Oddest thing... auto-switch to desktop

[plainab]

Whenever I play any version of BG or BG2, my computer automatically switches from full screen to desktop. It happens once an hour at exactly the 41 minute mark. I tried turning off & disabling all AV/malware type of programs. No change. I thought maybe it could be Windows Live Messenger, since I've accidentally clicked on 'hidden' pop ups when someone logs in. But shutting that down made no change either. I've added the executable files to the DEP exception list and that made no change either.

 

There is no change in focus when the game is running in windowed mode. I've not played IWD on this computer yet so I can't speak to that. It only happens with BG games so far. The Sims 3 has not switched to desktop on me either and I've had that running for several hours at a time.

 

the games are installed on an external hard drive far away from Program Files. I suppose there could be something there. I have noticed recently that the drive when I've been working with mod files sometimes likes to hang and reindex itself before I can save files or access anything else.

 

Anyone have any ideas?

 

laptop specs:

Windows 7 Professional 64 bit

Intel Core i3 CPU M 330 @2.13GHz

4.00 GB (3.87 GB usable)

NVIDIA GeForce 310M

 

 

hmm... Sims 3 is installed to the C drive. I should try BG on the C drive or a different external drive and see if that makes a difference.

[Ardanis]

If I had to guess, I would guess the most obvious - you have something scheduled to execute every hour on 41th minute. Maybe your software, maybe a virus.

 

A possible explanation why it happens to BG, but not to Sims, is that they are decade apart and BG simply reacts differently to that call.

 

If I wanted to find the culprit, I'd start with shutting down every process I could find, perhaps with a help of some utility that shows more than task manager does.

[plainab]

If I had to guess, I would guess the most obvious - you have something scheduled to execute every hour on 41th minute. Maybe your software, maybe a virus.

I was thinking along those lines which is why I'd tried turning of AV/malware programs. I just can't think of anything I have that would execute every hour like that. I'm first trying the game on a different drive before I delve into removing processes. I know it seems far fetched but there have been other issues with that drive recently... Its not a big deal to check anyway, all I have to do is clone BG2 or make an EasyTutu game on whatever other drive.

 

A possible explanation why it happens to BG, but not to Sims, is that they are decade apart and BG simply reacts differently to that call.

That indeed sounds plausible.

[plainab]

disabled some things not necessary to run, shut some others off completely. then I took a gander at my task scheduler....

 

seems Adobe Flash Player Updater is set to check for an update at 7:41 pm and then every hour after that for the duration of 1 day.

 

now to figure out how to disable that or change its update schedule