I am having this same issue, Screensaver will start, and then quickly turn off. I logged the problem with "gnome-screensaver --no-daemon --debug" and the results I got were interesting. Side note, I am running Hardy, 8.04 LTS, with compiz-fusion Here is the cycle that it goes through: [_gs_watcher_set_session_idle_notice] gs-watcher-x11.c:501 (15:56:35): Changing idle notice state: 1 [idle_timer] gs-watcher-x11.c:1115 (15:56:45): in idle timer [watcher_idle_cb] gs-monitor.c:110 (15:56:45): Idle signal detected: 1 [gs_listener_set_session_idle] gs-listener-dbus.c:547 (15:56:45): Setting session idle: 1 [listener_check_activation] gs-listener-dbus.c:412 (15:56:45): Checking for activation [listener_check_activation] gs-listener-dbus.c:427 (15:56:45): Trying to activate [gs_grab_grab_root] gs-grab-x11.c:481 (15:56:45): Grabbing the root window [gs_grab_get_keyboard] gs-grab-x11.c:166 (15:56:45): Grabbing keyboard widget=52 [gs_grab_get_mouse] gs-grab-x11.c:193 (15:56:45): Grabbing mouse widget=52 [gs_manager_create_window] gs-manager.c:1375 (15:56:45): Creating 1 windows for screen 0 [gs_manager_activate] gs-manager.c:1495 (15:56:45): fading out [fade_done_cb] gs-manager.c:1456 (15:56:45): fade completed, showing windows [get_best_visual_for_screen] gs-window-x11.c:500 (15:56:45): Found best GL visual for screen 0: 0x2c [window_map_cb] gs-manager.c:1214 (15:56:45): Handling window map event [gs_window_clear] gs-window-x11.c:276 (15:56:45): Clearing window [clear_all_children] gs-window-x11.c:251 (15:56:45): Clearing all child windows [window_show_cb] gs-manager.c:1263 (15:56:45): Handling window show [gs_job_set_command] gs-job.c:193 (15:56:45): Setting command for job: 'NULL' [gs_watcher_set_active] gs-watcher-x11.c:731 (15:56:45): turning watcher: OFF [_gs_watcher_set_active_internal] gs-watcher-x11.c:714 (15:56:45): Stopping idle watcher [gs_listener_send_signal_active_changed] gs-listener-dbus.c:260 (15:56:45): Sending the ActiveChanged(TRUE) signal on the session bus [gs_listener_update_console_kit_idle] gs-listener-dbus.c:296 (15:56:45): Updating ConsoleKit idle status: 1 [_gs_watcher_set_session_idle] gs-watcher-x11.c:524 (15:56:45): Changing idle state: 1 [gs_window_raise] gs-window-x11.c:627 (15:56:45): Raising screensaver window [gs_window_raise] gs-window-x11.c:627 (15:56:45): Raising screensaver window [gs_window_raise] gs-window-x11.c:627 (15:56:45): Raising screensaver window [gs_window_xevent] gs-window-x11.c:679 (15:56:45): not raising our windows [window_map_event_cb] gs-manager.c:1201 (15:56:45): Handling window map_event event [manager_maybe_grab_window] gs-manager.c:1155 (15:56:45): Moving grab to 0x80d4060 [xorg_lock_smasher_set_active] gs-grab-x11.c:126 (15:56:45): Disabling the x.org grab smasher Xlib: extension "XFree86-Misc" missing on display ":1.0". [xorg_lock_smasher_set_active] gs-grab-x11.c:146 (15:56:45): XF86MiscSetGrabKeysState(off) returned MiscExtGrabStateSuccess [gs_grab_move_keyboard] gs-grab-x11.c:331 (15:56:45): Moving keyboard grab from 52 to A00023 [gs_grab_move_keyboard] gs-grab-x11.c:338 (15:56:45): *** doing X server grab [gs_grab_release_keyboard] gs-grab-x11.c:219 (15:56:45): Ungrabbing keyboard [gs_grab_get_keyboard] gs-grab-x11.c:166 (15:56:45): Grabbing keyboard widget=A00023 [gs_grab_move_keyboard] gs-grab-x11.c:360 (15:56:45): *** releasing X server grab [gs_grab_move_mouse] gs-grab-x11.c:276 (15:56:45): Moving pointer grab from 52 to A00023 [gs_grab_move_mouse] gs-grab-x11.c:283 (15:56:45): *** doing X server grab [gs_grab_release_mouse] gs-grab-x11.c:237 (15:56:45): Ungrabbing pointer [gs_grab_get_mouse] gs-grab-x11.c:193 (15:56:45): Grabbing mouse widget=A00023 [gs_grab_move_mouse] gs-grab-x11.c:306 (15:56:46): *** releasing X server grab [manager_maybe_start_job_for_window] gs-manager.c:206 (15:56:46): Starting job for window [gs_job_start] gs-job.c:431 (15:56:46): starting job [gs_job_start] gs-job.c:446 (15:56:46): No command set for job. [gs_window_xevent] gs-window-x11.c:679 (15:56:46): not raising our windows [window_map_event_cb] gs-manager.c:1201 (15:56:46): Handling window map_event event [manager_maybe_grab_window] gs-manager.c:1155 (15:56:46): Moving grab to 0x80d4060 [xorg_lock_smasher_set_active] gs-grab-x11.c:126 (15:56:46): Disabling the x.org grab smasher Xlib: extension "XFree86-Misc" missing on display ":1.0". [xorg_lock_smasher_set_active] gs-grab-x11.c:146 (15:56:46): XF86MiscSetGrabKeysState(off) returned MiscExtGrabStateSuccess [gs_grab_move_keyboard] gs-grab-x11.c:324 (15:56:46): Window A00023 is already grabbed, skipping [gs_grab_move_mouse] gs-grab-x11.c:264 (15:56:46): Window A00023 is already grabbed, skipping [manager_maybe_start_job_for_window] gs-manager.c:206 (15:56:46): Starting job for window [gs_job_start] gs-job.c:431 (15:56:46): starting job [gs_job_start] gs-job.c:446 (15:56:46): No command set for job. [gs_window_xevent] gs-window-x11.c:698 (15:56:46): not raising our windows [gs_window_xevent] gs-window-x11.c:698 (15:56:46): not raising our windows [unfade_idle] gs-manager.c:1182 (15:56:46): resetting fade [gs_fade_reset] gs-fade.c:639 (15:56:46): Resetting fade [window_obscured_cb] gs-manager.c:1287 (15:56:47): Handling window obscured: obscured [gs_job_stop] gs-job.c:479 (15:56:47): stopping job [gs_job_stop] gs-job.c:482 (15:56:47): Could not stop job: pid not defined [window_obscured_cb] gs-manager.c:1287 (15:56:47): Handling window obscured: unobscured [manager_maybe_start_job_for_window] gs-manager.c:206 (15:56:47): Starting job for window [gs_job_start] gs-job.c:431 (15:56:47): starting job [gs_job_start] gs-job.c:446 (15:56:47): No command set for job. [find_window_at_pointer] gs-manager.c:1131 (15:56:47): Requesting unlock for screen 0 [gs_window_request_unlock] gs-window-x11.c:1473 (15:56:47): Requesting unlock [gs_fade_reset] gs-fade.c:639 (15:56:47): Resetting fade [gs_grab_release] gs-grab-x11.c:388 (15:56:47): Releasing all grabs [gs_grab_release_mouse] gs-grab-x11.c:237 (15:56:47): Ungrabbing pointer [gs_grab_release_keyboard] gs-grab-x11.c:219 (15:56:47): Ungrabbing keyboard [xorg_lock_smasher_set_active] gs-grab-x11.c:124 (15:56:47): Enabling the x.org grab smasher Xlib: extension "XFree86-Misc" missing on display ":1.0". [xorg_lock_smasher_set_active] gs-grab-x11.c:146 (15:56:47): XF86MiscSetGrabKeysState(on) returned MiscExtGrabStateSuccess [gs_job_stop] gs-job.c:479 (15:56:47): stopping job [gs_job_stop] gs-job.c:482 (15:56:47): Could not stop job: pid not defined [window_unmap_cb] gs-manager.c:1221 (15:56:47): window unmapped! [gs_window_dialog_finish] gs-window-x11.c:1249 (15:56:47): Dialog finished [keyboard_command_finish] gs-window-x11.c:1125 (15:56:47): Keyboard finished [gs_watcher_set_active] gs-watcher-x11.c:731 (15:56:47): turning watcher: ON [_gs_watcher_set_active_internal] gs-watcher-x11.c:718 (15:56:48): Starting idle watcher [gs_listener_update_console_kit_idle] gs-listener-dbus.c:296 (15:56:48): Updating ConsoleKit idle status: 0 [gs_listener_send_signal_active_changed] gs-listener-dbus.c:260 (15:56:48): Sending the ActiveChanged(FALSE) signal on the session bus ------END------ I found this interesting. Screensaver was working, but now isnot. The lines that caught my attention were [gs_job_start] gs-job.c:446 (15:56:47): No command set for job. [gs_job_stop] gs-job.c:482 (15:56:47): Could not stop job: pid not defined [window_unmap_cb] gs-manager.c:1221 (15:56:47): window unmapped! Any thought's would be appreciated. I can do anything you want to try to get this to work, like maybe reinstalling gnome-screensaver maybe?