Get loged out over night

[DaRealMcCloud]

Hello,

I am stuck with a problem for quite a while now, maybe anyone here got another idea.

Almost every morning when I return to my computer I find my user logged out of windows on the "logon screen".

I do have the option "On resume, display logon screen" set and I don't want to change it for security reasons, it works fine for short times.( screensaver turns on, I move the mouse, I am back on the "logon screen" but still loged on). But it appears that if windows is left idle for too long on the screensaver it not only returns to the "logon screen" but also logs me off, which is very annoying.

I can rule out that the computer crashes over night and reboots from the system up time.

Maybe there is a security policy setting or something that I am missing?

I am running Windows 7 Ultimate
4GB RAM, Dual-Core 2.66Ghz
Gigabyte mb, HD6870,
power settings on high performance.
(never hibernate or sleep)

Help would be much appreciated.

 

[DaRealMcCloud]

I am running acronis on my machine for nightly backups, saving the desktop theme seams to make it better but doesn't eliminate the problem completely.

 

[gregrocker]

Try turning off the Screensaver which isn't needed with modern monitors.

You can instead use an Aero slideshow which comes with one of the Aero Themes by rightclicking on Desktop>Personalize.

 

[AddRAM]

Sounds like an absolutely normal behavior to me, I mean for that amount of time. There has to be a setting somewhere. Has this ever even been brought up here yet ?

 

[DaRealMcCloud]

How is this normal behavior? It closes all programs which where still open and logs me out, this makes it very hard to have something running reliable over night.

I am only using the screensaver (with login screen) so that my kids don't accidentally mess with my work when I am not watching.

 

[gregrocker]

It's true that if you don't have Sleep or Hibernate set then your computer should not shut down overnight unless someone is accessing it using your password and doing this.

If not then I would check Scheduled Tasks to see that nothing is set which would do this: Type Task Scheduler in Start Search box, click result, on right pane select View Scheduled Tasks, examine each carefully.

Another option is to set your Sleep/Hibernate options, perhaps put a Hibernate shortcut on your desktop. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/23836-hibernate-shortcut-create.html

You can walk away from the machine knowing that your work will be kept in place and password prompted after both sleep and Hibernate, and that the machine will start up much faster from Hibernate. I would use Hybrid sleep so even while it is sleeping (written to RAM) it also has written to HD in case of a power failure.

 

[DavidE]

fwiw:
Some programs do what they want no matter what the "Windows configuration" is.
I have an HTPC and learned this the hard way.
Some programs don't use task scheduler, but may have their own built in scheduler for whatever reason...
Look at what programs you have running to make sure those programs are not the cause.

 

[gregrocker]

For the reason David gives you can establish a Clean Boot: Troubleshooting Steps for Windows 7 - Windows 7 Forums

 

[DaRealMcCloud]

My Computer is not re-booting over night, I can see that from the event view and the system up-time. It just logs me out.
I dont have any Scheduled tasks and the only other program with control over the system would be Acronis which isn't scheduled to do anything atm since I am re-organizing all our backups atm.

I also don't want my computer to sleep or hibernate over night since there are applications running which should be accessible at all time. (ftp server for example)

I will try to make a clean boot and see if the problem still exists.

 

[gregrocker]

Acronis has two Services running which I don't like and keep turned off. In fact I only use Acronis now for imaging so try to use it's boot disk or only install it to get the image.

 

[F5ing]

The overnight logoff should have created an event, too. That may help give you a clue. Or are you saying that you have examined the logoff event and that it tells you nothing...

Can you correlate the time the logoff occurs to anything? Does it happen at the same time each night? Random time?

 

[UsernameIssues]

..........I can rule out that the computer crashes over night and reboots from the system up time..........

To "solve" the issue while you hunt down the problem, try leaving notepad up with unsaved text. Obviously the notepad thing is just temporary while you ferret out the real culprit. I'm not sure that your ftp server would still be up if W7 was in the beginning stages of shutting down.

If you find that notepad was forced closed, then at least you know that whatever app is doing this really wants you logged off.

 

[DavidE]

A couple more things you can try:

1. Make sure you don't have an unsaved Theme.
2. Un-check the "On resume, display logon screen" in the Screen Saver window.

 

[notebene]

A couple more things you can try:

1. Make sure you don't have an unsaved Theme.
2. Un-check the "On resume, display logon screen" in the Screen Saver window.

I'm going to try this tonight. I went through the logs, my computer wasn't restarting, I was just being logged out, over the past 4-5 days, every night, just like the OP.

Before finding this, I did notice I had an 'unsaved theme' and changed back to my 'Light' theme (which was in the RC for Windows 7 and I became quite fond of it, until they removed it, so I had to hobble it back together, but I digress).

It's been 2 months, I'm sure you aren't loitering around, but I'm curious as to 'why' that would cause this problem? I would think a good reaction to an unsaved theme would be to periodically remind someone to save it, rather than reboot.

I mean, I'm glad Visual Studio doesn't work that way. "He has unsaved code, it's 2am, I don't have anyone to ask...I'm not sure what to do!" Logoff.

 

[FaberTech]

make sure you don't have an auto log off on idle set in your task scheduler.

http://social.technet.microsoft.com...l/thread/d358382c-e91b-4e91-a1e8-04c53cfd91ce

 

[DavidE]

A couple more things you can try:

1. Make sure you don't have an unsaved Theme.
2. Un-check the "On resume, display logon screen" in the Screen Saver window.

I'm going to try this tonight. I went through the logs, my computer wasn't restarting, I was just being logged out, over the past 4-5 days, every night, just like the OP.

Before finding this, I did notice I had an 'unsaved theme' and changed back to my 'Light' theme (which was in the RC for Windows 7 and I became quite fond of it, until they removed it, so I had to hobble it back together, but I digress).

It's been 2 months, I'm sure you aren't loitering around, but I'm curious as to 'why' that would cause this problem? I would think a good reaction to an unsaved theme would be to periodically remind someone to save it, rather than reboot.

I mean, I'm glad Visual Studio doesn't work that way. "He has unsaved code, it's 2am, I don't have anyone to ask...I'm not sure what to do!" Logoff.

I've read some threads where people have reported an unsaved theme can cause sleep problems.
As sleep is mentioned in this thread, i just suggested this as a "long shot"...
Saving a theme is very simple, so why not eliminate it as a possible issue...

 

[notebene]

A couple more things you can try:

1. Make sure you don't have an unsaved Theme.
2. Un-check the "On resume, display logon screen" in the Screen Saver window.

I'm going to try this tonight. I went through the logs, my computer wasn't restarting, I was just being logged out, over the past 4-5 days, every night, just like the OP.

Before finding this, I did notice I had an 'unsaved theme' and changed back to my 'Light' theme (which was in the RC for Windows 7 and I became quite fond of it, until they removed it, so I had to hobble it back together, but I digress).

It's been 2 months, I'm sure you aren't loitering around, but I'm curious as to 'why' that would cause this problem? I would think a good reaction to an unsaved theme would be to periodically remind someone to save it, rather than reboot.

I mean, I'm glad Visual Studio doesn't work that way. "He has unsaved code, it's 2am, I don't have anyone to ask...I'm not sure what to do!" Logoff.

I've read some threads were people have reported an unsaved theme can cause sleep problems.
As sleep is mentioned in this thread, i just suggested this as a "long shot"...
Saving a theme is very simple, so why not eliminate it as a possible issue...

And...it did not log me off last night.

So thank you, good tip, will have to keep an eye on that in the future.

Disturbing though.

 

[DavidE]

You're welcome, and glad it helped.
I also don't understand why it makes a difference, but if it works...
I've also read some threads where people say Basic vs Aero theme, or using a Solid color background can make a difference.
Thanks for posting back with that update as it may help others.

 

[notebene]

You're welcome, and glad it helped.
I also don't understand why it makes a difference, but if it works...
I've also read some threads where people say Basic vs Aero theme, or using a Solid color background can make a difference.
Thanks for posting back with that update as it may help others.

Turns out it didn't. Was ok the first night, but the last 2 nights it has kicked me. This is bad because I run backups in the middle of the night and now it's missing them and I'm having to run them while I need to use the computer at peak performance.

For me, it started randomly last Tuesday.

I am checking things in my task scheduler, nothing there.

Note: It's not rebooting, the machine stays up, it's just logging me out. Which then closes down all browser tabs, and sometimes it doesn't restore my session when I start it up again, and that is a real pain.

All I know is this better not be something that Microsoft slipped in without telling anyone in the name of 'helping' me without telling me what they were doing.

Starting to get a bit angry about this.

 

[gregrocker]

Go over all of your BIOS settings to see if anything looks suspicious. You can also reset to defaults in case something is awry and not noticed.

Is there anything remaining in msconfig>Startup and msconfig>Services (after hiding MS Services) other than your AV? What is your AV?

Have you had a Clean Reinstall lately? Here are steps which are the same for retail to get a perfect Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7.

I would mark your thread Unsolved to get more help.