n\nNote: To remove the Screen Saver tab, use the "Hide Screen Saver tab" setting."
ScreenSaverIsSecure="Password protect the screen saver"
ScreenSaverTimeOut="Screen Saver timeout"
ScreenSaverTimeOut_Tip1="Number of seconds to wait to enable the Screen Saver"
ScreenSaverTimeOutFreqSpin="Seconds:"
ScreenSaverTimeOut_Help="Specifies how much user idle time must elapse before the screen saver is launched.\n\nWhen configured, this idle time can be set from a minimum of 1 second to a maximum of 86,400 seconds, or 24 hours. If set to zero, the screen saver will not be started.\n\nThis setting has no effect under any of the following circumstances:\n\n    - The setting is disabled or not configured.\n\n    - The wait time is set to zero.\n\n    - The "No screen saver" setting is enabled.\n\n    - Neither the "Screen saver executable name" setting nor the Screen Saver tab of the client computer's Display Properties dialog box specifies a valid existing screensaver program on the client.\n\nWhen not configured, whatever wait time is set on the client through the Screen Saver tab of the Display Properties dialog box is used. The default is 15 minutes."
SUPPORTED_Win2kSP1="At least Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 1"
Blank=" "

If you have any problems at all, or need guidance or advice on implementing this solution, let me know.

PS....there is also no need for the share mentioned in my above post.

Hope this Helps.

Neil J Cotton
njc Information Systems
Systems Consultant
 
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Well, I had to test it and there were quite a few errors in it....sooo....i have corrected them....and tested them....If you want more configuration options for them, as in you want it sliding instead of spinning etc and lock other settings, let me know what you want and I'll update you.

Here is the tried and tested and SUCESSFULL CODE

code
----
Code: 
CLASS USER
    CATEGORY !!NJCISEDITS
        CATEGORY !!SCREENSAVER
    
            POLICY !!ScreenSaverFilename
                KEYNAME "Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Control Panel\Desktop"
                #if version >= 4
                SUPPORTED !!SUPPORTED_Win2kSP1
                #endif

                EXPLAIN !!ScreenSaverFilename_Help
                PART !!ScreenSaverFilename EDITTEXT
                    VALUENAME "SCRNSAVE.EXE"
		    DEFAULT c:\windows\system32\sstext3d.scr
                END PART
            END POLICY

            POLICY !!ScreenSaverShowTime
                KEYNAME "Software\Microsoft\Screensavers\Text3d"
		EXPLAIN !!expScreenSaverShowTime  
                VALUENAME "DisplayTime"
		    VALUEON  1
		    VALUEOFF 0
            END POLICY

            POLICY !!ScreenSaverActive
                KEYNAME "Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Control Panel\Desktop"
                #if version >= 4
                SUPPORTED !!SUPPORTED_Win2kSP1
                #endif

                EXPLAIN !!ScreenSaverActive_Help
                VALUENAME "ScreenSaveActive"
                    VALUEON  1
                    VALUEOFF 0
            END POLICY

            POLICY !!ScreenSaverIsSecure
                KEYNAME "Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Control Panel\Desktop"
                #if version >= 4
                SUPPORTED !!SUPPORTED_Win2kSP1
                #endif

                EXPLAIN !!ScreenSaverIsSecure_Help
                VALUENAME "ScreenSaverIsSecure"
                    VALUEON  1
                    VALUEOFF 0
            END POLICY    

            POLICY !!ScreenSaverTimeOut
                KEYNAME "Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Control Panel\Desktop"
                #if version >= 4
                SUPPORTED !!SUPPORTED_Win2kSP1
                #endif

                EXPLAIN !!ScreenSaverTimeOut_Help
                PART !!ScreenSaverTimeOut_Tip1  TEXT
                END PART
                PART !!Blank                  TEXT
                END PART
                PART !!ScreenSaverTimeOutFreqSpin   NUMERIC DEFAULT 900
                    MIN 0 MAX 599940 SPIN 60
                    TXTCONVERT
                    VALUENAME "ScreenSaveTimeOut"
                END PART
            END POLICY
        END CATEGORY
    END CATEGORY

[strings]
NJCISEdits="NJC Info Sys GP Edits"
SCREENSAVER="Screensaver settings"
ScreenSaverShowTime="Set Screensaver to Show Time"
expScreenSaverShowTime="Enabling this setting will set the screensaver to display the time.\n\n This setting will only be operational if you specify the screensaver to be set to Text3d, ssText3d.scr.
CPL_Display_HideScrsav="Hide Screen Saver tab"
NoDispScrSavPage_Help="Removes the Screen Saver tab from Display in Control Panel.\n\nThis setting prevents users from using Control Panel to add, configure, or change the screen saver on the computer."
ScreenSaverActive_Help="Enables desktop screen savers.\n\nIf you disable this setting, screen savers do not run. Also, this setting disables the Screen Saver section of the Screen Saver tab in Display in Control Panel. As a result, users cannot change the screen saver options.\n\nIf you do not configure it, this setting has no effect on the system.\n\nIf you enable it, a screen saver runs, provided the following two conditions hold: First, a valid screensaver on the client is specified through the "Screensaver executable name" setting or through Control Panel on the client computer. Second, the screensaver timeout is set to a nonzero value through the setting or Control Panel.\n\nAlso, see the "Hide Screen Saver tab" setting."
ScreenSaverActive="Screen Saver"
ScreenSaverFilename_Help="Specifies the screen saver for the user's desktop.\n\nIf you enable this setting, the system displays the specified screen saver on the user's desktop. Also, this setting disables the drop-down list of screen savers on the Screen Saver tab in Display in Control Panel, which prevents users from changing the screen saver.\n\nIf you disable this setting or do not configure it, users can select any screen saver.\n\nIf you enable this setting, type the name of the file that contains the screen saver, including the .scr file name extension. If the screen saver file is not in the %Systemroot%\System32 directory, type the fully qualified path to the file.\n\nIf the specified screen saver is not installed on a computer to which this setting applies, the setting is ignored.\n\nNote: This setting can be superseded by the "Screen Saver" setting.  If  the "Screen Saver" setting is disabled, this setting is ignored, and screen savers do not run."
ScreenSaverFilename="Screen Saver executable name"
ScreenSaverIsSecure_Help="Determines whether screen savers used on the computer are password protected.\n\nIf you enable this setting, all screen savers are password protected. If you disable this setting, password protection cannot be set on any screen saver.\n\nThis setting also disables the "Password protected" check box on the Screen Saver tab in Display in Control Panel, preventing users from changing the password protection setting.\n\nIf you do not configure this setting, users can choose whether or not to set password protection on each screen saver.\n\nTo ensure that a computer will be password protected, also enable the "Screen Saver" setting and specify a timeout via the "Screen Saver timeout" setting.\n\nNote: To remove the Screen Saver tab, use the "Hide Screen Saver tab" setting."
ScreenSaverIsSecure="Password protect the screen saver"
ScreenSaverTimeOut="Screen Saver timeout"
ScreenSaverTimeOut_Tip1="Number of seconds to wait to enable the Screen Saver"
ScreenSaverTimeOutFreqSpin="Seconds:"
ScreenSaverTimeOut_Help="Specifies how much user idle time must elapse before the screen saver is launched.\n\nWhen configured, this idle time can be set from a minimum of 1 second to a maximum of 86,400 seconds, or 24 hours. If set to zero, the screen saver will not be started.\n\nThis setting has no effect under any of the following circumstances:\n\n    - The setting is disabled or not configured.\n\n    - The wait time is set to zero.\n\n    - The "No screen saver" setting is enabled.\n\n    - Neither the "Screen saver executable name" setting nor the Screen Saver tab of the client computer's Display Properties dialog box specifies a valid existing screensaver program on the client.\n\nWhen not configured, whatever wait time is set on the client through the Screen Saver tab of the Display Properties dialog box is used. The default is 15 minutes."
SUPPORTED_Win2kSP1="At least Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 1"
Blank=" "

BTW... once you have imported the ADM file, they will be located under NJC Info Sys GP Edits in the User Configurations menu.

Hope this Helps.

Neil J Cotton
njc Information Systems
Systems Consultant
 
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I hadn't thought to look at the 3D text screensaver good idea, should of put some thought into it really instead of being lazy.

Cheers.
 
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You will need to use my ADM edits PCE, as when you assign the 3dtext screensaver to be used....the clients will automatically be forced with that screensaver and Microsoft Windows as the scrolling text. There is no standard way of specifying it to use time. Unless you use my edit.

Hope this Helps.

Neil J Cotton
njc Information Systems
Systems Consultant
 
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I'll take a look at the ADM later when i get a chance.

Cheers Neil.
 
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If you need it locking down more, let me know what you want and I'll update the config for you.

Hope this Helps.

Neil J Cotton
njc Information Systems
Systems Consultant
 
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Hi Neil

I just had a very brief look and noticed that once i import the adm the setting appears twice under the users config area and there didn't seem to be any more options than normal.

I'm off now but i'll try to have a look in the morning.

Cheers.


You know what Jack Burton always says at a time like this...
 
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