Strange & annoying problem with Vista windows

I have been successfully using Vista Ultimate x64 for a few months now and I
have had few (if any) problems - until now. Now for some reason whenever I
open a new window (such as when I compose a new email), the new window
automatically goes to the back of the main window and has to be located from
the task bar. Also, sometimes, moving the mouse over a background window
actually brings that window to the front - but not always. This is
extremely annoying behaviour and very counter productive.

Can anyone suggest a possible resolution to this problem (other than
re-installing Vista which is out of the question)? I have looked into mouse
pointer settings and mouse settings but I can't find anything relevant.

--
And loving it,

-Q
_________________________________________________
Qu0llSixFour@gmail.com
(Replace the "SixFour" with numbers to email me)

Hi,
Check the registry key in this MSKB article
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=886217

If unsuccessful with that, I would be looking to a third-party program,
browser add-on or shell extension as the cause- something loading at startup
and running in the background.

See: http://www.enhanceie.com/ie/troubleshoot.asp
for troubleshooting add-ons.

Manage the context-menu entries for files, folders, drives and Namespace
objects
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/context_folders.htm

Hope this helps,
Don
[MS MVP- IE]

"Qu0ll" <Qu0llSixFour[at]gmail.com> wrote in message
news:OnetNEnnHHA.3512@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> I have been successfully using Vista Ultimate x64 for a few months now and
I
> have had few (if any) problems - until now. Now for some reason whenever
I
> open a new window (such as when I compose a new email), the new window
> automatically goes to the back of the main window and has to be located
from
> the task bar. Also, sometimes, moving the mouse over a background window
> actually brings that window to the front - but not always. This is
> extremely annoying behaviour and very counter productive.
>
> Can anyone suggest a possible resolution to this problem (other than
> re-installing Vista which is out of the question)? I have looked into
mouse
> pointer settings and mouse settings but I can't find anything relevant.
> - -
> And loving it,
>
> -Q
> _________________________________________________
> Qu0llSixFour@gmail.com
> (Replace the "SixFour" with numbers to email me)

Thanks Don - you are a legend! The registry change has fixed the problem.
The value was set to some massive high number so I reset it to 0 and
rebooted. Problem solved! I wonder why it was set to the wrong value...

--
And loving it,

-Q
_________________________________________________
Qu0llSixFour@gmail.com
(Replace the "SixFour" with numbers to email me)

"Don Varnau" <don_04[at]varnau[dot]org> wrote in message
news:OWtJQOrnHHA.596@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> Hi,
> Check the registry key in this MSKB article
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=886217
>
> If unsuccessful with that, I would be looking to a third-party program,
> browser add-on or shell extension as the cause- something loading at
> startup
> and running in the background.
>
> See: http://www.enhanceie.com/ie/troubleshoot.asp
> for troubleshooting add-ons.
>
> Manage the context-menu entries for files, folders, drives and Namespace
> objects
> http://windowsxp.mvps.org/context_folders.htm
>
> Hope this helps,
> Don
> [MS MVP- IE]
>
> "Qu0ll" <Qu0llSixFour[at]gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:OnetNEnnHHA.3512@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>> I have been successfully using Vista Ultimate x64 for a few months now
>> and
> I
>> have had few (if any) problems - until now. Now for some reason whenever
> I
>> open a new window (such as when I compose a new email), the new window
>> automatically goes to the back of the main window and has to be located
> from
>> the task bar. Also, sometimes, moving the mouse over a background window
>> actually brings that window to the front - but not always. This is
>> extremely annoying behaviour and very counter productive.
>>
>> Can anyone suggest a possible resolution to this problem (other than
>> re-installing Vista which is out of the question)? I have looked into
> mouse
>> pointer settings and mouse settings but I can't find anything relevant.
>> - -
>> And loving it,
>>
>> -Q
>> _________________________________________________
>> Qu0llSixFour@gmail.com
>> (Replace the "SixFour" with numbers to email me)
>
>

--
And loving it,

-Q
_________________________________________________
Qu0llSixFour@gmail.com
(Replace the "SixFour" with numbers to email me)

Hi,
In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop the default value of DWORD
ForegroundLockTimeout is 200000 which is usually not problematic. Sometimes
it causes the problem you experienced. I haven't run across an explanation.
;-)

Don
[MS MVP- IE]

"Qu0ll" <Qu0llSixFour@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:%23mN2cvsnHHA.3264@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> Thanks Don - you are a legend! The registry change has fixed the problem.
> The value was set to some massive high number so I reset it to 0 and
> rebooted. Problem solved! I wonder why it was set to the wrong value...
>
> And loving it,
>
> -Q
> _________________________________________________
> Qu0llSixFour@gmail.com
> (Replace the "SixFour" with numbers to email me)

> "Don Varnau" <don_04[at]varnau[dot]org> wrote in message
> news:OWtJQOrnHHA.596@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> > Hi,
> > Check the registry key in this MSKB article
> > http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=886217
> >
> > If unsuccessful with that, I would be looking to a third-party program,
> > browser add-on or shell extension as the cause- something loading at
> > startup
> > and running in the background.
> >
> > See: http://www.enhanceie.com/ie/troubleshoot.asp
> > for troubleshooting add-ons.
> >
> > Manage the context-menu entries for files, folders, drives and Namespace
> > objects
> > http://windowsxp.mvps.org/context_folders.htm
> >

> > "Qu0ll" <Qu0llSixFour[at]gmail.com> wrote in message
> > news:OnetNEnnHHA.3512@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> >> I have been successfully using Vista Ultimate x64 for a few months now
> >> and
> > I
> >> have had few (if any) problems - until now. Now for some reason
whenever
> > I
> >> open a new window (such as when I compose a new email), the new window
> >> automatically goes to the back of the main window and has to be located
> > from
> >> the task bar. Also, sometimes, moving the mouse over a background
window
> >> actually brings that window to the front - but not always. This is
> >> extremely annoying behaviour and very counter productive.
> >>
> >> Can anyone suggest a possible resolution to this problem (other than
> >> re-installing Vista which is out of the question)? I have looked into
> > mouse
> >> pointer settings and mouse settings but I can't find anything relevant.