Disable GDM suspend on lock screen

Question

I'm using Arch Linux + GNOME3 on desktop, and when the system starts or the user logs out, gdm displays the login screen for about 20 seconds and then turns off the display (although the computer is still running). Is it possible to disable this? I want the monitor to keep displaying the login screen "forever". I couldn't find any way to configure this.

Answer 1

That's because of the idle-delay setting. To change it you'll have to alter the corresponding dconf key (and do that as the gdm user):

1. switch to a VT (e.g. Ctrl+Alt+F3), login as root and run:

   su - gdm -s /bin/sh
   

   to switch user to gdm.

2. then run:

   export $(dbus-launch)
   

   and set idle delay to 0 (which translates to never):

   GSETTINGS_BACKEND=dconf gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.session idle-delay 0
   

   run exit or hit Ctrl+D to return to root account.

3. reboot your machine or restart the display manager:

   systemctl restart gdm
   

Answer 2

Just as an expansion to don_crissti's answer:

Step 2 didn't work for me. I am on Gnome/gdm 3.28 and I don't have org.gnome.desktop.session, but this one worked for me:

GSETTINGS_BACKEND=dconf gsettings set org.gnome.settings-daemon.plugins.power sleep-inactive-ac-type 'nothing'

Answer 3

Adjusting the following via the dconf-editor might help fine-tune the sleep related settings:

sleep-inactive-ac-timeout
sleep-inactive-ac-type
sleep-inactive-battery-timeout
sleep-inactive-battery-type

Worth a try, in my case it was the way to get the machine to stay awake during periods of inactivity.