Windows losing focus in WinXP

I have some strange problems in WindowsXP SP2 on my HP nc8430 laptop. When I restart my PC, there is no problem and everything is working as it should. Then, after I start Outlook, IE6, ICQ and start working normally, the actual selected window loses focus, so no window is selected. If I then click on the window to focus it back, the focus is active for about 50 seconds, then it loses focus again.

If I leave the window without focus, the focus gets back in 40 seconds and the window will not lose the focus again (well, it will, but after one hour or so, after I make milion things).

The window that loses focus can be anything: IE, Outlook, Word, Control panel, Hijackthis etc.

I have tried all spyware programs in safe mode. Only some cookies had been found (I am running AVG antivirus and AVG spyware regularly every weekend).

I have also posted a hijackthis log and people say there is nothing wrong. That's why I would like to ask if it can be caused by some HP software?

 

when this happens try hitting alt+tab to see if there is a hidden error message or window that popped up behind another window. Please post your hijackthis log again so people in this forum can diagnose your problem better.

 

Thank you, I will try the Alt-Tab you suggest. Anyway, I tried to watch Task Manager and no new process showed during the lose of focus.

Here is the log:

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 12:25:10, on 16.1.2007
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\Grisoft\AVG Anti-Spyware 7.5\guard.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgamsvr.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgupsvc.exe
C:\Program Files\WIDCOMM\Bluetooth Software\bin\btwdins.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VS7Debug\mdm.exe
C:\WINDOWS\AGRSMMSG.exe
C:\Program Files\Analog Devices\Core\smax4pnp.exe
C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPEnh.exe
C:\WINDOWS\SMINST\Scheduler.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgcc.exe
C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\cli.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\mqsvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\mqtgsvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Spamihilator\spamihilator.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\Shared\hpqwmiex.exe
C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\cli.exe
C:\hjt\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://www.hp.com
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName = Odkazy
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: AcroIEToolbarHelper Class - {AE7CD045-E861-484f-8273-0445EE161910} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Acrobat\AcroIEFavClient.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Adobe PDF - {47833539-D0C5-4125-9FA8-0819E2EAAC93} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Acrobat\AcroIEFavClient.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MsmqIntCert] regsvr32 /s mqrt.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AGRSMMSG] AGRSMMSG.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SoundMAXPnP] C:\Program Files\Analog Devices\Core\smax4pnp.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SoundMAX] C:\Program Files\Analog Devices\SoundMAX\Smax4.exe /tray
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SynTPEnh] C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPEnh.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Cpqset] C:\Program Files\HPQ\Default Settings\cpqset.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Recguard] C:\WINDOWS\Sminst\Recguard.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Scheduler] C:\WINDOWS\SMINST\Scheduler.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG7_CC] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgcc.exe /STARTUP
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ATICCC] "C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\cli.exe" runtime -Delay
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IMJPMIG8.1] "C:\WINDOWS\IME\imjp8_1\IMJPMIG.EXE" /Spoil /RemAdvDef /Migration32
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MSPY2002] C:\WINDOWS\system32\IME\PINTLGNT\ImScInst.exe /SYNC
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PHIME2002ASync] C:\WINDOWS\system32\IME\TINTLGNT\TINTSETP.EXE /SYNC
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PHIME2002A] C:\WINDOWS\system32\IME\TINTLGNT\TINTSETP.EXE /IMEName
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MSConfig] C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\MSConfig.exe /auto
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Spamihilator] "C:\Program Files\Spamihilator\spamihilator.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - Startup: WinColor.exe.lnk = C:\Program Files\Pro Imaging Powertoys\Microsoft Color Control Panel Applet for Windows XP\WinColor.exe
O9 - Extra button: ICQ Pro - {6224f700-cba3-4071-b251-47cb894244cd} - C:\Program Files\ICQ\ICQ.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: ICQ - {6224f700-cba3-4071-b251-47cb894244cd} - C:\Program Files\ICQ\ICQ.exe
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O14 - IERESET.INF: START_PAGE_URL=http://www.hp.com
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{18B66DE1-2D4E-486B-A3DA-3668A412F2A3}: NameServer = 192.168.1.1
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{1F45DC57-44AA-448A-9EF9-ECE611FB32B1}: NameServer = 192.168.1.1
O17 - HKLM\System\CS1\Services\Tcpip\..\{18B66DE1-2D4E-486B-A3DA-3668A412F2A3}: NameServer = 192.168.1.1
O17 - HKLM\System\CS2\Services\Tcpip\..\{18B66DE1-2D4E-486B-A3DA-3668A412F2A3}: NameServer = 192.168.1.1
O18 - Protocol: ms-help - {314111C7-A502-11D2-BBCA-00C04F8EC294} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Help\hxds.dll
O20 - Winlogon Notify: WgaLogon - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\WgaLogon.dll
O23 - Service: Adobe LM Service - Adobe Systems - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe Systems Shared\Service\Adobelmsvc.exe
O23 - Service: Ati HotKey Poller - ATI Technologies Inc. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
O23 - Service: AVG Anti-Spyware Guard - Anti-Malware Development a.s. - C:\Program Files\Grisoft\AVG Anti-Spyware 7.5\guard.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Alert Manager Server (Avg7Alrt) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgamsvr.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Update Service (Avg7UpdSvc) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgupsvc.exe
O23 - Service: Bluetooth Service (btwdins) - Broadcom Corporation. - C:\Program Files\WIDCOMM\Bluetooth Software\bin\btwdins.exe
O23 - Service: hpqwmiex - Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. - C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\Shared\hpqwmiex.exe
O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - c:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\1050\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe
O23 - Service: SQL Server (SQLEXPRESS) (MSSQL$SQLEXPRESS) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\Binn\sqlservr.exe" -sSQLEXPRESS (file missing)
O23 - Service: PC Angel (PCA) - SoftThinks - C:\WINDOWS\SMINST\PCAngel.exe
O23 - Service: Pml Driver HPZ12 - HP - C:\WINDOWS\system32\HPZipm12.exe

 

interesting read:
. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313176

cheers ...

 

Thanks for the reply, it really worked: there is really one new, invisible window when hitting Alt+Tab.

The name of the window is "Downloading..." and it has some default icon (white window with a top bar).

If I switch to that window, it is invisible and stays in the Alt+Tab list for about a minute. Then it goes away from the list and the window doesn't show for a while (it looks like the download was successful, so there is no need to start it again after a minute).

But if I switch to another window, the "Downloading..." invisible window is gone from the Alt+Tab list immediatelly and comes back again in a minute or so!

I was watching the Task Manager while the invisible window was showing/hiding, and there is no new process in the list (i.e. the nu,ber of processes is still the same). That's why I think it must be some software that is alreadt loaded in memory.

I tried to clean the services/startup programs with msconfig, but it didn't help. Here is my latest log, after the invisible window showed:

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 8:51:59, on 17.1.2007
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgamsvr.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgupsvc.exe
C:\Program Files\WIDCOMM\Bluetooth Software\bin\btwdins.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VS7Debug\mdm.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\mqsvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\Shared\hpqwmiex.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\mqtgsvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\AGRSMMSG.exe
C:\Program Files\Analog Devices\Core\smax4pnp.exe
C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPEnh.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgcc.exe
C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\cli.exe
C:\Program Files\Spamihilator\spamihilator.exe
C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\cli.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\OUTLOOK.EXE
C:\Program Files\ICQ\Icq.exe
C:\Program Files\totalcmd\TOTALCMD.EXE
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\taskmgr.exe
C:\hjt\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://www.hp.com
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName = Odkazy
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: AcroIEToolbarHelper Class - {AE7CD045-E861-484f-8273-0445EE161910} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Acrobat\AcroIEFavClient.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Adobe PDF - {47833539-D0C5-4125-9FA8-0819E2EAAC93} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Acrobat\AcroIEFavClient.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MsmqIntCert] regsvr32 /s mqrt.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AGRSMMSG] AGRSMMSG.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SoundMAXPnP] C:\Program Files\Analog Devices\Core\smax4pnp.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SoundMAX] C:\Program Files\Analog Devices\SoundMAX\Smax4.exe /tray
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SynTPEnh] C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPEnh.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG7_CC] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgcc.exe /STARTUP
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ATICCC] "C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\cli.exe" runtime -Delay
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IMJPMIG8.1] "C:\WINDOWS\IME\imjp8_1\IMJPMIG.EXE" /Spoil /RemAdvDef /Migration32
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MSPY2002] C:\WINDOWS\system32\IME\PINTLGNT\ImScInst.exe /SYNC
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PHIME2002ASync] C:\WINDOWS\system32\IME\TINTLGNT\TINTSETP.EXE /SYNC
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PHIME2002A] C:\WINDOWS\system32\IME\TINTLGNT\TINTSETP.EXE /IMEName
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MSConfig] C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\MSConfig.exe /auto
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Spamihilator] "C:\Program Files\Spamihilator\spamihilator.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\RunOnce: [ICQ] C:\Program Files\ICQ\Icq.exe -trayboot
O9 - Extra button: ICQ Pro - {6224f700-cba3-4071-b251-47cb894244cd} - C:\Program Files\ICQ\ICQ.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: ICQ - {6224f700-cba3-4071-b251-47cb894244cd} - C:\Program Files\ICQ\ICQ.exe
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O14 - IERESET.INF: START_PAGE_URL=http://www.hp.com
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{18B66DE1-2D4E-486B-A3DA-3668A412F2A3}: NameServer = 192.168.1.1
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{1F45DC57-44AA-448A-9EF9-ECE611FB32B1}: NameServer = 192.168.1.1
O17 - HKLM\System\CS1\Services\Tcpip\..\{18B66DE1-2D4E-486B-A3DA-3668A412F2A3}: NameServer = 192.168.1.1
O17 - HKLM\System\CS2\Services\Tcpip\..\{18B66DE1-2D4E-486B-A3DA-3668A412F2A3}: NameServer = 192.168.1.1
O18 - Protocol: ms-help - {314111C7-A502-11D2-BBCA-00C04F8EC294} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Help\hxds.dll
O20 - Winlogon Notify: WgaLogon - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\WgaLogon.dll
O23 - Service: Adobe LM Service - Adobe Systems - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe Systems Shared\Service\Adobelmsvc.exe
O23 - Service: Ati HotKey Poller - ATI Technologies Inc. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Alert Manager Server (Avg7Alrt) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgamsvr.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Update Service (Avg7UpdSvc) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgupsvc.exe
O23 - Service: Bluetooth Service (btwdins) - Broadcom Corporation. - C:\Program Files\WIDCOMM\Bluetooth Software\bin\btwdins.exe
O23 - Service: hpqwmiex - Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. - C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\Shared\hpqwmiex.exe
O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - c:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\1050\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe
O23 - Service: SQL Server (SQLEXPRESS) (MSSQL$SQLEXPRESS) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\Binn\sqlservr.exe" -sSQLEXPRESS (file missing)
O23 - Service: Pml Driver HPZ12 - HP - C:\WINDOWS\system32\HPZipm12.exe

 

Hello,
I'm encountering the same troubles losing focus on any window, erratically. Though I didn't see yet the fast Downloading window (but I'll try to press alt tab quickly enough if it comes back).
Did you find a fix yet?
I just removed the Advanced language services.
Thanks for telling me,
Axel

 

FYI (this isn't the problem here) but I've had problems with Office being a royal pain in the arse about stealing focus. Make sure that you have a good anti-spyware program, as well as checking any programs you may have installed recently (around the time this problem started)

 

Yes, I have found the problem. It was Spaminhillator that was trying to check for new version, but their server was not working.