Windows XP Losing Focus, Running Slow

Am new here, so please be gentle :)

I have a Windows XP Professional computer that's run just fine since 2003. Recently, it got hit with a truly strange symptom - the system will "lose focus" (stop responding to ANY keyboard/mouse input until Task Manager is run, and a item in Task Manager is clicked on. Then, the system will "regain focus" and respond for a bit - tonly to have the symptom repeat.

I run the latest version of Kaspersky Internet Security 2009, fully updated - and it's detected nothing. On visual insptection, my system had a funkily-namede .sys file iunthe Windows directory that didn't seem to be being used by anything. So, wanting to be safe and sure, I reformatted the system drive completely using a Full format, and reinstalled Windows XP from my original disk. Here's the weird thing: The symptom survived the reformat. Right now, my system is in the process of being restored, and only has Total Commander, Firefox, Thunderbird, and Kaspersky installed from fresh downloads - and not only this symptom has persisted, the Windows desktop is now locked as well - as In I cannot reposition icons, use drag and drop from the desktop, OR add to/ rearrange ANYTHIGN in the Quick Launch area. The taskbar is NOT locked, and the system thinks it is. This is on a FRESH, CLEAN install, mind you.

Any advice would be appreciated, it's the strangest thing I've ever seen.

johndmes

Newbie Poster

6 posts since Jan 2009

Reputation Points: 10

Solved Threads: 0

3 Years Ago

Please give the complete configuration of your computer:

Operating System
Memory
Hard Drive
NIC Card ( If connected to an internet).

Do you mean to say that your computer completely hangs or it runs
slow?

Frank Wallis

Posting Whiz in Training

217 posts since Jul 2008

Reputation Points: 10

Solved Threads: 15

3 Years Ago

if its messing up after a format it could be a hardware issue

jbennet

Moderator

18,523 posts since Apr 2005

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3 Years Ago

Please give the complete configuration of your computer:

Operating System Memory Hard Drive NIC Card ( If connected to an internet).

Do you mean to say that your computer completely hangs or it runs slow?

Operating system is Windows XP Professional, currently running Service Pack 2 - due to Microsoft's boneheaded Validation package, I have to update manually to SP2 before Validation will recognize my XP as genuine.

System is a older RDRAM-based Intel board (850EMV2, internal revision 19) with 1GB RDRAM arranged as 4 256MB modul;es.

Hard drive is a Western Digital 80GB PIDE< hooked tot he Primary IDE controller as s single drive. Other drives (a Seagate 80GB and a Maxtor 120GB) are hookjed tot he secondary IDE as master/slave.

NIC is a Linksys EG1032V2 Gigiabit PCI card, in slot two from the bottom.

The system both runs a bit slow, AND has the "losing focus" bit where it stops responding to ANY keyboard/mouse input until Task Manager is invoked and selected. Only commonality is that the system has to have been idle - for example, if I keep typing this, it'll remain in focus - pause for a minimum of 2 seconds, aand Explorewr will "lose focus" and stop resonding until Task Manage is brought up.

Explorer icons remain locked, and the Quicklaunch bar cannot be added to or rearranged - though icons can be deleted from it, nothing can be added by the USER - installers can add to it just fine.

This is happening after a full format - I don't believe in quick formats - after booting from a original Windows XP Professions release CD - and persists after the fresh install, AND after installation of SP2. The Windows is activated and genuine, so there shouldn't be any worries there.

It's getting to be really irritating - this system has already lost enough due to only being able to backup limited things due to the Explorer issues - and it's being even more of a bear to restore due tot he same thigns. Kinda hard to restore stuff when your backup's drag'n'drop - and your drag 'n drop's not working.

johndmes

Newbie Poster

6 posts since Jan 2009

Reputation Points: 10

Solved Threads: 0

3 Years Ago

if its messing up after a format it could be a hardware issue

It could be - if it is, it'd be the weirdest hardware issue I've ever seen though.

How could HARDWARE make Explorer not able to drag 'n drop? The icon attaches to my mouse pointer - but won't drop anywhere. I can - and not have the + indicator show up.

I can drag over a open window - have the + indicator show up, release the ponter and have NOTHING happen.

And that doesn't count the whole "losing focus" thing that's happening an pretty much anything - IExplore, Firefox, everywhere else - where the wondow stops responding after a couple of seconds - and the only way to "wake it up" being to go into Task Manager and click on something in the Process tab.

I'm not trying to be flip - if there's hardware that can cause that, I wanna know about it - so I can get rid of it. The ONLY issue this system has ever had is when fans stop working on it's graphics cards - nothing else.

johndmes

Newbie Poster

6 posts since Jan 2009

Reputation Points: 10

Solved Threads: 0

3 Years Ago

It can be a problem with CPU utilization, just
press "ALT"+"CTRL"+ "DEL" and in windows task manager,
click on "performance" tab on the top and let us know what
is the CPU and Paging file Usage.

Its not a operating system issue because you have formatted the hard drive
and reinstalled the operating system.

Frank Wallis

Posting Whiz in Training

217 posts since Jul 2008

Reputation Points: 10

Solved Threads: 15

3 Years Ago

I'm not trying to be flip - if there's hardware that can cause that, I wanna know about it - so I can get rid of it

Bad ram
IRQ issue
Dying HDD
Dying PSU
Overheat

any of those

jbennet

Moderator

18,523 posts since Apr 2005

Reputation Points: 1,826

Solved Threads: 600

3 Years Ago

have u tried a different mouse or Keyboard? sometimes it's really the insignificant of issues that are the biggest problem.

c-tech

Junior Poster

119 posts since Aug 2007

Reputation Points: 13

Solved Threads: 8

3 Years Ago

It can be a problem with CPU utilization, just press "ALT"+"CTRL"+ "DEL" and in windows task manager, click on "performance" tab on the top and let us know what is the CPU and Paging file Usage.

Its not a operating system issue because you have formatted the hard drive and reinstalled the operating system.

CPU usage is a bit variable - at idle anywhere from 2-4%.

Paging file usage is holding steady atr 247 MB - not too bad in a 1GB system.

Haven't optimized the system yet - trying to get past this Explorer issue before doing anything like that.

Still the weirdest thing I've seen.

johndmes

Newbie Poster

6 posts since Jan 2009

Reputation Points: 10

Solved Threads: 0

3 Years Ago

CPU usage is a bit variable - at idle anywhere from 2-4%.

Paging file usage is holding steady atr 247 MB - not too bad in a 1GB system.

Haven't optimized the system yet - trying to get past this Explorer issue before doing anything like that.

Still the weirdest thing I've seen.

Just a additional update - Formatted and reinstalled the system once again, and drag 'n drop reactivated - until I installed SP2 again. Then, drag 'n drop died once again, but at least the losing focus issue stopped.

Something in that SP2 installer is preventing drag 'n drop from working - will try to locate another installer, especially since MS is being a bit balky and letting me download the standalone installer.

johndmes

Newbie Poster

6 posts since Jan 2009

Reputation Points: 10

Solved Threads: 0

3 Years Ago

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=049C9DBE-3B8E-4F30-8245-9E368D3CDB5A&displaylang=en

Once SP2 is on, upgrade to SP3.

jbennet

Moderator

18,523 posts since Apr 2005

Reputation Points: 1,826