Screen saver starting/exiting times

Scandy · 09-28-2018, 12:05 PM

Has anyone noticed that the time it takes for the screen saver to start and exit has increased a lot? This is not really a problem, but I have been wondering if it is normal.

A long time ago (windows xp days) the marine aquarium screen saver would start almost instantly once the screen saver timeout expired. Then when you pressed the 'Esc' key to exit, the screen saver would exit almost immediately back to the Windows desktop.

With Windows 10 (64 bit), the time for the screen saver to start and exit has increased a lot, especially since the 1803 windows update. It takes about 14 seconds for the screen saver to start, and it takes about 18 seconds for the screen saver to exit back to the lock screen. Is this normal?

One strange thing I have noticed is that I can decrease the screen saver exit time by doing the following: If I press the Windows 'Ctrl' key and then press 'Esc' (while continuing to hold down the Ctrl key), the exit time decreases from 18 seconds to 4 seconds. Does anyone know why holding down Ctrl decreases the exit time by 14 seconds?

feldon34 · 10-01-2018, 09:10 AM

It won't ever be as fast as the Windows XP days as when we went to Marine Aquarium 3, the entire code was rewritten. It takes a few seconds for the 3D artwork to be unpacked and loaded. 14 seconds is a long time though.

As for taking 18 seconds to exit, that is insane. I wonder if you are running the Aquarium at a different screen resolution than you run your desktop and your monitor is spazzing out with all the mode changes. Can you verify through Aquarium Settings that you are using the same resolution?

Jim Sachs · 10-01-2018, 11:50 AM

Nothing has really changed recently in the Aquarium code. On my main computer it takes less that 4 seconds for the program to start once I click the icon. I have a new computer which takes a couple more seconds to start, and several seconds to shut down. No idea why.

Scandy · 10-01-2018, 03:51 PM

Thanks for your replies.

I am running the aquarium at the same screen resolution as my desktop (1920X1200, native resolution of my screen), so that is not the problem. I have been wondering what others were seeing on their systems. It looks like you 2 are seeing a lot faster times than me.

As I said, on my system, it takes about 14 seconds to start and 18 seconds to exit back to the lock screen. I can get the exit time down to 4 seconds using the trick with the Ctrl key that I posted above. I found that out by accident and have no idea why that knocks 14 seconds off my exit time.

My system specs aren't too bad. Intel i7-2600 3.4GHz, 8GB RAM, EVGA GTX 1060 SC 6MB. I am using Windows 10 v1803.

I am still curious what others are seeing for their screen saver starting and exiting times.

Wizwad · 10-02-2018, 04:51 AM

I'm on Windows 10 with the system in my sig, and I'm seeing similar times to Scandy. I'm assuming that Windows 10 is struggling with code which isn't optimized specifically for it, but I know virtually nothing about coding so it's just a guess.

feldon34 · 10-02-2018, 06:57 AM

Originally posted by Scandy:

I am running the aquarium at the same screen resolution as my desktop (1920X1200, native resolution of my screen)

Same color depth too (32-bit in both cases)?

Scandy · 10-02-2018, 10:20 AM

Originally posted by feldon34:

Same color depth too (32-bit in both cases)?

Yes, same color depth (32-bit).

Wizwad, thanks for posting. Usually, when I see something weird happening on my system, others experience the same thing. It is good to see that I am not alone in experiencing longer starting and exiting times.

I was guessing that the longer times might be caused by the screen saver going into some kind of legacy video mode, and the extra time was due to having to switch the video back and forth, but after seeing the responses by Feldon and Jim, I don't think that is the cause.

Jim Sachs · 10-02-2018, 02:08 PM

Well, it's possible that you are right about legacy systems, though not video modes. Since DirectX10, Microsoft has promoted the use of 'managed code', which requires the enormous .net dlls and puts a labyrinth of MS code between the program and what you actually see on the screen. The Aquarium does not use this, which initially made it more streamlined and faster, but now that Win 10 expects it maybe it takes a few seconds to get all that stuff out of the way. Anyway, I'm working on learning Unity, which I'm hoping will bring the Aquarium into the 22nd Century. (Although my experience with the startup of Unity programs has not shown them to be especially quick.)

Scandy · 10-03-2018, 04:43 PM

Today, Windows Update installed 'Feature update to Windows 10, version 1809'. To my surprise, this affected the screen saver starting and exiting times quite a bit on my system!

Now, the screen saver starts in just a couple of seconds (compared to 14 seconds before the 1809 update). Also, if I use the Ctrl-ESC sequence to exit the screen saver, it exits almost immediately back to the lock screen (compared to 4-5 seconds before the 1809 update).

The bad news is that if I press the ESC key (by itself) to exit, the screen goes black and it never returns to the lock screen (the bubble sounds keep playing). I have to press Ctr l-Alt-delete to get back to the lock screen.

It is interesting that my original issue started with Windows Update 1803, and now Windows Update 1809 has changed the starting/exiting behavior again. At least this time it is for the better. As I said, it now takes only a couple of seconds for the screen saver to start, and if I exit using Ctrl_ESC, it exits almost immediately.

Jim Sachs · 10-04-2018, 12:31 PM

Not much I can do when Microsoft keeps monkeying with the deep Windows secrets behind the scenes.

Scandy · 10-05-2018, 09:48 AM

Originally posted by Jim Sachs:

Not much I can do when Microsoft keeps monkeying with the deep Windows secrets behind the scenes.

You are so right! I kind of suspected that the "labyrinth of MS code between the program and what you actually see on the screen" was the cause of the starting/exiting delay. Also, as I said in my first post, the starting/exiting delays issue is not really a problem; The screen saver works fine. It is pretty hard to fix something that is not really a problem.

When I first posted about this, I wasn't thinking that this was something that could be fixed, I was mostly wondering if anyone else was seeing long starting/stopping times, or if it was just something about my computer system configuration that was causing it. However, with the release of Windows 10 1809, the starting/exiting delays are not even an issue for me anymore.

09-28-2018, 12:05 PM	#1
Scandy Registered Join Date: Sep 2018 Posts: 7	Screen saver starting/exiting times Has anyone noticed that the time it takes for the screen saver to start and exit has increased a lot? This is not really a problem, but I have been wondering if it is normal. A long time ago (windows xp days) the marine aquarium screen saver would start almost instantly once the screen saver timeout expired. Then when you pressed the 'Esc' key to exit, the screen saver would exit almost immediately back to the Windows desktop. With Windows 10 (64 bit), the time for the screen saver to start and exit has increased a lot, especially since the 1803 windows update. It takes about 14 seconds for the screen saver to start, and it takes about 18 seconds for the screen saver to exit back to the lock screen. Is this normal? One strange thing I have noticed is that I can decrease the screen saver exit time by doing the following: If I press the Windows 'Ctrl' key and then press 'Esc' (while continuing to hold down the Ctrl key), the exit time decreases from 18 seconds to 4 seconds. Does anyone know why holding down Ctrl decreases the exit time by 14 seconds? Last edited by Scandy; 09-29-2018 at 10:40 AM. Reason: In my original post I incorrectly wrote 'Enter' key instead of 'Esc' key

10-01-2018, 09:10 AM	#2
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	It won't ever be as fast as the Windows XP days as when we went to Marine Aquarium 3, the entire code was rewritten. It takes a few seconds for the 3D artwork to be unpacked and loaded. 14 seconds is a long time though. As for taking 18 seconds to exit, that is insane. I wonder if you are running the Aquarium at a different screen resolution than you run your desktop and your monitor is spazzing out with all the mode changes. Can you verify through Aquarium Settings that you are using the same resolution? "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

10-01-2018, 11:50 AM	#3
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,791	Nothing has really changed recently in the Aquarium code. On my main computer it takes less that 4 seconds for the program to start once I click the icon. I have a new computer which takes a couple more seconds to start, and several seconds to shut down. No idea why. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

10-02-2018, 04:51 AM	#5
Wizwad Only me... Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Essex, England Posts: 2,584	I'm on Windows 10 with the system in my sig, and I'm seeing similar times to Scandy. I'm assuming that Windows 10 is struggling with code which isn't optimized specifically for it, but I know virtually nothing about coding so it's just a guess. Mark ----------- Intel i7 12700K \| Aorus Z690 Pro \| Corsair DDR5 5600 32GB \| Asus Dual RTX3060ti 6GB v2 Mini OC \| Corsair RM850 Gold PSU \| 1TB NVMe M.2 WD Black SN850 \| 4TB Seagate BarraCuda HDD \| Corsair Airflow 5000D Case \| HP 32QHD 4K Monitor \| Windows 11 x64 Professional

10-02-2018, 06:57 AM	#6
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	Originally posted by Scandy: I am running the aquarium at the same screen resolution as my desktop (1920X1200, native resolution of my screen) Same color depth too (32-bit in both cases)? "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

10-01-2018, 03:51 PM	#4
Scandy Registered Join Date: Sep 2018 Posts: 7	Thanks for your replies. I am running the aquarium at the same screen resolution as my desktop (1920X1200, native resolution of my screen), so that is not the problem. I have been wondering what others were seeing on their systems. It looks like you 2 are seeing a lot faster times than me. As I said, on my system, it takes about 14 seconds to start and 18 seconds to exit back to the lock screen. I can get the exit time down to 4 seconds using the trick with the Ctrl key that I posted above. I found that out by accident and have no idea why that knocks 14 seconds off my exit time. My system specs aren't too bad. Intel i7-2600 3.4GHz, 8GB RAM, EVGA GTX 1060 SC 6MB. I am using Windows 10 v1803. I am still curious what others are seeing for their screen saver starting and exiting times.

10-02-2018, 10:20 AM	#7
Scandy Registered Join Date: Sep 2018 Posts: 7	Originally posted by feldon34: Same color depth too (32-bit in both cases)? Yes, same color depth (32-bit). Wizwad, thanks for posting. Usually, when I see something weird happening on my system, others experience the same thing. It is good to see that I am not alone in experiencing longer starting and exiting times. I was guessing that the longer times might be caused by the screen saver going into some kind of legacy video mode, and the extra time was due to having to switch the video back and forth, but after seeing the responses by Feldon and Jim, I don't think that is the cause.

10-02-2018, 02:08 PM	#8
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,791	Well, it's possible that you are right about legacy systems, though not video modes. Since DirectX10, Microsoft has promoted the use of 'managed code', which requires the enormous .net dlls and puts a labyrinth of MS code between the program and what you actually see on the screen. The Aquarium does not use this, which initially made it more streamlined and faster, but now that Win 10 expects it maybe it takes a few seconds to get all that stuff out of the way. Anyway, I'm working on learning Unity, which I'm hoping will bring the Aquarium into the 22nd Century. (Although my experience with the startup of Unity programs has not shown them to be especially quick.) Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

10-03-2018, 04:43 PM	#9
Scandy Registered Join Date: Sep 2018 Posts: 7	Today, Windows Update installed 'Feature update to Windows 10, version 1809'. To my surprise, this affected the screen saver starting and exiting times quite a bit on my system! Now, the screen saver starts in just a couple of seconds (compared to 14 seconds before the 1809 update). Also, if I use the Ctrl-ESC sequence to exit the screen saver, it exits almost immediately back to the lock screen (compared to 4-5 seconds before the 1809 update). The bad news is that if I press the ESC key (by itself) to exit, the screen goes black and it never returns to the lock screen (the bubble sounds keep playing). I have to press Ctr l-Alt-delete to get back to the lock screen. It is interesting that my original issue started with Windows Update 1803, and now Windows Update 1809 has changed the starting/exiting behavior again. At least this time it is for the better. As I said, it now takes only a couple of seconds for the screen saver to start, and if I exit using Ctrl_ESC, it exits almost immediately.

10-04-2018, 12:31 PM	#10
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,791	Not much I can do when Microsoft keeps monkeying with the deep Windows secrets behind the scenes. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

10-05-2018, 09:48 AM	#11
Scandy Registered Join Date: Sep 2018 Posts: 7	Originally posted by Jim Sachs: Not much I can do when Microsoft keeps monkeying with the deep Windows secrets behind the scenes. You are so right! I kind of suspected that the "labyrinth of MS code between the program and what you actually see on the screen" was the cause of the starting/exiting delay. Also, as I said in my first post, the starting/exiting delays issue is not really a problem; The screen saver works fine. It is pretty hard to fix something that is not really a problem. When I first posted about this, I wasn't thinking that this was something that could be fixed, I was mostly wondering if anyone else was seeing long starting/stopping times, or if it was just something about my computer system configuration that was causing it. However, with the release of Windows 10 1809, the starting/exiting delays are not even an issue for me anymore.