Steam Stops Screensaver from Running :(

[beebee73]

Not sure why but when steam is open many times it prevents the screensaver from running. I've gotten into the habit of going into the screensaver settings and manually setting it to run if need to leave the computer on.

Is there any actual fix to stop this from happening?

[beebee73]

Any suggestions to try?

[Dr.Shadowds 🐉]

Try changing your default page to your library instead of your store.

https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/1/626329821004030612/

[beebee73]

Well it is usually at library page but that linked video in the thread may have some hints too.

Thanks for info will look into more when on PC later 😀

[beebee73]

hmm ok maybe it's NOT steam...i did that suggeston from that thread to see what could be preventing computer from sleeping and this is what running that command told me:

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.18363.836]
(c) 2019 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\WINDOWS\system32>powercfg -requests
DISPLAY:
None.

SYSTEM:
[DRIVER] USB Audio Device (USB\VID_1130&PID_1620&MI_00\6&6d655a7&0&0000)
An audio stream is currently in use.
[DRIVER] Legacy Kernel Caller

AWAYMODE:
None.

EXECUTION:
None.

PERFBOOST:
None.

ACTIVELOCKSCREEN:
None.


C:\WINDOWS\system32>




Question is...what do i DO with that information....I don't HAVE an audio device plugged into a usb drive....but steam IS running (left on community tab) a game is open and left in background at a login menu.....so I'm kinda puzzled....

[Dr.Shadowds 🐉]

If you're running a software that's using Steam in the background, like wallpaper gif, or whatever maybe something to look into.

Cool just turn exit out of steam, and see what happens, if it still remain active, then means steam was not the cause of it.

[beebee73]

When I exit out of steam...or as in the case last night, exit out of the game was running in steam there is no issue. When I ran that config command again it had no for every listing....

So it seems as if not steam ITSELF as tge issue but perhaps certain GAMES in steam......

Any suggestions to remedy the situation outside of closing the game itself? Sometimes am only away a short while & some games take longer to start up which is why was easier to let it stay open in background...but may possibly have to do so 😒

[Hanomaly]

you know for most modern monitors a screen saver is no longer really necessary, right? unless you are using an Oled tv as a monitor.... or an old old crt?

[Dr.Shadowds 🐉]

Hmm maybe find away to run game in low priority, so doesn't seem as important, or something, I'm not sure on this one myself, as I never really bother with screensavers. I used to do screensavers back in the 90s, or early 2000's, but now I just leave them off these days.

I look into this a bit, and see this isn't just a uncommon problem as people from Origin, Uplay, rockstar, all yield same results, person runs game, when they exit out of game, screensaver won't kick in, until you do some kind of settings to apply to screensaver to kick it in.

[beebee73]

I HAD a newer monitor which died on me & no idea regarding the temporary one am currently using.

[wuddih]

Originally posted by beebee73:

I HAD a newer monitor which died on me & no idea regarding the temporary one am currently using.

if you wanna extend the lifespan of a todays standard lcd panel, turn it off when you dont need it.

a screensaver will do the opposite. that will just help with old CRTs and plasma screens.

[↑↑↓↓←→←→BASelect]

Originally posted by Hanomaly:

you know for most modern monitors a screen saver is no longer really necessary, right? unless you are using an Oled tv as a monitor.... or an old old crt?

Not true i have a 500 dollar gigabyte gaming monitor and my task bar burned in the bottom of the screen and it's only 10 months old.

[AtmaDarkwolf]

Originally posted by Nostradamus Shannon:

Originally posted by Hanomaly:

you know for most modern monitors a screen saver is no longer really necessary, right? unless you are using an Oled tv as a monitor.... or an old old crt?

Not true i have a 500 dollar gigabyte gaming monitor and my task bar burned in the bottom of the screen and it's only 10 months old.

Yes. I have had multiple 500+ dollar monitors do the same in last 2 years, 2 curved screens that REALLY broke me (LOL Luckily I got irp and was able to get them replaced with different but similar priced models) and ya, which is why I ended up on quest to get proper screensaver (And as to why i don't allow it to just shut off, it takes a few seconds for monitors to turn on and how I work and play I'd rather ss kicked in after a minute and screens shut off after 10)

[AtmaDarkwolf]

I have nothing showing in powerconfig -requests, yet screensaver will activate once I kill steam. Steam is indeed causing the problem, but I cannot fathom why (It is not running anything that would normally suspend ss like audio or video, and shows no activity other than normal background use.)

Just know that after suffering this I found after a long process of killing one thing at a time, if ANY game on steam has run, at any time before you want screensaver to activate and after your pc runs, it will prevent it from running. If you shut steam down then restart it right away, screensaver will work normally again (but problem will repeat the next time you attempt to run a game)

I am strongly convinced it is related to steams 'hook' to capture a controller for game use(Even if no controller is currently connected) since the problem will not happen if the game in question has no controller support. (IE if I disconnect all controllers, restart pc, and run a game without any need for controller hooks, the system will run screensavers as normal after game is closed, but if the game in question has any controller hooks (specifically in my case, ps4 controllers) even after game is shut down, steam prevents screensaver from activating until you shut steam down(And restart it)

So easy fix (but annoying) is just restart steam after your done playing a game and screensaver should enable as it should.

[dextradei]

I am seeing this problem with Resident Evil 4.
Steps to reproduce:
Open Windows 10 screen saver settings -> set to "Blank" screen saver, set Wait to 1 minute, and check "On resume, display logon screen"
Wait 1 minute and confirm screen saver works correctly, and logon screen works
Launch Resident Evil 4 from Steam
Exit Resident Evil 4
Wait 1 minute, notice no screen saver
Wait 5-10 minutes, screens turn off
Press key or move mouse, notice no lock screen

Workaround:
Every time after exiting Resident Evil 4, open Screen Saver settings and click OK without changing anything. Screen saver and lock screen work correctly again.