In addition to the very good insights "Twayne" has put forward, I would like to ad
that, sometimes, it can be the screensaver that you use that causes this.

Some are "over-sensitive" when it comes to processes that should be interpreted as
"background" applications, some screensavers detect them as user-input instead.

Your best bet is to use a screensaver that came with WinXP rather than a third-party
one.

The most basic ones you could try being either "logon.scr" or "scrnsave.scr" listed
in the "Screensaver" tab of "Display Properties" under the names "Windows XP" and
"Blank" respectively.

As I said, you have a better chance that, with either of these, you will not suffer
those unwelcomed interruptions...

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London. :-)




"David" wrote in message
...
I run WinXP SP3. My problem here is the timing of the screensaver. With the initial
delay set at say 10 minutes, well of late windows just does not play ball on time at
all. Sometimes the machine will sit for hours and the screensaver will not activate,
then it may activate after say 15 minutes, etc, then to add insult to injury, after
activation generally it will run for say 10 minutes, then revert to the desktop. All
of the above times are quite ramdom.

I cannot think as to why I should have this randomness, any ideas please.
Dave