screen i'm working on keeps losing focus

update... as I've been using the wired mouse for a bit here I think that I am noticing it happening less... could it really have been related? is it something that could sort of "linger" and then wear off? does that make any sense?

In a properly operating Windows 7 system, screen loses focus when another application pops up. Outlook Email notifier is an good example. You may have other such things.

If you have operating system errors (MS Flight Simulator freezing) it could be harder to figure out.

Look for pop up applications.

If I am typing (e.g. here) I keep my screen focus 100% of the time. Email notifier will go in the background.

If I let go and leave the screen idle, pop up application will take focus away. I see that too.

I don't have notifier that I know of... another thing that I'm noticing is that sometimes it seems that it's happening when I hit shift (like if I'm typing a colon...) - but it's not consistent at all. that's what's so frustrating
any other ways of diagnosing?

You seem to have an operating system problem.

Try running System File Checker.  Open cmd.exe with Run as Administrator and run SFC /SCANNOW. Allow to complete and check.

If that fails, you may need to try a Windows 7 Repair Install. You need the Windows 7 DVD or the recovery partition. Here is a Seven Forums Tutorial to assist you.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html

ok thanks so much - will look into these things and keep you posted :)

are you holding down shift to execute a command, or in the game, is shift used to activate something?  windows accessibility options are turned on by default, even if you don't use them, and they might be stealing focus away from your window.

open up control panel and type in "keyboard" in the search box.  click the link that says "Change how your keyboard works"

1) under the second heading "Make it easier to type" ensure that the checkbox for "Turn on Sticky Keys" is unchecked.  Then click on the link below it called "Set up Sticky Keys"

under Keyboard shortcut, uncheck the option that says "Turn on Sticky Keys when SHIFT is pressed five times"  Then hit OK.

2) under the second heading "Make it easier to type" ensure that the checkbox for "Turn on Filter Keys" is unchecked.  Then click on the link below it called "Set up Filter Keys"

under Keyboard shortcut, uncheck the option that says "Turn on Filter Keys when right SHIFT is pressed for 8 seconds"

If these options are turned off and your windows keep losing focus, try closing all your browser windows.  a webpage could be opening a windows to show you something, or show you an ad, which could cause this issue.  Let me know how it goes!

thanks so much!
nothing turned up on the scan...
don't really use shift that much - just in regular typing, but I turned off those options as you suggested

seems to be happening LESS with the old wired mouse - but still happening here and there...

will keep you posted!

if the problem is recent, you can use a system restore also -  to a date it was ok

ok, thanks - will try that;
another symptoms I am noticing today - could this be related?
I have it set so that screen saver comes on at about 10 mins of idle - but I'm noticing that after about 1 min or so (changes) of screen saver - it turns off - as if I moved the mouse or something - but I'm on the other side of the room!... as if some other process or program is doing something and that takes focus and removes the SS
any way to find what it might be?
thanks!

opened task manager and noticed that when it is happening - (and even when it's not happening?) system idle process is taking 95-99% of the cpu...
does that help figure out what's going on??

just researched it... guess system idle process won't explain it :)

interesting... ran virus scan - found and cleaned 5 threats!
will keep you posted if this seems to have helped
thanks so much!!

malware bytes found like 500 or so PUPS... I chose "quarantine"; will see what happens :)

Certainly you have a big virus issue contributing to the problem.

with so mamy pups - run adw cleaner too : https://toolslib.net/downloads/viewdownload/1-adwcleaner/

just curious - is it ok to trust it and select "clean" for everything that these programs flag? I don't really know what I'm looking at...
as I'm typing this, the window keeps losing focus and it's driving me CRAZY!!!
hasn't someone invented a program that can tell what steals the focus?
thanks so much for all of your help!!
joel

hasn't someone invented a program that can tell what steals the focus?  <-- No. Never seen one.

I don't really know what I'm looking at...
 
Use you own antivirus and Malwarebytes both to scan. You can probably accept their suggestions. I have not familiar with adwcleaner but nobus can speak to that.

It may be worth your while for long term stability, and to save a lot of time, just to back up critical data, email, favourites and so on, format and reinstall Windows. That is the only really sure fire solution in most cases like this.

got it. I 'm just trying to consider that a last resort option at the moment because I'm not familiar with how to do it and can't afford to be out of commission right now for very long. I have so much stuff installed and whatnot that would take me a long time to get back to where I need to be...

just realized that repair install doesn't get rid of my programs and all... so I guess it's a bit less of a last resort :)
I actually found the original windows 7 disk that came with the computer so yes, this option exists. will try all the other stuff and see if needed
thanks so so much

Repair Install can fix the operating system but does not get rid of viruses. So you must clean up viruses first. Otherwise Repair Install will keep your data and programs.

ok, that makes sense...
so my first resort here will be to continue to try to clean and detox and find if there is hardware of software that's problematic; my second resort will be repair install to go after any possible system errors; and last resort would be a clean reinstall
gulp.

if you are unsure about anything such scanners show, you can post them here, or google them yourself, and evaluate

ok great! RogueKiller found some things in registry (that look to me to be benign, but I'm posting here to check and one thing in tasks - which I think is my carbonite backup that I use... everything else was clean so that's a good sign :)
here's what it found:  (am I correct that I should leave it all and not do anything?)
¤¤¤ Registry : 23 ¤¤¤
[Suspicious.Path] (X64) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\GPU-Z (\??\C:\Users\User\AppData\Local\Temp\GPU-Z.sys) -> Found
[Suspicious.Path] (X64) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\ControlSet001\Services\GPU-Z (\??\C:\Users\User\AppData\Local\Temp\GPU-Z.sys) -> Found
[Suspicious.Path] (X64) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\ControlSet002\Services\GPU-Z (\??\C:\Users\User\AppData\Local\Temp\GPU-Z.sys) -> Found
[PUM.Dns] (X64) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters | DhcpNameServer : 10.100.102.1 [(Private Address) (XX)]  -> Found
[PUM.Dns] (X64) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\ControlSet001\Services\Tcpip\Parameters | DhcpNameServer : 10.100.102.1 [(Private Address) (XX)]  -> Found
[PUM.Dns] (X64) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\ControlSet002\Services\Tcpip\Parameters | DhcpNameServer : 10.100.102.1 [(Private Address) (XX)]  -> Found
[PUM.Dns] (X64) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\Interfaces\{048C9C6A-1350-4351-9119-1F63197EF9C7} | DhcpNameServer : 10.100.102.1 [(Private Address) (XX)]  -> Found
[PUM.Dns] (X64) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\ControlSet001\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\Interfaces\{048C9C6A-1350-4351-9119-1F63197EF9C7} | DhcpNameServer : 10.100.102.1 [(Private Address) (XX)]  -> Found
[PUM.Dns] (X64) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\ControlSet002\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\Interfaces\{048C9C6A-1350-4351-9119-1F63197EF9C7} | DhcpNameServer : 10.100.102.1 [(Private Address) (XX)]  -> Found
[PUM.Policies] (X64) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System | ConsentPromptBehaviorAdmin : 0  -> Found
[PUM.Policies] (X86) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System | ConsentPromptBehaviorAdmin : 0  -> Found
[PUM.DesktopIcons] (X64) HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-588454228-499024481-2510942122-1000\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu | {20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D} : 1  -> Found
[PUM.DesktopIcons] (X64) HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-588454228-499024481-2510942122-1000\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu | {59031A47-3F72-44A7-89C5-5595FE6B30EE} : 1  -> Found
[PUM.DesktopIcons] (X86) HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-588454228-499024481-2510942122-1000\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu | {20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D} : 1  -> Found
[PUM.DesktopIcons] (X86) HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-588454228-499024481-2510942122-1000\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu | {59031A47-3F72-44A7-89C5-5595FE6B30EE} : 1  -> Found
[PUM.DesktopIcons] (X64) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel | {20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D} : 1  -> Found
[PUM.DesktopIcons] (X64) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel | {59031a47-3f72-44a7-89c5-5595fe6b30ee} : 1  -> Found
[PUM.DesktopIcons] (X86) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel | {20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D} : 1  -> Found
[PUM.DesktopIcons] (X86) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel | {59031a47-3f72-44a7-89c5-5595fe6b30ee} : 1  -> Found
[PUM.DesktopIcons] (X64) HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-588454228-499024481-2510942122-1000\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel | {59031a47-3f72-44a7-89c5-5595fe6b30ee} : 1  -> Found
[PUM.DesktopIcons] (X64) HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-588454228-499024481-2510942122-1000\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel | {20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D} : 1  -> Found
[PUM.DesktopIcons] (X86) HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-588454228-499024481-2510942122-1000\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel | {59031a47-3f72-44a7-89c5-5595fe6b30ee} : 1  -> Found
[PUM.DesktopIcons] (X86) HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-588454228-499024481-2510942122-1000\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel | {20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D} : 1  -> Found

¤¤¤ Tasks : 1 ¤¤¤
[Suspicious.Path] \\{5F6010C8-60E5-41f3-BF5B-C3AF5DBE12D4} -- "C:\ProgramData\Carbonite\Carbonite Backup\CarboniteUpgrade.exe" (/silent $(Arg0)) -> Found

I cannot say for sure for your system, but none of that stuff shows up on my system.

run sfc, and then run RK again -check if it fixed problems :
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html

ran it, showed all is clean; ran rouge killer again and same result... I guess I'm just concerned that these registry items might be related to legit programs that I use. could it be?

You need to look at the output and match to Programs and Features as best you can. That is what I do and (by and large) it works.

do you have something called "New start Panel" ? that is accounting for the majority of items in the list

have no idea what new start panel is...
interestingly, I tried pausing my carbonite backup and lo and behold it seems to have helped - can't say that it has solved it, but I think I'm noticing it much less. I submitted a ticket to carbonite asking them about it - and sent them the path that rougekiller flagged to ask if it's legit.
I'm going to do more research now on the new start panel thing
thanks so so much!

ok - here's my latest theory... turns out that I have an internet problem; have contacted the isp and they are actually going to send someone out on Tuesday to replace my hardware because they couldn't resolve it remotely. the internet is not working right - see "doc2" that I've attached...

so - then I contacted carbonite - and see "doc1" attached that has their response...

SO - I think that maybe bec the internet isn't working right - and carbonite keeps searching for update (even though I'm not seeing the popup so that's the slight hole in this theory) - it's grabbing the focus!
could this be???
in any event, I'm going to put this on hold till the guy comes out on Tuesday and then try to update carbonite, and then see what's up :)
thanks so much - would appreciate any thoughts or ideas that you might have as well
have a great day
joel
Doc2.doc
Doc1.doc

not sure why you put screenshots in doc files - you can attach them straight away, by inserting the pic

I also thought so - but it wasn't letting me... I must have been doing it wrong.
sorry 'bout that!

here's how :

Ha! cool! ok, so that's why it wasn't working... I didn't know there was a special button for it
thanks so much :)

if i may ask - is that your name?=jpomerantz ?

yes, Joel Pomerantz actually... why do you ask?

I'm also curious, what do you think about my theory? does that fact that I'm not actually seeing a pop up rule it out? or could it still be the carbonite updater?
will be interesting to see what happens after (hopefully) the internet gets fixed

well - a bit of coincidence; i'm a billiard player, and the cue tip (leather part) is called here a pomerans
as for your theory - it is possible; i see the same when you have a problem with windows update - it downloads them at bootup (so system is very slow) then stops updating
however - with no more info - no one can tell

interesting! I think that in Russian or Yiddish a "pomerantz" is a type of fruit; an orange? anyway, maybe it's called that because of the shape of it...

i'll keep you posted about the issue - interestingly, it seems to be doing it less over the last day or two so who knows!

is your internet fixed yet?

internet is fixed!! guy just left (came a day early :) haven't had a chance to update carbonite yet but everything on the computer seems to be benefitting from the internet working...

ok  let's see in a day or so

you can assign points to different helpful posts by selecting multiple Solutions

ok - will do

glad to help

Thanks for the help and suggestions!