One of my 2 office computers on W98 has started to somehow override the screen saver settings. The last few days I arrive at work & the desktop image is sitting there burning itself into the screen. I checked the properties & the screen saver still seemed to be set where I left it. I hit apply again, went to work on the other machine, & in 10 minutes it was displaying my "flying through space" screensaver. I figured all was well & then today, same problem. I also recall it occuring once a few weeks back, but it has worked from that point until the other day.
Any clues?
Posted by Glenn Taylor (Member # 162) on :
Doug,
I've had that to happen when I was using some 3rd party screen saver. I think it was sucking up the resources or something and it would just quit functioning until I rebooted.
Posted by Doug Allan (Member # 2247) on :
OK thanks, I think mine is a windows one, but maybe I do need to re-boot more often. This leaving the machine on at night M.o. is still a new one for me.
Posted by KARYN BUSH (Member # 1948) on :
just so you don't freak about it too much...your desktop won't burn itself into your screen..unless you have a really old computer...the new ones you don't have to worry about.
Posted by Amy Brown (Member # 1963) on :
Just turn off the monitor. Screen savers eat up your computer anyway!!
Posted by Glenn Taylor (Member # 162) on :
Doug,
If you are leaving your computer on at night, your computer may be experiencing memory leaks. I'm told that Win98 has a problem with that.
Just a thought.
Posted by Doug Allan (Member # 2247) on :
turn off the monitor...hmm why didn't I think of that I like to use PC Anywhere to gain remote access of my office machines which is why i leave them on, but I shouldn't need the monitor on for that i wouldn't think.
My monitors are at least 3 years old. They are not flat screen ones. Do I really not have to worry about the "burn" theory?
"eat up the computer"? could you elaborate?
Posted by Kimberly Zanetti (Member # 2546) on :
Doug, With a three year old computer, you have nothing to worry about as far as image burn. Definitely turn off the monitor though - that is what is using the majority of the electricity!
Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :
Yep nowadays you don't need to worry about burning the image into the screen, unless you have a really cheap monitor.
As far as memory leaks.. every Microsoft product has those but unless you are running low amounts of RAM or maybe even your current RAM is failing, you shouldn't have any problems leaving the machine running for long periods.
In 2000 and 2001 I spent 4 months of the winter (both years) out of town, and my Win98 box here was left running the whole time while I was gone so I could access files on it remotely and never needed to reboot it. There was even someone here using it everyday although mostly just for internet access. The computer held the same IP address which is how I was able to tell if it had been rebooted.
Posted by Doug Allan (Member # 2247) on :
HEY mIKE, i AM PAYING ABOUT $20 A MONTH FOR A STATIC ip ADDRESS. aRE YOU SAYING THAT THE ip THAT MY COMPUTER WOULD ESTABLISH FOR ITSELF IF i DIDN'T HAVE A STATIC ip ADDY WOULD REMAIN THE SAME UNTIL i REBOOT?
(Oops, sorry for the CAPS, that shows how much I look at the keyboard when I type)
How did you achieve your remote access? No rebooting in 4 months? that's a pretty good record, but even if I have crashes, I could find out what my current IP is everytime I reboot & use that to access through PC Anywhere & save the $20/month? If it doesn't change the address except when re-booting maybe I could tolerate that.
Posted by Curtis hammond (Member # 2170) on :
It depends on your ISP
However many Isp's do not change your IP address unless you leave the machine off for hours. even them it likely will stay the same.
My ip is considered dynamic But, it has not changed in weeks.
My router keeps the IP active...
Posted by Roger Hoeft (Member # 2864) on :
Ditto on what Curtis said. If you have DSL or cable, your IP address should stay the same for a while. Sometimes it will get reset when you reboot your cable or DSL modem, but otherwise it should stay the same for a while. If you're just keeping the static IP to connect remotely, a cheaper way to go would be to use a domain forwarding service such as dydns.org or search google for "domain forwarding service" or "free static ip forwarding" or something to that effect for free services. There's a ton of them out there.
Posted by Checkers (Member # 63) on :
Checkers
Posted by Bill Cosharek (Member # 1274) on :
Doug,
The problem could also be caused by the screensaver not working when the hard-drive isn't spinning. Does your hard-drive shut down after a certain period of inactivity? Mine does & its something I can't change; although I wish I could. (some unchangeable bios setting, I think)
This just happened where I knew the drive was shut down & had the screensaver set to start in a couple of minutes. Left the computer, & an hour & a half later, came back & the screensaver never started.
I suspect that's what happened. I guess I just had to prove that theory.
Posted by R T Thomas (Member # 355) on :
Hi Doug, Personally, I don't want a screensaver working out my harddrive when I'm not giving it a workout myself. That's all they are good for anymore. They are constantly accessing a harddrive that otherwise would be asleep and not spinning up and down. Spinning up and down will wear it out faster than being asleep. That only stands to reason since the more something is used, the quicker it wears out. At least that's my take on the situation. Worth 2 cents or not. See ya, R.T.
Posted by Michel Thibodeau (Member # 310) on :
Win95/98/2000 or NT All don't need a Screen saver if you go in your control panel and Double click on Display then go in your Screen saver tab right at the bottom theres a ENERGY SAVING FEATURES Click settings in setting you can set it to trun of your moniter in 15 min or 30 min 1 hour and so on and so on.the same with your HD you can set it to trun off in 1 hour or in your control panel there's a Power Manegement just double click on it and you can set your monitor or HD to trun off on my puter it's set for my monitor to trun off in 30 min and my HD in 1 hours
I hope this Help you Posted by Doug Allan (Member # 2247) on :
Thanks Curtis, Roger, Brian & BillI will be switching my hosting soon, & will inquire about the IP forwarding. I'd be happy to save $20/month for the price of having to check my IP address once in a while. That link from Brian will help.
I did have a guy looking into my BIOS settings recently, so maybe he did change something since this is a new problem.
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I like to use PC Anywhere to gain remote access of my office machines which is why i leave them on, but I shouldn't need the monitor on for that i wouldn't think.