Screensaver Time Out resets to value of 1 after each Startup

Running Windows XP SP3 on DELL Inspiron 6400/E1505 w/IE8

Just recently my ScreenSaver (I am currently using Google Photos) has not
been retaining my user choice of Wait Time minutes (my case 10 mins) beyond
the current session. This is the case for ANY ScreenSaver I choose. As soon
as I 'Turn Off' and 'Start' or 'ReStart' - my previous ScreenSaver Wait Time
choice reverts to a value of 1.

I have read in another forum that the 1 is actually 1 second and that
Windows displays it as 1 on the Screen Saver Tab of Control Panel - Desktop
(which implies it to be 1 minute) however since it is really 1 second,
Windows interprets that as a value of 0 and therefore decides DO NOT INVOKE
SCREENSAVER AT ALL. This is what I am seeing. Unless I manually re-up the
"1" - in this case to my desired value of 10 - I do not get a ScreenSaver to
come on at all. Any help would be appreciated.
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Thank you - MAK