Computer Automatically Locking

[Spooner1985]

I am running Windows XP home edition, and every 5-10 minutes if my computer sits in idle state, it automatically locks. I have gone through everything imaginable in the control panel and still can not make this problem cease. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[C0RR0SIVE]

have you tryed to alt + ctrl + del to see if the task manager pops up?

 

[killians45]

how do you mean "locks", as in asks for password and you want that gone... or hard locks.... if its hardlocking when going into power save mode, then try the latest updates and a bios flash.

 

[Spooner1985]

All it does is just asks for the password then it is gone.

 

[killians45]

so it asks for the password, you enter the password, then it locks trying to reload the desktop.... if thats so, then update the sp and bios. sounds to be an apm issue then.

 

[hu_xu]

This is NORMAL. It is a safety measure. If you want to disable this security feature go into desktop properties and then go into the screensaver tab. If there is a checkmark in the square "On resume, password protect"...uncheck it. Then click apply and ok. If you do this the Windows will not "lock up" or basically return you to the logic screen when resuming after a screensaver has popped up.

 

[killians45]

I'm not sure if its normal, because I dont know if he's saying its hard locking trying to come out of hibernation when entering the password or if he's just trying to make it so it isn't password prompted.... he hasn't clarified yet...

 

[Spooner1985]

The computer didnt have the option of being "Password Protected" in the desktop properties. However, the problem has seemed to have ceased. All i did was enable my screensaver (I previously had it on "blank") and it hasnt been locking up anymore. Strange, huh?

 

[MDupreejr]

Is it on a laptop? you probably have some sort of power saving feature where it's shutting off your monitor after 10 minutes or something and then asks you for a password when it comes back on, or maybe it's your display adapter's software that has it configured to ask for password if idleing for 10 mins (or other security software)

 

[Spooner1985]

Yes, I checked into that too (Power Saving Feature). I think what it might have been is that I recently downloaded a program that you can use to put passwords on your folders etc......and it might have had a setting on there that automatically locks the computer. I have since uninstalled the program, but leaving up the screensaver seems to be solving the problem.