Issue with fullscreen games switching back to Desktop

[Sentenza]

Hi there,

I'm running Windows 7 64 bit, and I've been rather happy, coming from Vista.

I've had it on for several months now, and because I rarely play a fullscreen game it hasn't troubled me much, but I decided to post about it anyhow.

Whenever I launch or reactivate a fullscreen game there is an approximately 95% chance that it will swap me back to windows (as if I had waited for ~2 seconds and then pressed alt-tab).

What this means is that in order for the game to stay activated I actually have to keep switching to it for 1-30 times until it "sticks".

I have to this day been unable to even find similar reports, let alone a fix.

Updating all kinds of drivers (and in the case of the graphics card even getting older ones) hasn't helped a bit.

Here's my System Information:

------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 5/20/2010, 18:11:09
       Machine name: ALEX
   Operating System: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit (6.1, Build 7600) (7600.win7_rtm.090713-1255)
           Language: German (Regional Setting: German)
System Manufacturer: System manufacturer
       System Model: P5K Premium
               BIOS: BIOS Date: 03/19/08 11:51:41 Ver: 08.00.12
          Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad  CPU   Q9550  @ 2.83GHz (4 CPUs), ~2.8GHz
             Memory: 8192MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 8192MB RAM
          Page File: 4519MB used, 4694MB available
        Windows Dir: C:\Windows
    DirectX Version: DirectX 11
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
   User DPI Setting: Using System DPI
 System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)
    DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled
     DxDiag Version: 6.01.7600.16385 64bit Unicode

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
          Card name: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260
       Manufacturer: NVIDIA
          Chip type: GeForce GTX 260
           DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
         Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_05E2&SUBSYS_058510DE&REV_A1
     Display Memory: 4077 MB
   Dedicated Memory: 877 MB
      Shared Memory: 3199 MB
       Current Mode: 1920 x 1200 (16 bit) (59Hz)
       Monitor Name: SyncMaster 245B/245BW/245BPlus(Analog)
      Monitor Model: SyncMaster
         Monitor Id: SAM02B5
        Native Mode: 1920 x 1200(p) (59.950Hz)
        Output Type: HD15
        Driver Name: nvd3dumx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvd3dum,nvwgf2um,nvwgf2um
Driver File Version: 8.17.0011.9745 (English)
     Driver Version: 8.17.11.9745
        DDI Version: 10
       Driver Model: WDDM 1.1
  Driver Attributes: Final Retail
   Driver Date/Size: 4/4/2010 00:55:31, 11906664 bytes

I have a dual monitor setup...

I'm not sure what other information you might need, so if anything pops to mind, just ask and I will provide, if able.

Thanks for your help and input.

Kind regards,
Sentenza

 

[Rik55]

It may be because you are running your desktop in 16bit colour mode. Switch to 1920x1200x32@59/60Hz. You would also get a much sharper picture if you connected the monitor with DVI instead of VGA.

 

[Sentenza]

It may be because you are running your desktop in 16bit colour mode. Switch to 1920x1200x32@59/60Hz. You would also get a much sharper picture if you connected the monitor with DVI instead of VGA.

Thanks for the answer, and the move, if that was you.

That's my secondary monitor, the primary is on a DVI connection.

I ran 32bit before, same problem, just switched to 16bit for some oldschool Z

 

[Rik55]

Hmm. Is it actually minimising (not suddenly running in a Window)

What Antivirus software are you running and is it upto date? Also check Sticky Keys or Filter Keys havn't been activated.

 

[Sentenza]

Hmm. Is it actually minimising (not suddenly running in a Window)

What Antivirus software are you running and is it upto date? Also check Sticky Keys or Filter Keys havn't been activated.

No, it acts just as if I had pressed alt tab once more, as in, the last active window before switching to the game becomes active.

Sticky and Filter keys are disabled.

I'm not running an antivirus software.

 

[skitzomonica]

I am having precisely the same problem. When I play, like, big fish games for example, I can see the icon on my taskbar and know it's open, but when I click on it it just loads for a second then switches back to the desktop. I find if I close everything but the game, it'll stay open... but that's really lame to have to close all my firefox tabs just to play a game for a little while. I'm sure you also have your own little fixits but I really wish there was a permanent solution.

 

[skitzomonica]

And while we're on the subject, once I close firefox, I can't reopen it again because it always says "another firefox window is open or not responding or something" so I have to then start the task manager, end the firefox process, and then I can open it back up. LAME. Does microsoft read these and fix things? That would be great.

 

[drone69]

I`ve been having the same problem, start a game and all is good untill the game starts then straight back to the desktop. The workaround I`ve found that works so far is to change the resoultion to 1280x1024 start playing the game then change resolution back to 1920x1280.

 

[skitzomonica]

Interesting, good idea. I also discovered the game only alt-tabs when my firefox window is minimized. If I'm in the firefox window and click on the game icon on the taskbar, it switches over with no problem. Only when switching to the game from the desktop, while other programs are minimized, does it seem to have this alt-tabbing problem. I don't know what you call that, window-switching? Involuntary minimizing? Whatever, I just keep the firefox window open. Problem solved (I GUESS, Microsoft...)

 

[Trucidation]

So Firefox is misbehaving and Microsoft gets the blame? I don't see the connect here, guys. Unless all browsers you tried (Opera, Chrome, Safari, Lunascape, etc) are exhibiting the same behaviour here.

 

[drone69]

If you do it the way I described you can leave all your other windows & programs active. The window switching is a bug but who to blame is not clear. The Firefox problem is a pita but easy to solve, if it says that it`s already running use the process manager to terminate it.

 

[skitzomonica]

So Firefox is misbehaving and Microsoft gets the blame? I don't see the connect here, guys. Unless all browsers you tried (Opera, Chrome, Safari, Lunascape, etc) are exhibiting the same behaviour here.

Well firefox isn't the problem, it's the game that's malfunctioning while firefox (or any other program) is open. That's a windows 7 problem, not a firefox problem.

 

[drone69]

You are right it`s a windows problem and until MS/nVidia/ATI actually stop passing the buck and actually fix it the workaround is the only way for some users to cure it.