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Howard Brazee Author

Level 2

170 points

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

Top-ranking reply

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,649 points

Posted on Nov 3, 2014 6:57 PM

Back up all data. Quit System Preferences if it's running.

Triple-click anywhere in the line below on this page to select it, then copy the text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C:

~/Library/Preferences/ByHost

In the Finder, select

Go ▹ Go to Folder...

from the menu bar. Paste into the box that opens (command-V), then press return. A folder should open. If it does, look for a file with a long name that begins "com.apple.screensaver". There may be several such files. Move them all to the Trash.

Log out or restart the computer. Test. If the problem is resolved, empty the Trash and recreate your settings in the Screen Saver tab.

View in context

160 replies

Level 7

24,113 points

Mar 30, 2015 5:23 AM in response to Howard Brazee

Apple - Mac OS X - Feedback

mesa_03

Level 1

0 points

Mar 30, 2015 4:25 PM in response to mellooney

What it works for me

I delete and regenerate the previews of all my library in aperture (i think that it´s similar in iphoto) two weeks ago, and since then, i have my photos as screensaver with no problem (google it, there are many tutorials on internet).

In my case, i hope yours too, the problem seems to be a problem in some preview pictures of my aperture library. I don´t know what picture preview punctually, but it was there.

My theory, the screensaver uses aperture (or iphoto) previews, and i think they change the error management of the screensaver, or an update generated a new error that not was contemplate. So when this error happens, the screensaver returns to default.

Hope you can solve with this!

iDash

Level 1

8 points

Apr 11, 2015 10:23 AM in response to mesa_03

Aside from the workarounds already mentioned, this has NOT been (properly) fixed in 10.10.3 😢

Level 7

24,113 points

Apr 11, 2015 10:27 AM in response to iDash

Apple - Mac OS X - Feedback

Howard Brazee Author

Level 2

170 points

Apr 13, 2015 7:38 AM in response to iDash

I was really expecting the upgrade to fix it. It didn't.

Trouble is, we have no idea whether Apple is even interested in fixing it. Apple doesn't talk. To us, it looks as though it doesn't listen and doesn't care whether its products work.

Apr 13, 2015 9:23 AM in response to Howard Brazee

I woke up yesterday morning to see my screensaver had been automatically changed to a National Geographic image.

I am putting this down to the recent installation of the new and dreadful PHOTOS application.

Needless to say I have restored my Mac back to 10.10.2 and successfully have iPhoto back again and my own screen saver.

I have, of course, made my feelings known to Apple Support about PHOTO. I have many friends with Apple products and have yet to speak anyone of them who actually likes PHOTO.

Howard Brazee Author

Level 2

170 points

Apr 13, 2015 10:15 AM in response to hartlepoolmonkey

But you can see from this thread that the problem is older.

What the new Photos app did to me is break the way I synchronize events from the last 6 months to my iPad.

Apr 13, 2015 10:34 AM in response to Howard Brazee

Hi Howard,

Yes, I can see from this thread that the problem is older - but here we are, in April 2015, and it is still happening, obviously. This has never taken place previously so all I can put it down to is the 10.10.3 upgrade which included PHOTO and, seeing your comments, this app is causing a few issues for others.

Schof

Level 1

30 points

Apr 13, 2015 10:49 AM in response to hartlepoolmonkey

I have my screensaver pointed at the folder that contains the photos I want displayed my screensaver. My screensaver did start to revert back to National Geographic, but fixed it several times and now my screensaver seems to be behaving even with the 10.10.3 upgrade (fingers crossed).

If everybody sends in a complaint to Apple feedback, maybe Apple will begin to listen. It is annoying this lack of control with the screensaver so complain.

Not using the Photos library is probably the reason why my screensaver is behaving.

Regards

Schof

Apr 16, 2015 6:56 AM in response to Howard Brazee

Nothing in this thread has worked. In 10.10.3 it still reverts back to National Geographic periodically and it's ANNOYING.

I've cancelled my National Geographic subscription as a result. (I'm joking)

Apr 16, 2015 4:02 PM in response to mrpeepers

The OP actually fixed it for me... so far. Mine started acting up about a week ago with the upgrade. I deleted the files, and so far, it's working. I'm using photos from my iPhoto folder now.

eobet

Level 1

37 points

Apr 19, 2015 10:52 AM in response to Howard Brazee

Four months, several Apple updates and no fix.

This is quite poor, as we bought my mother a new iMac recently and she keep bugging me about it. 😟

Apr 19, 2015 1:17 PM in response to Howard Brazee

Unfortunately, this is not working for me either. It does the first time the screensaver comes on, but then when I move my mouse to deactivate the screensaver and go into Safari or elsewhere then let it sit for five minutes, it goes right back to Nat Geo.

Grrrrr

JECurran

Level 1

10 points

Apr 22, 2015 1:13 PM in response to SK Produces

MicrApple might be better?

JECurran

Level 1

10 points

Apr 22, 2015 1:48 PM in response to Wizyrd

I think this is the simplest approach for now and seems to work. I tried editing the The program that runs the Plist file that contained the ref to NatGeo and just erased the ref to that file spec. Whatever program that controls the slide show (perhaps iLife??) has some code that rewrites the file every time system pref is used and every time screensaver closes. I wondered if my screensaver would start at the same picture every time but that's not the case. So I'm set for now. If I notice any downside I'll update.

I will put a text file on my desktop with the search for folder = ~/Library/Preferences/ByHost and call it "How to Change the ScreenSaver Stupid".

Thanks

Jim

Screen Saver reverts to National Geographic