Group Policy Screen Saver Not Working

[FN-GM]

Hi there,

 

I am having an issue where a screensaver set in group policy is not working on Windows 7 machines. It just seems to ignore the settings. I am using a autologoff screen saver. It works a treat when used manually.

 

Does anyone have any thoughts please?

 

Thanks

[Michael]

Screensavers in 7 are located in C:\Windows\System32 by default.

 

Have you copied your screensaver using GPP to each computer?

[FN-GM]

Well not using GPP but it is in that location on all machines.

[Michael]

To my knowledge, screensavers do not need installing as such, but it might need a .dll for example. This may be why it's failing.

[FN-GM]

If i set it manually not by GPO it works just fine.

[Michael]

OK you got me. That is a bit of a mystery.

[FN-GM]

Thanks anyway

[Arthur]

Not sure if it makes a difference, but 32-bit screensavers go in %SystemRoot%\SysWOW64 and 64-bit screensavers go in %SystemRoot%\System32. Saying that however, I don't think I have ever seen a 64-bit screensaver.

 

Are you using winExit.scr or a different auto-logoff screensaver e.g. this or this? WinExit requires some changes to be made to the registry for it to work properly on Windows 7.

[SYNACK]

Yea, just about to say, have you used procmon to moniter the registry and system folder when you set it manually, perhaps it is adding some stuff to the registry at that point that it needs that is not added when applied via GPO.

[FN-GM]

Not sure if it makes a difference, but 32-bit screensavers go in %SystemRoot%\SysWOW64 and 64-bit screensavers go in %SystemRoot%\System32. Saying that however, I don't think I have ever seen a 64-bit screensaver.

 

Are you using winExit.scr or a different auto-logoff screensaver e.g. this or this? WinExit requires some changes to be made to the registry for it to work properly on Windows 7.

 

They are 32 bit machines. Its not the same as winexit. Its a custom one someone else has made. I have tried a default Windows one and we get the same results.

 

Yea, just about to say, have you used procmon to moniter the registry and system folder when you set it manually, perhaps it is adding some stuff to the registry at that point that it needs that is not added when applied via GPO.

 

Thanks will take a look at this soon.