Windows 10: Random explorer.exe stealing focus

I installed Win 10 x64 Home the other day and since then I have had nothing but problems. At random, explorer.exe will steal focus from the active task (can be firefox, can be Word doesn't matter what it is) making the system almost unusable.

Current Hardware specs:
Motherboard:
Gigabyte GA-990FX-UD3 (rev. 4.0)

Processor:
AMD FX-8320 8-core processor

Memory
8GB

Video Card
Gigabyte GForce GTX-650 2GB DDR5

SSD
OCZ Agility 64GB

HDD
2 3TB WD Blue
1 1TB WD Blue
1 640GB WD Blue

Optical Drives
2 LG BD-ROM

SATA Controller
JMicron JMB36x (needed extra SATA ports)

Input Devices
Razer Naga Hex
Razer DeathStalker KB
Acer 19" Touchscreen
Saitek ProFlight Yoke

Other Devices
Samsung 21" Monitor
Apex 32" HDTV
IOmega BT dongle

Under 8.1 I had no problems with this build in fact it worked quite nicely (other then the fact it was windows 8.1). When I first started experiencing issues after upgrading from 8.1 I ran a process checker to see if I could determine what was stealing focus turns out it was explorer. I tried shutting down and restarting explorer -no effect. Then I got on the phone with Microsoft. They couldn't fix it couldn't even see that there was a problem. Then I tried a clean install ...also no luck. I tried a chat with Microsoft the tech there couldn't fix it told me I needed to upgrade my video drivers (which were already at the latest version). So I got on chat again after another reinstall. There I had an epiphany: What if it was the BIOS that was causing issues? So I re-flashed the BIOS to the latest version (F3) and loaded the default settings (this at least eliminated the occasional lockups that I was also experiencing). In the meanwhile I waited for two days for Microsoft's tier II tech to call me. He played around in the system and reinstalled Win10 over the top of Win10 (as if this was supposed to accomplish something... it didn't) and I finally got sick of it and switched back to Windows 8.1

Now if anyone has any ideas on what to do with this blasted thing I am all ears. I actually would prefer 10 not that I particularly like the idea of Microsoft data-mining me to death but I have successfully upgraded 3 other computers with no issues and had no problems with them. So I would like to know what I am doing wrong with my own personal system. I have built and repaired PCs for the better part of 25 years and I have never had the issues that I am having with 10 so please some ideas would be great.

:)

 

What do we need to do to stop applications stealing focus?

Old title: Stop Focus Stealing

What do we need to do to stop applications stealing focus? I often start several applications and while the slower ones are starting I begin working in the one that loads first. Problem is that several applications (including IE) steal focus and I end up
typing in the wrong screen. Or deleting something.

When are MS going to fix it? It's been this way for several versions.

 

Windows 10: Windows Update causes inability to use right mouse click and other problems

After upgrading, the next day I went to use Windows 10, and found an icon rapidly flickering in and out of existence in the task bar.

While doing that, it keeps stealing the application focus, thereby cause you to lose keystrokes, be unable to use ALT + TAB, and context menus to close.

Not that this icon DOES NOT HAVE A UI, but still steals the focus

I have (in my case) tracked the problem to Windows Update.

While the update packages (small, and I have an SSD as well) are installing, every time they start and end, they steal the focus.

 

Are sure that it's explorer.exe? Is it switching to a File Explorer window or just r desktop? Does Firefox stay on the screen or is it minimized?


If have one of those fancy keyboards with about a million extra buttons, make sure its drivers are updated and that any software that need to install in order to get it to work is installed and the latest version. Also, make sure that none of the keys are stuck. Or could just completely uninstall the software and drivers, unplug the keyboard, get a generic USB keyboard, restart, and see how the computer behaves then.

If the app stays open but its title bar simply loses color as if an invisible window was clicked to bring the focus to it, then a background app might be opening. That happens immediately after I boot my computer because my antivirus briefly displays a window telling me its status. In that case, Focus should tell what program is taking the focus away from r current one:

Download - focus - happydroid

Antivirus Scan - https://www.virustotal.com/en/file/5...is/1439285507/

 

Yes I am quite sure that explorer was the culprit in this case. I used a couple of different programs to determine this. Happydroid's Focus being one of them. The active task would minimize but not close. Say for example I am in Firefox, I would be moving along and next thing I know I am at my desktop Firefox has been minimized and I am staring at my wallpaper wondering what happened and getting intensely frustrated. But it didnt matter what program I was running every program would exhibit the same behavior. All drivers were updated to the latest version that was available for Win8.1 or Win10 (some devices do not have a Win10 driver yet). I opened the keyboard and swabbed everything down with 90% isopropyl alcohol, I can assure you that no keys were or are stuck on this keyboard. Also, if it had been the keyboard I would be experiencing the same issue under WIn8. I dont. So you can see why this has been very annoying

 

You don't say how you're doing the UG, is it online or via the Media Creation Tool?
If it's the latter try and create another ISO as the first one might be US

 

my first install was an upgrade from 8.1 to win10 second time was a wipe and clean install with the ISO on a DVD. The third install was a clean install from a USB stick (as was the fourth) every time I would re-download the iso the final install was by Microsoft's t2 tech who used some program to download the iso from a separate source and then installed Win10 over Win10.

All of these installs with the exception of initial UG were RTM installs. I bought a CD key (which has so far proved to be a waste of money) thinking that might have been what was causing the problem.

 

I'm also seeing something stealing focus, but only ONCE after booting.

I too could be browsing something and all of a sudden the mouse wheel no long will scroll the page? Clicking on Firefox will get it working again. If I were trying something on a web page, all of a sudden no letters appear and sometimes I'd hear a bing as well. Again, click on the window and I'm working again.

Today I had Thunderbird up and was doing a reply. Same deal, lost focus BUT the main TB windows came up on top. Don't thing that was the real problem because normally it isn't the first thing I open.

This happens ONLY within the first few minutes and only once per boot. I suspect something else is doing, possibly a program doing an update or update check? TB does one but I think only when run, not when it isn't?

I've use Windows Focus Logger (Adminscope.com | Tooling to make IT work easier) which is for W10 and I've never captured the switch? Will try the Focus program though.

Never had this problem in W8.1 and my wife's W10 doesn't exhibit this problem either?

 

Was this an upgrade or a fresh install? Focus-Stealing with me has been in the past, the result of virus activity. but since your system has been fresh-installed twice, I doubt if you have anything you inherited from your old system. Unless it was on an external drive you had hooked up. Is this a touch-screen system?

Check your task Scheduler, look for any odd things in there. Check your Startup with CCleaner. maybe there is one process running that wants to take over, say on an hourly basis. If you leave the system standing, will explorer open on it's own?

 

This was an upgrade over W8.1.

Only basically happens once, shortly after booting. Only time Thunderbird came to the front was when I was doing a reply. Otherwise I can't tell where the focus went.

I have WinPatrol running and it has the Startup list and other uses. There is nothing I can see that would even suggest that would be happening. McAfee Live Safe is my Security Suite and its scans find nothing. I've also run Hijack Hunter too.

I hope the FOCUS program will shed some light on this. The other program I needed to set the time limit for it to run but it never caught it.

 

Ok I just found this in the Windows 10 Reddit:

System notifications steal focus, which can result in lost work : Windows10

That might be related, although it has not happened to me yet.

 

Found it be caused by a McAfee file, and update one I think? See Solved: McAfee Support Community - McUICnt.exe steals the current windows focus every... - McAfee Support Community, been around for awhile. Not everyone gets it either.... *Sad