Taskbar buttons don't bring active window to the front

[Guest]

I have a machine with a fresh install of Windows XP SP2, with two monitors.
When I have multiple applications open, buttons appear on the taskbar, as
expected. When I click on the buttons to try to make that app's window
active, it doesn't work. Instead, I get this sequence:

First, the button flashes orange, and whatever window is active becomes
inactive, but the proper app window doesn't come to the front. Even if the
app window I want is on top on one of the monitors, it remains inactive.
When I click the button a second time, the window minimizes. On the third
click, the window maximizes and becomes active. If I can see the window
while it is inactive and click on the window, it becomes active, just the
taskbar buttons don't work.

I tried turning off the extended desktop so that the desktop was on one
monitor only, but this didn't help. I don't know if the problem is related
to having 2 monitors or not. Since this is a clean install (with up to date
Symantec AV), I don't think it is virus or spyware related.

I don't know what is causing this, has anyone seen it before? More
importantly, does anyone have suggestions on how to fix it? Any help would
be appreciated, since clicking on a taskbar button 3 times to get to a window
is getting old fast.

 

[thinksalot]

Absolutely. This same issue has been occuring with me for the past
week. It started after an install of the MS .net framework. Mike, do
you have .net framework installed?

PLEASE, someone reply to this and help us out!!

-Thinks

 

[Guest]

I too have started to experience this problem. Even scrolling through open
applications with ALT tab doesn't bring an application window to the front.
The only way to get to a window is to minimise all other programs currently
open. Very time consuming.

Would love to hear if there's a solution to this. It just started happening
out of the blue - no download or new software that I can remember, unless it
was an automatic update.

 

[mahadevan]

I have been having this problem for a month. I thought, it was
something I did in cleaning up the registry but now I am not so sure.
This is driving me up the wall. Most of the time clicking on the
taskbar only keeps the icon flashing. Alt Tab is slow when you have
umpteen windows. Minimizing all and then bringing the desired window
is no solution. I did notice that it happens frequently but not all
the time.

 

[The Worm]

It is happening to me as well and I have no idea why. I did install
the new Google Desktop but disabled that and still have the same
behavior. I also just ran MS anitspyware and nothing... this is so
annoying I hope someone comes up with an answer. Thanks in advance.

 

[Guest]

I am having this same exact problem. I've been all over the internet looking
for an answer and I've found nothing.

 

[Guest]

I was wondering if you ever managed to solve this problem? I recently started
having the same issue but I can't find a fix anywhere.

 

[Guest]

Greetings:

I have a similar problem: when several windows are open, windows covered by
others will not come to the top when activated. The problem just started two
days ago. I have not recently added any software.

After two days of fruitless searching, I finally found this group. At least
you folks know about the problem. It appears that Microsoft is ignorant of
it.

Does anyone know how to report this problem to the manufacturer?

Regards,

Barry

 

[Ed Hopkins]

One thing I did sort of figure out is that the computer has two monitors.
When I disconnected one of them, the problem seems to have gone away. I'm
wondering if it isn't an issue with the drivers for the video. I'm using an
Nvidia 6600gt.

 

[Guest]

I have a stock display setup: integrated Intel 82865G chip with a Planar
PL1910M monitor. I am not using the .net framework, as someone mentioned,
and I had not installed any new software when the problem manifested.

I sent e-mail to the WindowsXP Professional contact address asking for help.
We'll see what happens.

Barry

 

[djenkins.ny]

Add me to the list, I've got the same problem. Started 3 days ago.
Switching via "alt+tab" works fine, but simply clicking on a taskbar
button... well, you folks know.

 

[Guest]

I've just starting getting it, and it only seems to happen to me when I have
a new USB 2.0 hub plugged in, which I just started using. And yet, it
doesn't ALWAYS happen when it's plugged in. Here are the scenarios:
1) boot WITHOUT USB hub plugged in, leave it unplugged - all's fine
2) boot WITHOUT USB hub plugged in, then plug it in - sometimes I get
the problem, sometimes not
3) boot WITH USB hub plugged in - sometimes I get the problem,
sometimes not
4) once the problem emerges, unplugging USB hub doesn't help, only
rebooting WITHOUT USB hub plugged in "fixes" it

Also, there are no drivers for this hub (Belkin USB 2.0 7-Port Hub) , and XP
doesn't give me any error msgs when I plug it in, i.e., XP doesn't officially
seem to have a problem with it.

"Just don't use the USB hub" isn't a solution for me, my laptop's only got 2
USB ports, and I use a mouse, keyboard, and printer that are all USB.

Grrrr.

Found a possible solution on "experts exchange", but it galls me to pay $10
for something that MS should have a solution for.

 

[Guest]

MORE INFO:

I looked at another post in this forum that was supposedly answered (it had
been given the little green check, prematurely it turns out), titled "Task
bar Buttons Blink", the "solution" to which was to set ForegroundLockTimeout
to 0 in [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop]. Here are my settings
(from an export of the key):

"ForegroundFlashCount"=dword:00000003
"ForegroundLockTimeout"=dword:00000000

As far as I know, that's what they've always been.

My point: obviously, something else is causing this problem. If someone
from MS wants more info from me, please feel free to ask, I am more than
willing to work with you to get this resolved. The problem is a major pain
in the rearend.

 

[sekaye]

I've been having this problem for months and am relieved to find tha
other people are also! I am encountering this problem at home on my p
and also at work on my pc. The funny thing is that everybody in m
office has the same computers, and I am the only one with this problem
so it must be something I've installed or tweaked.

The biggest annoyance for me is that even though I check the "always o
top" option on my MSN Messenger, it will fall behind IE if I leave an I
window open and inactive for a period of time. When I come back,
can't bring Messenger to the top unless I close IE, and then I fin
that the "always on top" option is no longer checked. What the ????

This is a huge annoyance. I wish I had a solution to offer, but sinc
I don't, I'm willing to help by giving as much info as I can abou
how/when this problem happens on my pc's and the programs I am runnin
on my computer.

***keeping my fingers crossed for resolution**

 

[tibault.damman]

Had the exact same problem guys, clicking on the taskbar buttons just
wouldn't bring the windows back...
But, unlike you, I found a solution

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/regs_edits/xp_taskbar_desktop_fixall.vbs


That one did the trick for me.
I hope it works for you guys too,

Tibault

 

[sekaye]

Had the exact same problem guys, clicking on the taskbar buttons just
wouldn't bring the windows back...
But, unlike you, I found a solution

http://tinyurl.com/kz4x


That one did the trick for me.
I hope it works for you guys too,

Tibault

I installed the fix recommended here, but it did not work. I am still
having the same problem.

 

[Guest]

I use this solution, and working o.k. Thanks

 

[Guest]

I installed the fix this morning. We'll see how things go this week. I'll
let you know.

BGC

 

[Guest]

I found the problem on my machine. I'm running a little utility called
"FreeRAM XP Pro", and I have it set to run at startup. Sometimes (not
always, of course!) it opens up an invisible window that (evidently) wants
input, like system modal (which I thought had been removed from XP.
Anyway...) Since I can't see it, I don't know it's there, but Windows reacts
with the symptoms we've all seen. So how, you ask, if I can't see it, did I
figure out it's there? I used a utility that comes with (Borland) Delphi
(and probably CBuilder), at least the older versions (4, 5, 6, 7) called
"WinSight32" that lets you see all windows, invisible or otherwise, that are
running. I saw this window, associated with the FreeRAM process, and killed
it. Haven't had the problem since (and that was weeks ago).

Now if everybody in this thread is running FreeRAM XP Pro (I'd be surprised,
but not shocked, I guess), then there's your culprit. Otherwise, I'd say
it's something similar: a bug in something you're running that creates an
invisible window that wants input.

Anyway, hope that helps

Mike

 

[Guest]

Well, I installed the xp_taskbar_desktop_fixall.vbs fix two weeks ago, and I
haven't had any trouble since. I don't know what it did, but it worked.
"Hey Doc, I'm cured!"

BGD