Microsoft KB Archive/185348

= How to change the logon screen saver in Windows =

Article ID: 185348

Article Last Modified on 8/28/2006

-

APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition (32-bit x86)
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition (32-bit x86)
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Edition
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server

-



This article was previously published under Q185348



Important This article contains information about how to modify the registry. Make sure to back up the registry before you modify it. Make sure that you know how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up, restore, and modify the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows registry

IN THIS TASK

 * SUMMARY
 * Change the logon screen saver
 * Change the logon screen saver timeout time
 * Disable the logon screen saver



SUMMARY
Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk. This step-by-step article describes how to change the default logon screen saver. When you start Windows, a Begin Logon dialog box prompts you to press CTRL+ALT+DEL to log on. By default, if you do not press a key for 15 minutes, the Windows logon screen saver (Logon.scr) starts.

back to the top

Change the logon screen saver
 Click Start, click Run, type regedt32, and click OK. Locate the following registry key:

 In the Details pane, double-click the SCRNSAVE.EXE string value item. In the Value data box, type the path and name of the screen saver, and then click OK.

Important Make sure that you specify the path correctly to the screen saver. If the screen saver is located in %SystemRoot%\System32, the explicit path is not required.

You have now changed the logon screen saver.

back to the top

Change the logon screen saver timeout time
You can also change the amount of time that elapses before the logon screen saver starts. The default is 900 seconds (15 minutes).

To change the length of time before the logon screen saver starts, follow these steps:  Click Start, click Run, type regedt32, and then click OK. Locate the following registry key:

</li> In the Details pane, double-click the ScreenSaveTimeOut string value item.</li> In the Value data box, type the number of seconds, and then click OK.</li></ol>

You have now changed the length of time that elapses before the logon screen saver starts.

back to the top

Disable the logon screen saver
To disable the logon screen saver, follow these steps:  Click Start, click Run, type regedt32, and then click OK.</li> Locate the following registry key:

</li> In the Details pane, double-click the ScreenSaveActive string value item.</li> In the Value data box, replace the number 1 with the number 0, and then click OK.</li></ol>

You have now disabled the logon screen saver.

back to the top

Keywords: kbhowtomaster kbui KB185348

-

[mailto:TECHNET@MICROSOFT.COM Send feedback to Microsoft]

© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.