OT, computer problem...

[DR]

Win10 Pro. desktop machine (not laptop). We leave the computer on all the time.

The problem is after maybe twenty seconds or so of no user activity (mouse or keyboard) the computer screen goes blank as if it's gone into sleep mode. But, it isn't in sleep mode because the blue indicator light on the monitor is still lit. When it goes into true sleep mode the blue light goes out. I tried resetting the time before going into sleep mode, that didn't change anything. Turning off and restarting the computer has no effect on this.

It's really annoying, especially when you're composing an email or such and you stop to think. The screen does come back quickly after hitting a key.

In addition, sometime I'll come back to the computer after an hour or so and it's running a slide show of my pictures. The slide show is a new thing and not sure if there's a correlation between it and the screen blanking.

The only new program I've added recently is an update to the free version of Crap Cleaner.

Maybe I inadvertently set some function to make this happen?

[chucketn]

Sounds like power settings are turning the monitor to standby or off. Not sure about the slide show unless it's a screen saver option.

[DR]

chucketn, I did notice under power setting it said time to turn off monitor when plugged in. Seems like a strange thing to say since being a desktop it's always plugged in.

Under additional power settings the computer is set to "balanced".

[pinstripe]

chucketn, I did notice under power setting it said time to turn off monitor when plugged in. Seems like a strange thing to say since being a desktop it's always plugged in.

If you have a UPS with a data connection back to the computer, then even a desktop computer will be running on batteries when the UPS kicks in.

This sounds like a screen saver. Open Control Panel, type "saver" without quotes into the search box and then click "Change screen saver". Make sure it's set to (None).

[DR]

I may have figured it out. Googling on the problem I found an obscure suggestion that it had something to do with screen savers. And the slide show was the system displaying possible choices of screen savers.

Thinking about it, a couple months ago our screen saver picture changed to a default windows version for what seemed like no reason. That's about when the blanking started.

Problem appears to be solved.

[dian]

If you have a UPS with a data connection back to the computer, then even a desktop computer will be running on batteries when the UPS kicks in.

This sounds like a screen saver. Open Control Panel, type "saver" without quotes into the search box and then click "Change screen saver". Make sure it's set to (None).

batteries? do they have batteries?

[pinstripe]

batteries? do they have batteries?

Yes. Nearly all UPSes run off batteries. Windows 10 (at the user level) makes no distinction between an internal or external battery. Both are referred to as a battery in the UI. This is only if the UPS has a data connection back to the computer.