task hijacking/fun with alt+tab - please help

[zeridine]

i got a bit of a problem on winxphome sp2 with an unknown application (still unsure) launching and hijacking whatever i was busy with at the time. this is really annoying esp while playing games (like oblivion really likes the old alt+tab being done a few times). I dont know what it is - most probably not malware/spyware/viruses, as kaspersky IS 6.0(signatures up to date)/Spybot/AdAware doesnt pick anything up.

Really vague description: It opens a new box on the taskbar without any wording and disappears as quick as it appears - thus no luck yet getting remotely close to even clicking it. All i know is most games do NOT like task switching. Tried checking task manager but cant really see anything suspicious. Even tried process explorer - nothing strange listed (but i dont really know what i'm even looking for).

anyone know how to at least set something so that whatever launches does not hijack whatever task i was busy with? Is there a setting to block anything from popping up while busy with a game (almost like blocking the windows start button)? any help/suggestions appreciated.

 

[The_Unbeliever]

Screen saver set to 1 minute? Disable screen saver and try again.

Otherwise, check your StickyKeys settings in Accessibility Options in Control Panel.

 

[zeridine]

nope. sticky keys are turned off (had trouble previously with nfs:wost wanted and the shift button). screen saver set at 10 minutes - this thing even brings the OS out of screensaver mode (screensaver set to blank screen). the screen never goes blank - it just drops you back to the desktop/shoves whatever task i was busy with to the background. its like it is an application that launches - causing the task switching - and immediately terminates. it's extremely frustrating.

 

[zeridine]

I think i found the culprit by looking at process explorer again. "hptskmgr.exe - HP task management component" and something else from hp pops up and disappears every now and then. bastard hp software for 5510. I hate that printer! anyone still knows how to block task switching? i dont really want to uninstall the hp software (again everything is up to date).

 

[kronoSX]

disable the spooler.exe in services.and see if this is not whats doing it

 

[Random717]

have you checked the HP forums, they might have a patch out for it?

 

[Gnome]

Run msconfig and disable it under the startup tab (start -> run -> msconfig), if it's not listed there it's either in the Startup folder or it's a service (Delete it if it's in the startup folder[usually C:\Documents and Settings\All users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup and also C:\Documents and Settings\<current user>\Start Menu\Programs\Startup] and disable the service if it's in services [start -> run -> services.msc])

Usually I disable almost everything listed in the startup tab in msconfig unless I specifically need it (ie. googlechat or my soundcard driver that starts a service that would otherwise cause sound not to work). Most of these "services" aren't even needed, basic trail and error will prove if you need it (IE disable it then check if everything related to it still works -> if yes then why not leave it disabled? else re-enable it)

 

[zeridine]

thanks for the response guys. seems to be sorted out with disabling it in msconfig as suggested by gnome.
sweet. no more annoying-to-the-point-of-having-a-stroke task switches.