Weird Screen Saver Problem

First off, that would be "Weird Screen Saver Problem"

Dell Dimension 4600; XP Pro SP2

This has been a problem w/ the computer since it shipped 3 yrs ago from what I understand. Dell's answer to the problem was to reinstall the OS. So, no help was ever had there. The user has just come to live w/ the issue and turn off the monitor and, at night, turn off the computer.

Here it is:
The screen saver will ONLY come on if it is set to turn on in one minute. It will stay on indefinitely if it's set like this (until the mouse is moved or a key on the keyboard is struck - normal behavior)

IF the screen saver is set to turn on AFTER one minute (e.g. in 2 minutes or above), it never turns on.

At first I thought something was waking the computer up - not allowing it to go into "inactivity" state but that doesn't explain why it works fine if it is set to turn on after just one minute. Remember, if that's the case, it will stay on indefinitely and turn off w/ the normal triggers.

I need to troubleshoot this issue as the user wants to finally resolve it. So, I'm picking brains between now and when I go out there to take a look at it.

Y'all got any ideas?? I'd sure appreciate your feedback.

TIA!!

Below is how she describe the problem to me in an email today:

1. The screen saver comes on only if it is set for 1 minute.
2. The Monitor Off setting works only if it is set for 1 minute, but it stays off for only about 10 sec.
3. If you set the screen saver for 1 minute and the Monitor Off for 2, you just get the screen saver.
4. If you set both the screen saver and the Monitor Off at 1 minute, the following occurs.
   • The screen saver comes on a little belatedly - at about 1.5 minutes.
   • Then after another minute or two, the monitor goes off for about 10 seconds and then the screen comes back on with no screen saver.
5. I tried setting "Turn off the HDD" at 3 minutes and then trying to open Outlook Express after 4 minutes, once with the screen saver set for 1 minute and once for never, and it came up instantly.
6. But I don't know if that means anything or not.

With the above description, I thought something was waking the system up. I sent her an email stating as much to which she replied...:

1. I'm not sure that I made it clear about the screen saver.
2. Once it comes on it stays on until you move the mouse.
3. But if you set it to come on after a period of anything except one minute, it won't.