Weird application focus glitchiness

[Creaphis]

Don't mind me, I'm just using Doomworld for tech support again.

For the past few days I've been finding that applications will suddenly lose focus while I'm using them. While browsing in Firefox, the title bar will suddenly become grayed out, and I have to click on the window again to keep browsing. While playing Doom in some port or other, my game will suddenly minimize itself, or just freeze - but in both cases, if I switch to some other task and then switch back I can keep playing as if nothing happened. This can happen while I'm only touching the keyboard, or while I'm only touching the mouse, so I don't think any specific combination of keypresses is involved here. However, I think it does only happen when I'm pressing a key or mouse button. Seems like it could be a virus or spyware or something. Neither AVG or Spy-bot detect anything. These events never cluster, but tend to be spaced out with half an hour or an hour between them. I'm not sure what software I've changed recently, aside from a few upgrades, like AVG free 8.5 -> 9.0. Is there some program or kind of program that's probably at fault? Is there some sort of logging I can do to track this down?

Oh yeah, I'm using Windows XP. Don't know what else to add.

[ArmouredBlood]

A basic thing would be to open task manager and moniter your processes for a bit, maybe watch some youtube and keep the manager to the side so you can still keep track of it. When it snags, more than likely you'll notice a spike in cpu usage somewhere that doesn't make sense and then you can start tracking it down.

[Aliotroph?]

That's a good idea indeed. Another is to have a look at what was installed since the problem started (if anything). Some apps might not be viruses or spyware, but they can still be broken crap. It still could be some kind of malware, of course. Spybot S&D and AVG are not infallible.

[exl]

When Media Player Classic loses focus from a full-screen viewing, it tends to tell you the exact process name that caused it.

[andrewj]

Try turning off the screensaver.

[The Ultimate DooMer]

Dunno if this'll help:

http://forums.avg.com/ww-en/avg-free-forum?sec=thread&act=show&id=38633

[Creaphis]

The Ultimate DooMer said:

Dunno if this'll help:

http://forums.avg.com/ww-en/avg-free-forum?sec=thread&act=show&id=38633

Thanks! That looks pretty much exactly like what's happening to me. I'll attempt some fixes later. Right now, I'm going to play Crush the Castle...

[myk]

Creaphis said:
Don't mind me, I'm just using Doomworld for tech support again.

Damn it, I had prepared myself for some Creaphid (adj., "of Creaphis") cultural commentary or a philosophical exposition!

[Creaphis]

myk said:

Damn it, I had prepared myself for some Creaphid (adj., "of Creaphis") cultural commentary or a philosophical exposition!

Soon, soon.