Windows 10: Issue: Something's starting and instantly closing regularly in taskbar

A couple of days ago i started having a weird and annoying issue. I've done malware-scans with Windows Defender and Malwarebytes, so i'm sure it's not something evil. Besides, i'm always very careful and have a very hygienic system.

The issue happens every couple of minutes on Win10 Pro: Something opens automatically and instantly closes, so i can't see what it is. Just seeing the flicker of the taskbar and it's gone when i look up (i have the taskbar on the top).

Very annoying: My screensaver doesn't start anymore, because it gets reset by this mysterious issue. And when i'm watching a movie in fullscreen, no matter if YT or VLC player, the taskbar always flashes into fullscreen and startles me.

I have not installed anything new the past days. Maybe it's a new Win10 bug? Please help me with some suggestions how to narrow down the culprit.

:)

 

Taskbar hides and shows itself after opening start menu.

Steps:

1. Using HDMI for a second monitor.
2. Open start menu using the icon.
3. Close start menu using the icon.
4. Click anywhere other than the task bars. (e.g. an open window, the desktop, even the first monitor's desktop)
   
5. Taskbar on second monitor slides down to be hidden.
6. Taskbar then immediately slides up to reappear.

If after closing the start menu (step 3), you click on the taskbar, then click outside the taskbar, this behavior does not occur.

Performing the steps on the main monitor's taskbar does not produce this behavior.

This has been happening for as long as I can remember using this laptop (~3years), with different nVidia drivers and Windows 10 updates.

 

Taskbar Issue with Multiple Monitors

Hi,

Thank you for posting your query in Microsoft Community. We understand the inconvenience caused and will assist you.

Please share the information below:

• Are you using a Local Account or a Microsoft Account?
• What is the make and model of your PC?

I suggest you to follow the steps provided below and check if it helps.

• Right click on the Taskbar and select Properties.
• Check if the option for Lock the Taskbar and Auto-hide the taskbar
  are ticked.
• If they are ticked then uncheck the option for Auto-hide the taskbar.

Also, suggest you to update the Display driver by following the steps below:

• Press Windows key + X, select Device Manager.
• Expand Display Adapters.
• Right click on the driver and select Update Driver Software.
• Follow the on-screen prompts to update.

Hope the information is helpful. Feel free to
write to us for any other assistance with Windows, we’ll be glad to assist you.

 

Frequent and Recently Closed in taskbar

Hi,

Kindly follow the steps provided below:

• On the start search, type Settings, click
  Personalization, and click Start
• Set the Show recently opened items in jump list on Start or the taskbar
  to Off

Hope the information provided is useful.