Home › Account & Technical Support
circuitnerd.5863
Member ✭✭✭
Game alt-tabbing or flashing desktop [merged]
circuitnerd.5863
Member ✭✭✭
Within just the past several days my game has randomly been alt-tabbing to the desktop once in a while. Typically it only happens once per login. Has anyone else been experiencing this lately as well? I've completely formatted my computer and everything but no change. It's kind of annoying but luckily it doesn't happen much.
Certifiable gameaholic
Tagged:
2
Sign In With Your GW2 Account or Register to comment.
Comments
Hello,
I've got that little "issue" that doesn't really impair functionnality, but I'm curious about it.
When I launch the game (before character selection), the "black" screen blinks with my desktop and whatever would be opened on it. Likewise, when I switch map, I also get blinks of the desktop. I run Win 10 on my 2 PCs, and both of them do it. I'm not sure it's GC related, since they don't have the same one. So I'm a bit perplex.
On a (maybe) related topic : I can't use Alt+Tab in game : the screen goes black, blinks some time with the desktop, then goes back to GW2. Just as if the computer was looking for something to switch to, and goes back to GW2. I have to go windowed mode to be able to do something else while GW2 is running.
Any ideas about that ?
Look at that—you broke Scruffy's sarcasm meters. ~ Taimi.
I have the same issue with the desktop blinking. I tried the repair utility and didn't resolve the issue. I can ALT+Tab in game however. I ended up submitting a ticket.
I've notice this also. It only does it on load screens. Doesn't bother me too much.
I get this behavior sometimes with the launcher of the game itself, before even pressing "Play".
It happens here as well and seems to have started a few patches back. It doesn't seem to affect the game, so I'm not concerned about it.
I've had this problem with GW1 and GW2. Ever since I started playing in 2006. I've swapped several PCs throughout the years. Nothing's changed. Doesn't happen in Windowed Mode, only in Full-screen.
I don't think it's anything to worry about. It's certainly not an uncommon thing with games. Basically, it's initializing the video driver and reserving the screen before it renders the character selection screen. You'll also notice that after the first blink, while you see see your desktop and start menu, you can't use the start menu or task bar. Again, this is normal.
This issue is specifically what kills gsync for me until I alt tab back and forth after the map load. If I'm in Fullscreen, then gsync simply isnt working, as my monitor reports just 144fps even though the game is running something much lower. If I am in Windowed Fullscreen, the game runs in 15 fps presumably because gsync thinks the window focus has changed, so it's syncing with a background window or something until I alt tab back and forth again.
Yes. Happens to me too.
My guess is it has something to do with Steam.
Well... I don't have Steam installed so.. The only things that are currently running at the same time as the game is Avast, Logitech Mouse and Nvidia Settings. And I've never had this problem till just this past week. So, idk what the deal is.
Certifiable gameaholic
Ah. I have this happening to me too and, yes, I also have Steam on my system. Always wondered why it sometimes tabs out. Thank you. I also use Nvidia, so the issue might be there as well.
Edit: Did a little research. Apparently, it's a combination of Windows updates and Nvidia. https://www.sevenforums.com/gaming/86193-issue-fullscreen-games-switching-back-desktop.html
Some are recommending changing the resolution. Either way, hope the above information helps.
No longer posting or playing.
that´s not research, that´s timetravel
It's happened to me (only recently), and I don't have Steam, nor any kind of Windows updates (still on Win7 with all updates turned off), so it's not that. I do have Avast, a Logitech Mouse (old), but no NVidia.
Ooh, interesting! That eliminates that idea.
There are programs that can (and do) put themselves into the front of even full-screen applications. This nonsense happened to me since Win10 (I skipped Win8). For example, when I am playing Dishonored and in League of Legends the matchmaking found a match, it pauses and minimizes Dishonored and puts LoL in front. Since Flash is hardware-accelerated, this tabbing out of fullscreen applications is becoming more and more of a problem when I keep a Flash player open, e.g. Youtube while playing full-screen applications.
In Win7, no matter how pressured a program was (yellow blinking icon in the taskbar), it stayed in the back of programs run in fullscreen. Now every little mini gadget can do that, and Windows loves to pass that request and force-minimize (the "Alt+Tab" bevaviour) on everything..
Excelisior.
Excelsior, my name is Zedexx; Asuran Deadeye and assassin.
The Hunter / 2x Darksteel Pistols / 2x Whisper's Secret Daggers and my Springer. That's all I need and trust.
"We [Asura] are the concentrated magnificence!"
Which is why I play all my games in full screen borderless windows. Then notifications can pop while I play, and I kinda like the multi-tasking. They pop over my mini-map (in this game) which is occasionally distracting, but usually not a big deal. Plus I can Win-Tab around easier and what not. Navigate multiple instances of the same or different games easier.
In the event I don't get a chance, thank you all for the company and help when I needed it from time to time.
This kind of things are less likely to do with the game but other stuff that is running concurrently.
Oops. Yep, that link's a little dated. A little more research showed me that it still happens to a lot people. I still say it has something to do with Windows and/or NVidia, but I can't find proof of it. A lot of speculation, but nothing concrete.
Edit: Some are claiming this is the issue and fix: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-3431089/games-randomly-tabbing.html
I'll try it myself and see if I get any more alt-tabbing out.
No longer posting or playing.
It may not be related, since I am on the Mac version, but I also have the problem of the game being bumped to the background frequently. Sometimes it's by a message saying I need to update DiVX, sometimes it's trying to get me to log into iCloud (which I don't use), sometimes it's just a moment when all my controls stop working and the toolbar icons appear on the side. It's really aggravating when it happens during a battle or JP or something where losing control means death or failure.
I don't have NVidia (I have Intel Iris.) I do have Steam installed, but not running.
This happens to me, too; pop-up alerts in Win10 taking priority over the game.
Tabbing out is caused when window focus is stolen by another program. There could be any number of programs that could cause this. My recommendation would be to get a focus logging tool to run in the background while you play, and if focus gets stolen you can look at the focus logger to see which program was being a jerk.
Sanity is for the weak minded
YouTube
I had this happening for a while and that was back before I switched to win10 so win7 isn't much better in that regard.
I also have this problem from 10 days. Software running: Avast, Afternburn with RivaTuner. Win10 full updated.
You can use http://www.adminscope.com/downloads/window-focus-logger-gui/ to see which app is stealing focus
AVG used to do that to me, so maybe it is your antivirus doing it to you.
i have this sometimes its annoying. also i remember this by a tp-link wifi adapter software that keep the games alt tabbing :P just quit it and its fine
Update: So far, after using the suggestion in the link above, I haven't automatically alt-tabbed from any more games.
No longer posting or playing.
My computer decided to install the Win 10 April update and since then when on a loading screen the game flicks to desktop for 10 seconds or so then back to game.
Anyone know how to get rid of this?
Edit: I work with computers for a living before people suggest the basic stuff, ive tried all that. Trying to find someone that had the same problems and fixed it..
Computers don't make decisions like that.
You decided to leave automatic updates activated instead of updating at your own convenience.
As for your issue, sorry, I don't use Windows 10. Maybe you can share what processes are running in the background? Have you added the GW2 game folder to your antivirus' behavior shield's list of exceptions?
♀ Gallery: Guild Wars 1 Memories
No more LW episodes, only Expansions and Side Stories, please!
Its windows 10 so you dont update at convience really, it’s update now or disable in services. Plus that doesn’t help my problem....
Ive checked and even disabled some processes, disabled antivius and firewall and it doesnt help. Reinstalled graphics driver etc.
I work in IT for a living so ive tried all the basic stuff.
Just wondered if anyone had similar and actually fixed it
Since you work in IT, I don't dare ask further questions.
Hope someone can help you. Good luck.
P.S. I'd disable the automatic update in services, if it was my PC, and don't download any version update until it's known to be stable or has fixes shipped in.
♀ Gallery: Guild Wars 1 Memories
No more LW episodes, only Expansions and Side Stories, please!
Nah it updated just to the latest win 10 is all
Yeah seen old posts with similar problem but couldn’t find anyone that fixed it lol
Thanks for replying though
Oops, you were faster than my editing of my post.
It's a shame how many people are suffering sudden weird bugs with each Win 10 update. One can only wonder if Microsoft's developers will ever get their heads straight (or the CEO who made the decision to change Windows' business model -- computers are still different from smartphones in variety of usage).
♀ Gallery: Guild Wars 1 Memories
No more LW episodes, only Expansions and Side Stories, please!
Run in windowed or fake fullscreen mode. Fullscreen mode is crappy ever since. I had flickering issues on Windows 10 since RTM.
You can also try the compatibility flag to use or not use the optimized backbuffer formats, it was added with Fall Creators Update, but it's not really helpful for everyone, like me. Right-click shortcut > Compatibility > Disable fullscreen optimizations
Windowed fullscreen I get a lot less FPS though
Compatiblity mode didn’t work unfortunately. I’ll try disabling full screen optimisations in the morning and update back
"I'd disable the automatic update in services..."
This no longer works in newer versions of Windows 10. If you disable the service, Windows will turn it back on the next time it checks for updates. You MUST disable updates in the registry (or Group services).
Heather.4823 -
The desktop flashing issue has been happening for me for a long time. I don't worry about it because the game seems to work properly.
Yeah the 3 second flickering only when I click play has happened for like a year but that's no issue to me which I why I didn't mention it as it's not the same issue I am talking about here. That issue is just the screen flickering for about 3 seconds on load of the game only. Nothing to do with this.
The issue I am talking about here is since the April update that I see the desktop on all loading screens..
Tried disabling the full screen optimisations didn't fix it unfortunately.
Having the same problem. What GPU brand are you using? Nvidia or ATI?
ATI here. I wonder if Nvidia users experience the problem as well? I had the problem with one of the other windows 10 seasonal updates but after awhile it was fixed. No idea what fixed it though.
Nvidia here
So this means its a problem with gw2 itself.
...if it hasn't been properly optimized to work flawlessly on Windows 10 as well, yes. It still runs perfectly fine on previous Windows versions (not taking the general lack of optimization into account
).
♀ Gallery: Guild Wars 1 Memories
No more LW episodes, only Expansions and Side Stories, please!
I had this exact same problem too. But only recently. In fact I didn't always have this flickering issue I the past so I come to the conclusion that a recent gw2 update causes this to happen.
Ps: im on nvidia.
Having the same problem just after April update aswell, so you are not alone^^
im on nvidia
Guess im gonna keep an eye on this post.
Worked flawless with my windows before this.
Quite a few with this problem since the update then!
sign me up. same problem(jumping to desktop when loading any screen) since win10 update yesterday.
Same issue here - hopefully they have a patch soon,,,
Found the problem, It's the new focus assist kitten they have put into the new winblows update. If you go to settings>system>focus assist and turn it all off, it does it much quicker now instead of sitting there for 10 seconds or so on the desktop.
ty, doesn't fix problem but helps some:)