Starfield Screen saver stops after a few minutes

Your Star field screen saver is lovely. Thank you for creating this simulation which can be used in Windows 11. The only problem is that is goes to sleep (disappears) after maybe 4 or so minutes and I have to cursor the screen to reactivate it. Do you know how to fix this? Many thanks for your help. Khristine

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• Starfield screensaver

Khristine3 months agoWindows 10 x64, Firefox

6 replies

• I have more information to add to my prior post. I timed how long the Starfield stays on. It starts appropriately after one minute of computer idleness. It only stays on though for one and a half minutes. Then it stops, and repeats the cycle. Is there a fix for this? Otherwise, it is perfect. Watching it is so calming, but then it abruptly returns to whatever stressful document I am in! Thanks for this beautiful simulation.
  All best, Khristine

  Khristine3 months ago

• If the wait time is set to 1 minute and the screen goes black 4 minutes after the screensaver has started, that probably means Windows is configured to put the computer screen into sleep mode after 5 minutes of inactivity.

  My PC is also configured that way. I just tested the screensaver and it ran continously for 4 minutes (after 1 minute idle time) before my monitors went to sleep.

  You can adjust that in Windows via Settings > System > On/off.

  What you describe in your last post seems different, though. The screensaver should not automatically exit and return you to whatever you were working on. If you can exclude any unintended mouse or keyboard movements, this issue is usually caused by some third-party program interfering with the screensaver.

  Unfortunately that's a lot harder to diagnose from a distance, but many times it's a program that runs continually in the background, like anti-virus software.

  Rob (Screensavers Planet)3 months ago

• Thank you, Rob! My friendly computer guy has taken this on as a sort of challenge. Nothing we've tried yet has worked. He is also the IT guy at our local school. He's downloaded some of your cool screensavers to try out on various computers there to see if he can isolate the problem. I'm disappointed that my screensaver won't stay on continuously so that I can relax and listen to music while watching, but, I'm trying to accept that SOME Starfield is better than NO Starfield...
  Best wishes, Khristine

  Khristine3 months ago

• Just an update on the Starfield 1.1 problem (timing out after a minute and a half). I loved it, especially the color options, but it keeps turning off. So I downloaded your older version, which comes as a Zip folder. I was able to copy the file into the System 32 folder, and it works just fine. Unfortunately, it's only option is black and white, and the stars aren't quite as nice. But at least it works normally. Is there a way you can Zip the newer version so it can also be copied into System 32 folder?
  Many thanks, Khristine

  Khristine3 months ago

• I'm glad to read that you have some help with this issue!

  Do you have the same issue with other screensavers?

  If not, have you tried any of the other starfield screensavers?

  Edit: I see we posted almost simultaneously! I'm glad the older one does work, that's the classic Starfield screensaver that used to ship with Windows. Perhaps one of the other screensavers I linked to above is a bit more visually appealing.

  A moderator edited this post 3 months ago.

  Rob (Screensavers Planet)3 months ago

• Ooops, Rob! We just missed each other. No, the Windows screensavers which came with my Windows 11 laptop work just fine. As I said in the post I sent a couple of minutes ago, it looks like I'll have to be content with the older version of Starfield. But I miss the gorgeous blue black sky I chose in Starfield 1.1!

  Khristine3 months ago

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