Applications stealing focus - reg key no longer fixes

Anonymous
2010-04-08T18:42:59+00:00

I want to prevent any applications from stealing focus in windows 7 (and Vista).  Tweakui used to modify the below Registry key to 0.  Then there was a key that affected the number of flashes a "want to steal focus" window would make in the taskbar.

ForegroundLockTimeout

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop

This reg key is apparently no longer working.  Focus stealing is a major problem, from canceling/oking window that pop-up, to getting virus's from IE windows.  Applications are still written to do this, including MS Office 2007.  If you are typing an email something can pop up and get the next key stroke.  I need to fix this.  Any ideas, or has Windows completely removed a needed feature.

tags: steal focus apps active regedit

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Apps

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Anonymous
2011-10-23T11:13:03+00:00

I solved the problem in this way:

I noticed that just before the focus was "stolen", the PC got "busy" for a second (beside the mouse appeared the small circle indicating the processor is working hard on sth).

So I started the Task Manager and gave a close look at the processes. I noticed that one process took over a relevat percentage of CPU usage exactly an instant before the focus was stolen from the task manager window.

Since it was a process that I don't need to be active all the time (sth about Vodafone Mobile connection, which I rarely use) I just stopped the process and then didn't allow the process to be started every time I turn on the PC. I did this last step using Piriform's free software  "CCleaner", but I'm sure you can find different tools for this...

This was enough to fix it ...

Hope this helped!

Bye!

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  1. Anonymous
    2011-05-11T14:26:38+00:00

    Is there still no fix for this problem?  We are beginning to roll out Windows 7 clients where I work and am hesitant to put out Windows 7 clients on WSUS since the reboot prompt comes up and steals the focus.  So, are users will be in the middle of typing an e-mail or word document, or worse, modifying code in a database and will reboot their computer accidentally and will not have saved their work.  If anyone has heard of a solution please let me know.

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  2. Anonymous
    2011-05-06T13:01:36+00:00

    I've been annoyed with this ever since being forced to stomach Windows 7. Microsoft was smart for not supporting Windows XP 64bit. If it wasn't so screwed up, I'd be using that for sure. I was able to skip Windows Vista, but forced into using Windows 7.

    I really get sick and tired of applications stealing focus. I use RDP for multiple servers at a time, and usually I like to work very fast. Out of ten times that I try to log into an RDP, SSH, or communications session, I have to retype the password multiple times because of an application stealing focus.

    Also, we use [the pitiful] Microsoft Communicator application for instant messaging. If someone messages me while I'm typing, I end up typing in the wrong box. This is a real pain in the ****. Frankly, between the stupid shortcut bar in Office 2007 and Windows 7's slow, cumbersome, and buggy operating system, my productivity is way down.

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  3. Anonymous
    2011-04-21T03:45:52+00:00

    work for the state of IN...

    work on helpdesk...  dual screens...

    using enterprise windows 7

    apps that steal focus....

         peoplesoft time out notice, all modules...

         citrix time out notice...

         sms [sccm] connection request notice popup...

         remote assistance connection screen popup...

    this is very frustrating when using remote assistance or sms [sccm] and the focus on the customers pc is interupted by a time out notice or popup...

    also messes up ticket creation...  looking at users pc screen gathering information and touch typing it, only to find  that everything has not been typed due to focus being moved to the 'notice'

    a 'fix' would be greatly appreciated...

    RD_Hoyt

    i also agree with other posts...

    MS does not give a hoot about their customers...   they default the os to a gamers settings ... system defaults as 'let win decide what is best' [i.e. pretty] not set as 'best performance'

    they keep 'patching' and the patch breaks something else... great quality assurance...

    if they do a re-write with 'fixed issues' they then charge AGAIN for the 'fix'... [remember 98SE]

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