Hi all,

OK here is my problem. When I open a new window using Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition it will disappear to the task bar unless my cursor is inside the perimeter of the window itself. Now if my cursor moves just outside the window it very quickly disappears to the task bar. So what I keep doing is Alt Tab to bring it back up and this will keep happening unless I enlarge the window to fit the whole screen then it doesn't happen anymore. It only happens when the window is small.
I have gotten used to it but if someone else uses my computer it happens like 5 times until I tell them what to do. Now Sometimes I admit it makes things faster when I want to use it but I's like to go back like it was before I was fooling around with something I shouldn't have been messing with. Can anyone help?
Does anyone know how to fix this aggregating situation? PLEASE HELP!

Thanks,
Robert
(MEGALADONMAN)

Do you have this or a something like it installed on your PC http://www.actualtools.com/articles/detail.php?ID=888

hi,
thanks for your reply. No I do not have that program or anything like that. I remember I was playing around with some settings and forgot what I did and it has been like this ever since.
Robert

Now - I'm curious because you say it is controlled by the placement of the cursor and when you move the cursor off of the window it minimizes. When you maximize the window the cursor will remain on some part of the window so my best guess now is it is a mouse or cursor setting that you have changed. What make and model of mouse do you have and what mouse software are you using?

Hi,
Im using a Logitech ball Mouse with Logitech MouseWare 9.79.1

I don't find anything in the mouse software settings that might cause such an issue. Couple of other questions I have are:

Have you tried a different mouse?
Have you installed some sort of cursor or scheme package that may have caused this type of activity?

No I have not tried a new mouse. No i did not have a program like that. i will try a different mouse. All I did was download the Logitech software.

I am having the same problem of the disappearing windows. I also have Logitech equipment although running XP Professional. I have tried changing the mouse and keyboard and resetting the mouse settings to the default settings but no luck. The problem developed while using the previous mouse. To top it off sometimes when I have a small windows open and attempt to place my curser on them, they disappear to the task bar playing hide and seek. It is very frustrating as is sometimes takes several attempts to get the window to accept the cursor so I can enlarge it. Also I sometimes need to double click on icons on the task bar and in IE7 where once a single click sufficed and this problem seems to be getting worse. I am about to borrow a baseball bat if no-one can help!!!!!

Hi Susan,
Sorry you are having this aggravating problem too. I still don't have a fix except to reinstall Windows. But if you hold down your left mouse button it will not disappear until you get your cursor up to it. Then to get it right back up you can use Alt - Tab. This will bring it back up. I hope someone else has a solution. I contacted Logitech and they are not very good at customer service. I will try again.

Robert
(MEGALADONMAN)

Hello, megaman.. and Susan... I am sure I know what your problem is, and it is not a fault in your mouse or drivers, rather a facility that some people find useful has been turned on - it is called X-mouse. It comes in two stages: with only stage one the window you hover the mouse over gains focus, if you have stage two of X-mouse then that window is also activated. With stage two if your mouse leaves the window it heads to the taskbar... ie. it minimizes. Sound like your problem? Stage one is useful if you wish to read info from a bunch of windows, Stage two if you are manipulating data in a bunch of windows... but with stage two each window much rest on the task bar otherwise they will close before you can get a mouse into them...else if they do not rest there you instead rclick that window's taskbar icon and then you can scoot your mouse over a gap and into the window..! Anyway.....
Now there are a few registry entries associated with these settings, and they are a bit tricky... so the easiest way out is for you to get Powertoys for Windows : TweakUI from Microsoft. Google for it. Install, open it, expand Mouse, go to Xmouse and uncheck the setting boxes there. And you should be ok...
While you are in TweakUI go to General , Focus: you may find it useful to set Prevent other windows from stealing focus and also set Flash taskbar icons to something you find useful...
Tell me how you get on...