Games minimizing

[WalksWithChrist]

Annoying problem report!

For the past couple weeks, any game I'm playing (doesn't matter which) every 10-15 minutes or so will minimize to the Desktop. I can normally maximize and I'm fine until the next time.

I ran Ad-Aware, Spybot and they cleaned up quite a bit. Also have been running AVG and it never did tell me I had any sort of threat.

I Googled first (as one always should!) but I didn't find any clear-cut fix. Just one or two that looked more complex and time consuming that a format-n-reload.

Help!

 

[rdale]

Kaspersky?... you could download and demo it after uninstalling AVG, might be worth a shot...?

 

[NiobiumTragedy]

Sometimes things like instant messengers can cause this. Try eliminating one program at a time from running and get down to seeing what it is causing it.

 

[WalksWithChrist]

Kaspersky?... you could download and demo it after uninstalling AVG, might be worth a shot...?

I've wanted to try that actually. Couldn't hurt at this point!

Sometimes things like instant messengers can cause this. Try eliminating one program at a time from running and get down to seeing what it is causing it.

I barely have anything running to begin with. I keep my startup processes trimmed down to the basics...antivirus pretty much.
I don't even use IM.
I do have Ad-Aware running but that's a new thing.

 

[Qyöt27]

double post

 

[Qyöt27]

How much - and what kind of - stuff is in your Temp cache? That's really the #1 place junk likes to hide. It's also good to clean it out regularly if only for keeping things trim. CCleaner can do it (as well as keeping the Registry tidy and even secure-wiping the free space on your drives; that last one best done after defragging, which I prefer CCleaner's sister-app Defraggler for), as can most anti-viruses, or even Windows Explorer (so long as the stuff in there isn't self-propagating or protecting itself in some way).

If nothing else has been able to clean it out, then it is also possible to boot into an Ubuntu LiveCD, and clear it out from there. Windows will have to rebuild its file index when it restarts, but the stuff will be gone.

On XP, the cache is at C:\Documents and Settings\User\Local Settings\Temp. I'm not sure where it is on Vista or Win7, but it should be similar.

 

[tanzanos]

uninstall avg and install avast. run the bootup scan and then install highjackthis and copy paste the results to the avast forum. They will definitely help you. It is almost a certainty that it is some kind of malware.

 

[WalksWithChrist]

How much - and what kind of - stuff is in your Temp cache? That's really the #1 place junk likes to hide. It's also good to clean it out regularly if only for keeping things trim. CCleaner can do it (as well as keeping the Registry tidy and even secure-wiping the free space on your drives; that last one best done after defragging, which I prefer CCleaner's sister-app Defraggler for), as can most anti-viruses, or even Windows Explorer (so long as the stuff in there isn't self-propagating or protecting itself in some way).

If nothing else has been able to clean it out, then it is also possible to boot into an Ubuntu LiveCD, and clear it out from there. Windows will have to rebuild its file index when it restarts, but the stuff will be gone.

On XP, the cache is at C:\Documents and Settings\User\Local Settings\Temp. I'm not sure where it is on Vista or Win7, but it should be similar.

Good advice always. I'll give that a shot.

uninstall avg and install avast. run the bootup scan and then install highjackthis and copy paste the results to the avast forum. They will definitely help you. It is almost a certainty that it is some kind of malware.

I was trying to avoid something that involved, but yeah. It looks like that's what I'm needing.

Thanks for all the tips and reminders. It's very easy to get lazy when it comes to stuff like this.

 

[WalksWithChrist]

How much - and what kind of - stuff is in your Temp cache? That's really the #1 place junk likes to hide. It's also good to clean it out regularly if only for keeping things trim. CCleaner can do it (as well as keeping the Registry tidy and even secure-wiping the free space on your drives; that last one best done after defragging, which I prefer CCleaner's sister-app Defraggler for), as can most anti-viruses, or even Windows Explorer (so long as the stuff in there isn't self-propagating or protecting itself in some way).

If nothing else has been able to clean it out, then it is also possible to boot into an Ubuntu LiveCD, and clear it out from there. Windows will have to rebuild its file index when it restarts, but the stuff will be gone.

On XP, the cache is at C:\Documents and Settings\User\Local Settings\Temp. I'm not sure where it is on Vista or Win7, but it should be similar.

Ran ccleaner and I swear my PC is a bit zippier now!

uninstall avg and install avast. run the bootup scan and then install highjackthis and copy paste the results to the avast forum. They will definitely help you. It is almost a certainty that it is some kind of malware.

Yanked avg and am running avast boot scan now. I'll run highjackthis after that's done and let you guys know if this helped.

 

[tanzanos]

Ran ccleaner and I swear my PC is a bit zippier now!

Yanked avg and am running avast boot scan now. I'll run highjackthis after that's done and let you guys know if this helped.

Highjack this does not repair but allows you to delete. Run it and copy paste the log file to a pertinent Avast forum topic (open a new topic with your problem). They will help you. Remember that they are not employees of Avast and are volunteering their knowledge and services. Someone is sure to help you. Most likely they will point out which lines to delete in highjackthis and then you run highjackthis again and just delete the entries that the forum guys pointed out as being malicious.

Have fun and a very nice day.

PS: Microsoft now gives FREE "Security Essentials" It is a complete anti virus package and so far has worked for me. Should you choose to go the Microsoft way then uninstall all antivirus and anti malware programmes you have installed before installing Microsoft Security Essentials.

 

[WalksWithChrist]

Highjack this does not repair but allows you to delete. Run it and copy paste the log file to a pertinent Avast forum topic (open a new topic with your problem). They will help you. Remember that they are not employees of Avast and are volunteering their knowledge and services. Someone is sure to help you. Most likely they will point out which lines to delete in highjackthis and then you run highjackthis again and just delete the entries that the forum guys pointed out as being malicious.

Have fun and a very nice day.

PS: Microsoft now gives FREE "Security Essentials" It is a complete anti virus package and so far has worked for me. Should you choose to go the Microsoft way then uninstall all antivirus and anti malware programmes you have installed before installing Microsoft Security Essentials.

Well, what I did, short of posting the highjackthis log file, seemed to fix things. No more minimizing after the avast scan. I think the ccleaner did the trick.



Hmm. I wonder how long that MS package will be "free?" lol