Howard Brazee

Q: Screen Saver reverts to National Geographic

Several times lately (Yosemite only???), I have discovered my screen saver has reset itself to show National Geographic photos.    And they are usually set to show both my iMac and my second monitor the same photos.

 

It's easy enough to set back to my desired iPhoto library.   But I wonder what causes it to be reset?

 

What I haven't figured out is what to do when both monitors are displaying the same photos.   Eventually that problem fixes itself.    Nor what to do when it starts with the same photos in the same order.  (I have a hot corner, and have been testing after I reset it to use my iPhoto library, and each time I turn it on, I get the same photo sequence as before - on both monitors).

 

I just tried it again - the third time since I started this message - and it's back to National Geographic.

 

I set it back, this time telling it to shuffle, and both monitors showed different photos as desired.    I should have checked that earlier.    But why doesn't my setting stay?

iMac, OS X Yosemite (10.10)

Posted on Nov 3, 2014 5:12 PM

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Q: Screen Saver reverts to National Geographic

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  • by Legion Mcrae,

    Legion Mcrae Legion Mcrae May 18, 2015 6:28 PM in response to Howard Brazee
    Level 1 (5 points)
    May 18, 2015 6:28 PM in response to Howard Brazee

    Six months and over 100 posts later, yeah now it is the problem that's unacceptable.

     

    This may have started as a mistake but now it's disregard.

  • by hartlepoolmonkey,

    hartlepoolmonkey hartlepoolmonkey May 19, 2015 2:02 AM in response to Legion Mcrae
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 19, 2015 2:02 AM in response to Legion Mcrae

    I can't help wondering whether the powers-that-be at Apple ever visit the Apple Support Communities and read these comments.

     

    I've restored my computer to an earlier time, using 10.10.2 and have iPhoto back. I will NOT install 10.10.3 until it is all sorted.

     

    In saying that I have made my feelings known to Apple Support and very happy to see my own screen saver when I switch on each morning.

     

    tynebridges.jpg

  • by PatBrazee,

    PatBrazee PatBrazee May 19, 2015 5:21 AM in response to hartlepoolmonkey
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 19, 2015 5:21 AM in response to hartlepoolmonkey

    People at Apple to reply to some posts.

     

    At any rate, some people *should* be checking its site - and Apple *should* acknowledge problems and respond to them.   Consumers should matter.

     

    That said, I hate when I have things set up around old software, which gets replaced, breaking what I've been doing.   For example, the way I used iPhoto was to create a new event with the name of the year and month - or with the name of a vacation or something.

     

    And on my iDevices, I had it synchronize with events of the last 6 months.

     

    The new Photos app won't let me do this.

     

    Maybe it's because I'm old.   Every change in iTunes has made it harder to use.    Maybe these changes are designed to make me subscribe to Apple services.   But instead they alienate me.

  • by MPG38,

    MPG38 MPG38 May 22, 2015 5:04 PM in response to Legion Mcrae
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 22, 2015 5:04 PM in response to Legion Mcrae

    On May 20 I responded to one of these discussions that I had found a solution. (Now I can't find my message.) I had deleted a hard to find file called "default screensaver collections" and for 4 days I saw nothing of National Geographic, just my photos. Then suddenly Nat Geo reappeared. Sorry if I misled anyone. But this suggested another solution. The screensaver ap, called BOINCSAVER, must be looking for 1-National Geographic, and if it does not find it, it creates a new one. So I went to find the software, and, sure enough, there was the notice "this does not work on IOS X. (only partially true: it later says it works up to IOS X-7) So I downloaded a new (free) version of BOINC. It has a different look but no National Geographic, and so far so good. Try boinc.berkeley.edu.

    MPG38.

  • by Howard Brazee,

    Howard Brazee Howard Brazee May 22, 2015 5:12 PM in response to MPG38
    Level 1 (37 points)
    Applications
    May 22, 2015 5:12 PM in response to MPG38

    Could you please explain more about what BOINCSAVER does - is this an upgrade to an earlier version on the Mac?   Will it get overwritten with the next OSX? 

  • by Legion Mcrae,

    Legion Mcrae Legion Mcrae May 22, 2015 5:17 PM in response to Howard Brazee
    Level 1 (5 points)
    May 22, 2015 5:17 PM in response to Howard Brazee

    I think a far more relevant question is why anybody should have to do this at all.

  • by Howard Brazee,

    Howard Brazee Howard Brazee May 22, 2015 7:41 PM in response to Legion Mcrae
    Level 1 (37 points)
    Applications
    May 22, 2015 7:41 PM in response to Legion Mcrae

    Apple is not telling.

  • by MPG38,

    MPG38 MPG38 May 23, 2015 10:52 AM in response to MPG38
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 23, 2015 10:52 AM in response to MPG38

    This is very strange.

      I thought I had solved the problem when I found a file called Default Screensaver Collections, which contained a file 1-National Geographic with no photos in it; I had removed them earlier with the only effect that the screensaver said ”no photos.” I deleted this folder and for four days I saw no sign of Nat Geo. Then suddenly it was back, once again with no photos. That suggested that the app that runs the screensaver looks for 1-National Geographic, and if it does not find it, it creates one, empty. I found the app, called BOINC, and went to the website to reinstall it. There I learned that the app on my computer does not work for IOS X. I downloaded the latest version, dated March 2015, but the **** thing went right back to Nat Geo. I was prepared to call the company after Memorial day, but this morning, again, no sign of National Geographic and everything is working as desired with the new version of the app. Stay tuned.

  • by Howard Brazee,

    Howard Brazee Howard Brazee May 23, 2015 12:45 PM in response to MPG38
    Level 1 (37 points)
    Applications
    May 23, 2015 12:45 PM in response to MPG38

    I installed it.   It kept wanting me to start a project and create a BOINC ID.    I cancelled out, and found I could not reboot until I quit the app.   I told it not to start it when I rebooted.   I'm not a developer, I'm retired.

     

    Then I rebooted, and tested.   It was showing Photos, but both monitors were doing the exact same photos.   That happened a few times in the past, so I rebooted and tested again - National Geographic.

     

    Checking my settings, I don't get the BOINC screen anymore, so I'm guessing it didn't really install.

     

    So no fix for non developers - but it does look as though Apple could have fixed this problem any time it felt it was worth a bit of bother.

  • by pe1,

    pe1 pe1 May 27, 2015 12:00 AM in response to Howard Brazee
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 27, 2015 12:00 AM in response to Howard Brazee

    Every solution listed since last November is at best only a temporary solution — I’ve tried them all.  However, if you consider the demise of iPhoto in favour of the Photos App in the latest updates (10.10.x) of Yosemite, herein lies the solution.

     

    If your screen saver uses an Album or folder that gets photos from iPhoto, you will continue to have this problem of reversion to the NatGeo default screen saver because iPhoto is less than 100% compatible with OS X Yosemite 10.10.3.  If you change your screen saver to select an Album from the new Photos App which is 100% compatible, the problem goes away entirely.  Hope this is helpful.

     

    I have now been using my own chosen Photos Album Screensaver for over 2 weeks without a single reversion.  It’s completely stable.  Before, it was reverting to NatGeo every day, usually several times a day.

     

    P.S. Although I preferred iPhoto in the past, it seemed inevitable that I would have to fully change to Photos given that iPhoto is no longer supported, so that’s what I’ve done.

  • by Howard Brazee,

    Howard Brazee Howard Brazee May 27, 2015 6:01 AM in response to pe1
    Level 1 (37 points)
    Applications
    May 27, 2015 6:01 AM in response to pe1

    Changing to Photos didn't fix anything for me nor for my wife.

  • by mecrr,

    mecrr mecrr May 27, 2015 10:01 AM in response to pe1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 27, 2015 10:01 AM in response to pe1

    I have Photos v. 1.0 and an iMac with OS v. 10.10.3 and pe1's solution has not helped. May work for a day, but then I get the dreaded "no photos" black screen.

    Apple appears to be too busy making money to deal with this issue which has been going on for a year or more.

  • by pe1,

    pe1 pe1 May 27, 2015 2:40 PM in response to Howard Brazee
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 27, 2015 2:40 PM in response to Howard Brazee

    Sorry it’s still a problem for others, that’s too bad. It’s worked for me (so far).  Good luck.

  • by MPG38,

    MPG38 MPG38 May 27, 2015 2:52 PM in response to pe1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 27, 2015 2:52 PM in response to pe1

    It's almost a solution for me. Nat Geo is not to be seen and the screensaver is fine for about 2 days. Then suddenly there is a new 1-National Geographic with no photos,  evidently put there by the app. I switch back to my photos and Nat Geo disappears--for about another two days. Then repeat. I am trying to call the BOINC Berkeley, but have no reply yet. Weird.

  • by mecrr,

    mecrr mecrr May 27, 2015 2:57 PM in response to MPG38
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 27, 2015 2:57 PM in response to MPG38

    This has my experience as well. This is trying my patience, is it a test?

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