Knowledge Base

Screen Saver Does Not Start Even Though System Is Idle

Article ID: 146440

Article Last Modified on 1/19/2007

Microsoft Windows 95
Microsoft Windows 98 Standard Edition
Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition

This article was previously published under Q146440

SYMPTOMS

Your screen saver may not start, even though your computer has been inactive for the specified amount of time.

CAUSE

This behavior can be caused by any of the following conditions:

A key or mouse button is being held down.

A menu (such as the Start menu) is active. NOTE: This item does not apply to Windows 98 or Windows Me.

A "system modal" dialog box is active. A "system modal" dialog box is one that requires user input before the system will continue. NOTE: This item does not apply to Windows 98 or Windows Me.

The active program is an MS-DOS-based program for which the Allow Screen Saver property has been disabled.

The active program is an MS-DOS-based program that is using a high- resolution graphics mode or high-resolution text mode, or is a disk utility. For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
ARTICLE-ID: 139473
TITLE : Cannot Switch Away from Full-Screen MS-DOS-Based Program

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, use the appropriate method:

Release the key or mouse button.
Close the menu.
Respond to the "system modal" dialog box.
In the MS-DOS-based program's properties, click the Misc tab, and then click the Allow Screen Saver check box to select it.
Quit the program that is preventing the screen saver from running.

Keywords: kbenv kbprb KB146440