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User profile for user: Fubbick
Fubbick Author
User level: Level 1
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OS X 10.8.2: Disable screensaver at login screen?

Is it possible to change or disable (preferred) the screensaver at the login screen? It´s easy to change or disable the screensaver when you are logged in but that's a user defined setting for screensaver not systemwide. There is no system setting to disable or change the screensaver before any user has logged in (systemwide).


This is a serious problem in virtual environments (Parallels Server, VMware ESXi/vSphere etc). The OS X virtual machine starts the screensaver when no user is logged in after a few minutes. The problem is that the OS X virtual machine uses a lot more CPU resources and power in idle state when the system default screensaver Flurry starts (CPU intensive). About ten times more CPU resources compared to when the screensaver is not active. 😟


I think the ScreenSaver.framework in /System/Library/Frameworks/ has something do with it. But I am stuck.


Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Nov 25, 2012 8:48 AM

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User profile for user: Fubbick
Fubbick Author
User level: Level 1
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Posted on Nov 25, 2012 12:14 PM

I figured it out, mostly. I managed to change the screensaver from Flurry to Message which lowered the CPU usage to almost nothing in idle state. Primary objective achieved! 🙂


My solution is simply to enable the root account in Mac OS X and change the root account screensaver, as you normally do. Then I disabled the root account to secure Mac OS X.


How to enable root account in Mac OS X:

http://superuser.com/questions/44603/how-do-i-enable-the-root-account-in-snow-le opard


  1. Enable root account and log out.
  2. Log in with the root account.
  3. Open System Preferences and change the screensaver to Message, or a different screensaver, that utilize a minimum of CPU resources.
  4. You could change the time at which the screen saver begins to play to Never, but this doesn't work. 😟
  5. Log out the root account.
  6. Log in with your user account (not the root account).
  7. Open Directory Utility.
  8. Click the padlock icon and type in your password if it's locked.
  9. From the Edit menu, select Disable Root User.
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Question marked as Top-ranking reply
User profile for user: Fubbick
Fubbick Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

Nov 25, 2012 12:14 PM in response to Fubbick

I figured it out, mostly. I managed to change the screensaver from Flurry to Message which lowered the CPU usage to almost nothing in idle state. Primary objective achieved! 🙂


My solution is simply to enable the root account in Mac OS X and change the root account screensaver, as you normally do. Then I disabled the root account to secure Mac OS X.


How to enable root account in Mac OS X:

http://superuser.com/questions/44603/how-do-i-enable-the-root-account-in-snow-le opard


  1. Enable root account and log out.
  2. Log in with the root account.
  3. Open System Preferences and change the screensaver to Message, or a different screensaver, that utilize a minimum of CPU resources.
  4. You could change the time at which the screen saver begins to play to Never, but this doesn't work. 😟
  5. Log out the root account.
  6. Log in with your user account (not the root account).
  7. Open Directory Utility.
  8. Click the padlock icon and type in your password if it's locked.
  9. From the Edit menu, select Disable Root User.
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OS X 10.8.2: Disable screensaver at login screen?

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