[SOLVED] Cannot change screen timeout time

C

califauna

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Joined
Aug 5, 2019
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I have a persistent problem with my windows 10 installation. Changes to the timeout setting make no difference. I have it set to 30 minues currently but whatever I have in the there, if I'm not interacting it times out after 10 minutes and locks.

I have also tried the following:

Registry values:
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Lock Screen\SlideshowAutoLock is set to 0.
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Lock Screen\Slideshowenabled is set to 0.

In Group policy:
Computer/Administrative Templates/System/Logon/"Allow users to select when a password is required when resuming from connected standby" is set to 1.

Local Security Policy:
Local Policies folder> Security Options> Interative logon: Machine inactivity limit is set to 599940.
 
First try: Using SFC (System File Checker) and DISM (Deployment Imaging Servicing and Management) to Repair Windows 8 & 10

And do both SFC and DISM, even if SFC comes back clean on its first run.

Afterward, in Control Panel, Power Options reset your various times for the monitor turning off and sleep starting to your liking. Also open Settings, Accounts, Sign-In Options pane and change the dropdown for the "Require Sign-in" option regarding waking from sleep to Never.

If that doesn't work then try Doing a Windows 10 Repair Install or Feature Update Using the Windows 10 ISO file, followed by tweaking the previously noted settings.
 
FreeBooter said:
One of the startup programs or services can cause your computer not enter idle power state, i suggest you perform clean boot state.

How to perform a clean boot in Windows
Click to expand...

What has the computer not entering into idle state got to do with this issue? The problem is the screen timing out after 10 minutes whatever value I put in the screen timeout setting. Could you explain a little?

I tried with the services set to clean boot configuration, as you suggested. It didn't do anything unfortunately.
 
britechguy said:
First try: Using SFC (System File Checker) and DISM (Deployment Imaging Servicing and Management) to Repair Windows 8 & 10

And do both SFC and DISM, even if SFC comes back clean on its first run.

Afterward, in Control Panel, Power Options reset your various times for the monitor turning off and sleep starting to your liking. Also open Settings, Accounts, Sign-In Options pane and change the dropdown for the "Require Sign-in" option regarding waking from sleep to Never.

If that doesn't work then try Doing a Windows 10 Repair Install or Feature Update Using the Windows 10 ISO file, followed by tweaking the previously noted settings.
Click to expand...

I understand that SFC automatically replaces system files (dll files etc.). I am running a custom image of Windows, created with NTLite, with various components/junk removed (telemetry, cortana, apps, etc.) and various resource hogging services disabled. Do you know iwhat exactly SFC does. i.e. what exactly it restores? I don't want it restoring windows components and services which I have purposefully removed.

Repair install and feature update are not options for me for the reasons mentioned above, and various others.

Generally I'm looking to troubleshoot the cause of the problem first before making any drastic system changes and any help with that is appreciated
 
I have just noticed that for any value of less than 10 minutes the timeout setting works. Eg. when setting the screen timeout to 2 minutes it does so after 2 minutes. HOwveer, anything over ten minutes makes no difference - the screen always timeout and locks after 10 minutes. It's like something in Windows isn't allowing the timeout to happen after 10 minutes, regardless what value is in the registry values and settings app setting I mention above.
 
You are in territory I don't touch.

There are very, very few "resource hogs" in Windows 10 in any meaningful sense of the phrase. Many things one does not use simply lie fallow, taking up some disk space but not much else.

I am not questioning your choice, which is yours to make, but once you start heavy-duty "bit twiddling under the hood" the interactions between things that are (or are no longer) present can result in weird issues that are very, very difficult to nail down.

For me, it's stock Windows, with any tweaking done via settings, or nothing. I truly wish you the best of luck in finding a solution to your issue.
 
Open regedit and navigate to the following location:

Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows

Here in the right pane, right-click Windows and select > New > Key. Name it Control Panel.

Right-click on this Control Panel and again select > New > Key. Name it Desktop.

Next, click on the Desktop key to highlight it.

Now in the right pane, right click empty space > New > String Value > Type ScreenSaveTimeOut > Enter.

Finally right click ScreenSaveTimeOut > Modify > give it a Value Data in seconds.




Change via Group Policy Editor​

  • Type gpedit.msc in the Run prompt, and hit Enter to open Group Policy Editor
  • Navigate to User Configuration > Administrative Templates> Control Panel > Personalization.
  • Find a policy with the name “Screen saver timeout.” Double click to open it.
  • Enable it, and then add screen timeout in seconds.
  • Then Apply, and click OK button.
  • Restart the computer.
If you want to disable the screensaver, there is a policy setting with the name — Enable Screen Saver. Choose to disable it.
 
FreeBooter said:
Open regedit and navigate to the following location:

Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows

Here in the right pane, right-click Windows and select > New > Key. Name it Control Panel.

Right-click on this Control Panel and again select > New > Key. Name it Desktop.

Next, click on the Desktop key to highlight it.

Now in the right pane, right click empty space > New > String Value > Type ScreenSaveTimeOut > Enter.

Finally right click ScreenSaveTimeOut > Modify > give it a Value Data in seconds.




Change via Group Policy Editor​

  • Type gpedit.msc in the Run prompt, and hit Enter to open Group Policy Editor
  • Navigate to User Configuration > Administrative Templates> Control Panel > Personalization.
  • Find a policy with the name “Screen saver timeout.” Double click to open it.
  • Enable it, and then add screen timeout in seconds.
  • Then Apply, and click OK button.
  • Restart the computer.
If you want to disable the screensaver, there is a policy setting with the name — Enable Screen Saver. Choose to disable it.
Click to expand...

Just tried those, plus a few others. Updating what I've done below:

1. Settings app set to 20 minute timeout.

2.

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Lock Screen\SlideshowAutoLock is set to 0.
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Lock Screen\Slideshowenabled is set to 0.

3.
Group policy:
Computer/Administrative Templates/System/Logon/"Allow users to select when a password is required when resuming from connected standby" is set to 1.

4.
Local Security Policy:
Local Policies folder> Security Options> Interative logon: Machine inactivity limit is set to 1200.

5.
InactivityTimeoutSecs in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System is set to 1200.

6. COntrol Panel>Power Options>Advanced Settings>Display>Turn Off Display After: 20 minutes.

7. Control Panel>Power Options>Advanced Settings>Sleep after>Plugged in: Never.

Also tried:
1. Local Security Policy - User Config > Admin templates > Control Panell > Personalization > Screen Saver Timeout set to 1200.
2. Local Security Policy - User Config > Admin templates > Control Panell > Personalization > Enable Screen Saver set to 0.
3. Local Security Policy - COmputer Configuration > Admin templates > Control Panel > Personalization > 'Do not display the lock screen' set to enabled.
 
FreeBooter said:
Open regedit and navigate to the following location:

Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows

Here in the right pane, right-click Windows and select > New > Key. Name it Control Panel.

Right-click on this Control Panel and again select > New > Key. Name it Desktop.

Next, click on the Desktop key to highlight it.

Now in the right pane, right click empty space > New > String Value > Type ScreenSaveTimeOut > Enter.

Finally right click ScreenSaveTimeOut > Modify > give it a Value Data in seconds.
Click to expand...
Thanks, Working now. I think this was the solution. Simple solution in the end. Somehow I think I must have either missed or not set that setting correctly.

I already had that registry key so didn't need to create it.

All changes are listed in my post above so if anyone has similar problems they can try the different settings.
 

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