Random minimizing of all windows

Rebmo · 20 Jan 2012

I have a Lenovo T400 Laptop running Win7 and Sophos virus software. This is a work Laptop so can't modifiy or switch SW. I run multiple screens from a dock station and undock for meetings. I'm having an issue where randomly open windows will all minimize at one time. It is not time or application dependant, and it can be one open window or several. I can be typing and all of the sudden all windows will minimize. One by one I have to re-open the windows needed. I can't find any process running that relates to this, but every so often it occurs when I'm hovering the mouse near the bottom of the main screen. It does occur in single laptop screen mode also.

Quite the pain. This laptop came with WinXP and never had this issue. It was up/down graded by IT and it's been doing it since the Win 7 install.

I can be giving a presentation with overhead projection display and bam the open window minimizes.

Any suggestions appreciated.

Reb

DustSailor · 20 Jan 2012

Hello Rebmo, Welcome to Seven Forums!

Could it be the windows Shake feature Shake - Windows 7 features - Microsoft Windows?
It can be disabled via this tutorial: Aero Shake - Enable or Disable

Could it be your mouse going all the way down to the far bottom right corner of the screen and hovering over "Peek", which shows the desktop Peek - Windows 7 features - Microsoft Windows?
You can also turn this feature off via this tutorial: Aero Peek - Turn On or Off

If it isn't one of these things, could you perhaps give a bit more detailed information on exactly what happens?

Rebmo · 27 Jan 2012

I checked and Aero Shake is not configured so that should not be a factor.

If I do hover over the lower right, I get the same symptom, but when I hover away from the lower right all my previously openned windows come back.

The specific issue I am having is when I am working with multiple windows open randomly all at one time they will minimize. I can't come up with any common action I am taking that is doing this. It is typically when I'm using the mouse, but yet, nowhere near the lower right area. Once all the windows minimize, they have to be individually openned again one at a time. I tried hovering over and off the lower right button to see if it would bring back all the windows and no luck.

Very strange happenings, and all started with Win7 upgrade/downgrade whatever. Never had this before with XP.

Thanks Reb

DustSailor · 27 Jan 2012

If you click and hold the Windows key while tapping the Tab key, you can scroll through the windows that you want to open, and it will open them for you quickly. But to try and fix the problem, do these:
SFC /SCANNOW Command - System File Checker
Startup Repair
If those don't work, do a repair install: Repair Install

If you wonder what those tutorials do, read the tips and warnings boxes for information, but they are fine, and may fix your problem. Let me know how it goes. Aside from that, make sure you have all windows updates installed and all your drivers updated to the most recent.