Screensaver isn't triggered right after the first boot

[Martin Cigorraga]

Hi all, as previously posted on Ubuntu-Bugsquad ML:

I noticed that on a fresh boot the screensaver will not be triggered, may be because no user is already logged so there's no such policy enabled.[0]

Now, the downside of this behaviour is that computers turned on and awaiting for users to be logged in will stay indefinitely with their monitors/screens on, wasting energy and degrading the hardware.

Nowadays it's a common practice in public institutions and companies to shut down every device that's not running any critical service mostly for two big reasons: a. security measures and b. to cut energy and hardware waste to save money.

The problem is that on next morning when staff turns on the systems again the machines will keep their screens on all the time until coworkers or general public - like on a public library - arrives.

I could think of several workarounds like adding a cron job or even something simpler, an 'at' command to every /etc/rc.local to instruct to `xset -display :0 dpms force off' at a given time to ensure the monitors will be properly off after system boot until users arrive, but I would prefer to stay away from any non-necessary hack if there's an official, supported way to do this.

Thank you very much!

[0] I'm guessing here, I'm not familiarized with Ubuntu's internals...

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
Package: xorg 1:7.7+1ubuntu8
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.13.0-23.45-generic 3.13.8
Uname: Linux 3.13.0-23-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: wl
.tmp.unity.support.test.0:

ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu1
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: No value set for `/apps/compiz-1/general/screen0/options/active_plugins'
CompositorRunning: compiz
CompositorUnredirectDriverBlacklist: '(nouveau|Intel).*Mesa 8.0'
CompositorUnredirectFSW: true
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Sun Apr 6 07:48:35 2014
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: trusty
DistroVariant: ubuntu
ExtraDebuggingInterest: Yes
GraphicsCard:
 Intel Corporation Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:0046] (rev 02) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:163d]
 Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] Madison [Mobility Radeon HD 5650/5750 / 6530M/6550M] [1002:68c1] (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:163d]
InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-03-17 (20 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Alpha amd64 (20140315)
MachineType: Hewlett-Packard HP Pavilion dv7 Notebook PC
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-23-generic root=UUID=14188451-0e78-4324-aa27-474fd4351293 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: xorg
Symptom: display
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 11/07/2011
dmi.bios.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.bios.version: F.29
dmi.board.asset.tag: Base Board Asset Tag
dmi.board.name: 163D
dmi.board.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.board.version: 65.38
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.chassis.version: N/A
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnHewlett-Packard:bvrF.29:bd11/07/2011:svnHewlett-Packard:pnHPPaviliondv7NotebookPC:pvr0588120000242B20010020100:rvnHewlett-Packard:rn163D:rvr65.38:cvnHewlett-Packard:ct10:cvrN/A:
dmi.product.name: HP Pavilion dv7 Notebook PC
dmi.product.version: 0588120000242B20010020100
dmi.sys.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.11+14.04.20140328-0ubuntu1
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs N/A
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.52-1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 10.1.0-4ubuntu1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 10.1.0-4ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.15.0-1ubuntu7
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.8.2-1ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:7.3.0-1ubuntu3
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.99.910-0ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:1.0.10-1ubuntu2
xserver.bootTime: Sun Apr 6 05:54:41 2014
xserver.configfile: default
xserver.errors: RADEON(G0): [XvMC] Failed to initialize extension.
xserver.logfile: /var/log/Xorg.0.log
xserver.outputs:
 product id 634
 vendor LGD
xserver.version: 2:1.15.0-1ubuntu7

[Martin Cigorraga (martincigorraga)]

Incorrectly targeted.

[Alberto Salvia Novella (es20490446e)]

It's estimated to have a moderate impact on a large portion of Ubuntu users.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.