How can I get a laptop to stop locking every 30-60 seconds?


  1. Posts : 65
    Windows 10 Pro
       #1

    How can I get a laptop to stop locking every 30-60 seconds?


    I just set up 2 new laptops for users in my office, and on both of them the screen turns off and locks after about 30-60 seconds away from the screen. Somehow the camera is tied to this, so when someone approaches the laptop the screen will come back on, but it's locked. So these people are having to enter their domain login PW many, many times a day. The Power settings include turning screen off after 10 minutes on battery, and Never when plugged in. Screen saver is also set to None.

    I believe the necessary setting is in Sign-in Options, Require Sign-In. My machine is set to Never. But these laptops say "Every Time", and on both they're grayed out, with the red "some of these settings are hidden or managed by your organization". And I can't figure out how to change that setting.

    Note that these laptops are both part of my office server's AD. I have tried logging in with a local username on each machine, and even logged in with a server admin login, and every time that setting is still grayed out. I even tried removing the computer from the domain, logging in with the local user, changing that setting, then adding the machine back to the domain again. Once again the setting was back to "Every Time" and grayed out.

    What can I do? We're pulling our hair out with this because it's super annoying!
      My Computers


  2. Posts : 4,224
    Windows 10
       #2

    As an experiment try running the portable version of TechSpot's Don't Sleep. If it stops your issue, you can dig further for more pointed or focused fixes. Let's see what happens...
    HTH,
    --Ed--
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 65
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #3

    original post edited, the laptops' grayed out setting says "Every Time", not 1 Minute. And my machine says "Never".

    - - - Updated - - -

    EdTittel said:
    As an experiment try running the portable version of TechSpot's Don't Sleep. If it stops your issue, you can dig further for more pointed or focused fixes. Let's see what happens...
    HTH,
    --Ed--
    I just checked and yes that utility does seem to work. As long as it's open, the screen will stay on and showing the Windows desktop. However I don't really care for this "band-aid" solution. Hopefully that was just a troubleshooting measure. Any thoughts on how we can change the actual Windows setting?
      My Computers


  4. Posts : 1,621
    Windows 10 Home
       #4

    Ed! How are you and yours? McNeil still going strong? Anyway, I'm wondering if there is a clash between Power Option and a 3rd party utility? I'm only guessing because I have never used W10, only troubleshot W7's sleep.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 65
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #5

    RolandJS said:
    Ed! How are you and yours? McNeil still going strong? Anyway, I'm wondering if there is a clash between Power Option and a 3rd party utility? I'm only guessing because I have never used W10, only troubleshot W7's sleep.
    These are brand new laptops that I just set up over the weekend, and the Require Sign-In option has been grayed out ever since I joined them to our domain and logged in the users with their AD logins. If there's a 3rd party utility at play, it must be something that Dell installed from the factory.

    The only way I've been able to get access to that setting is to un-join the computer from the domain. But as soon as I join it back, it turns grey once again.

    And the issue isn't really the fact that the user has to put in the PW when they come back to the computer, with the screen off. That's not a huge deal. It's the fact that the screen is going off and locking within 60 SECONDS of no input, despite the power and screen saver settings set differently (10 minutes, or Never etc). Having to continually type in a PW after only a minute, just because no key presses or mouse inputs happened within that short time, is stupidly annoying.

    - - - Updated - - -

    I either: want the screen to go off after a minute and not require a PW every time, or just have the screen stay on and respect the power settings, and just require a PW after it goes off after that time that was set in the Power Settings.
      My Computers


  6. Posts : 1,621
    Windows 10 Home
       #6

    Thanks for the information, Patrick, I hope a solution is soon discovered!
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 4,224
    Windows 10
       #7

    @RolandJS: we're still hanging in there, and Gregory hasn't set foot in RRHS since March 2020 except for some marching practice stuff of late. All is good, though, thanks for asking...
    @PatrickGSR94: I still think the tool is worth trying, just to see if it makes any difference. It's entirely your choice, though. Good luck!
    --Ed--
      My Computers


  8. Posts : 65
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #8

    GOT IT! It was being caused by some 3rd party shenanigans that Dell installed from the factory. Dell Proximity Optimizer, turning that off took care of the issue.

    https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/e...indows-setting
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 81
    10
       #9

    PatrickGSR94 said:
    GOT IT! It was being caused by some 3rd party shenanigans that Dell installed from the factory. Dell Proximity Optimizer, turning that off took care of the issue.
    https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/e...indows-setting
    OMG! Thank you. Was just cursing a laptop I was on trying to figure out why it kept locking. Stupid Dell.
      My Computer


 

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