Admin Tips
- Windows Server 2008/2003/2000/XP/NT Administrator Knowledge Base
  - Windows 2000
    - Registry Tips
      - Restriction
        Prevent logon screensaver from launching

Section(s): Restriction, Security
Published on Apr 20, 2004.
Last Modified on Apr 20, 2004.
Last Modified by Wayne Maples.
Rated 4.6 out of 5 based on 10 votes.

NT registry tip 77 gives the hack to activate the screen saver when no one is logged on. There is a security risk as I document in Admin Tip #262 to replace login.scr which can be used to hack into an NT / Windows 2000 / XP systems. The exposure requires physical access. The real control involves restricting physical access. But if you want to prevent the logon screensaver from launching, use the following NT / W2K /XP registry hack.

Hive: HKEY_USERS
Key: .DEFAULT\Control Panel\Desktop
Name: ScreenSaveActive
Type: REG_SZ
Value: 0 disabled