Active window (program) unexpectedly loses focus in Windows 7

Question

I am writing a code in Python by using the sqlite3 module. Do I need to perform a commit between the two following queries:

DELETE FROM xxx WHERE user="foobar";
INSERT INTO XXX ... ; -- new stuff about user "foobar"

What I want is deleting anything related to "foobar" before adding some (new) stuff, but I would like to be sure that order of both queries will be kept during the commit.

Solution 1

As and31415 advised me, I took a careful look at what is in my Startup tab of msconfig program, but found nothing unusual.

It is now clear that this is 99% caused by some external program (though not noticed before and though I haven't installed anything new recently), not by Windows. This is the most important point for me here.

I googled a little bit more and got some ideas / advice, namely that I should try to press Alt+F4 immediately after I notice a steal of a focus. This should exit process that could cause this focus stealth. Then, I may try to use Process Monitor from Sysinternals package to trace the process that has just exited.

This may give me some idea of what is causing this problem.

Solution 2

I programmed a C# program to monitor fluctuating processes. Here is the code if someone needs to find out what process is causing this problem.

using System;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.Linq;

namespace ProcessMonitor
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            var lastPros = Process.GetProcesses().Select((x) => x.Id).ToList();
            var oldProcessList = Process.GetProcesses();
            while (true)
            {
                var processlist = Process.GetProcesses();

                var currentPros = processlist.Select(x => x.Id).ToList();
                var diff = lastPros.Except(currentPros).ToList();
                Console.ForegroundColor = ConsoleColor.Red;

                var pro = oldProcessList.Where(x => diff.Contains(x.Id)).ToList();

                if (diff.Count == 0)
                {
                    pro = processlist.Where((x) => diff.Contains(x.Id)).ToList();
                    diff = currentPros.Except(lastPros).ToList();
                    Console.ForegroundColor = ConsoleColor.Green;
                    pro = processlist.Where((x) => diff.Contains(x.Id)).ToList();
                }
                foreach (var oldPid in diff)
                {
                    Console.Write("PID {0}", oldPid);
                    try
                    {
                        Console.WriteLine(" name {0}", pro.Where((x) => x.Id == oldPid).ToList()[0].ProcessName);
                    }
                    catch (Exception e)
                    {
                        Console.WriteLine($" Hit exception {e}");
                    }
                }
                if (diff.Count > 0)
                {
                    lastPros = currentPros;
                    oldProcessList = processlist;
                }
                System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(100);
            }
        }
    }
}

Output sample showing process starting (green) and terminating (red)

Solution 3

The focus is probably stolen by a buggy background task. It opens a window, which steals focus, and it is very quickly closed, but the focus does not return. Lately, Microsoft Office had such a bug.

To discover such processes, you can use tools like Window Focus Logger (mirror) or a custom C# program similar to Process Monitor:

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.Linq;

namespace ProcessMonitor
{
    class Program
    {
        const int pollDelay = 100;

        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            var lastProcesses = GetDescriptions();
            while (true)
            {
                System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(pollDelay);
                var now = DateTime.Now;
                var processes = GetDescriptions();

                var started = processes.Except(lastProcesses);
                var stopped = lastProcesses.Except(processes);

                foreach (var p in started)
                {
                    Print(now, p, ConsoleColor.Green);
                }
                foreach (var p in stopped)
                {
                    Print(now, p, ConsoleColor.Red);
                }

                lastProcesses = processes;
            }
        }

        static void Print(DateTime dateTime, ProcessDescription process,
            ConsoleColor color)
        {
            Console.ForegroundColor = color;
            Console.WriteLine("{0:hh\\:mm\\:ss\\.ff}\tPID {1}\t{2}",
                dateTime.TimeOfDay, process.Id, process.Description);
            Console.ResetColor();
        }

        static List<ProcessDescription> GetDescriptions()
        {
            return Process.GetProcesses().Select(x => GetDescription(x)).ToList();
        }

        static ProcessDescription GetDescription(Process p)
        {
            int pid = -1;
            string description;
            try
            {
                pid = p.Id;
                description = p.ProcessName;
            }
            catch (Exception e)
            {
                description = "Hit exception " + e;
            }
            return new ProcessDescription { Id = pid, Description = description };
        }

        struct ProcessDescription
        {
            public int Id;
            public string Description;

            public override bool Equals(object obj)
            {
                return obj != null && Id == ((ProcessDescription)obj).Id;
            }
            public override int GetHashCode()
            {
                return Id.GetHashCode();
            }
        }
    }
}

_{Polished and bugfixed version of the code provided by Omar Alshaker. Also does not require C# 6. Requires .NET 3.5 or newer.}

You can compile it using the C# compiler (csc.exe) that comes with your .NET Framework installation and run the resulting executable to get a real-time log of processes that start (green) or end (red). Use Ctrl + C to terminate it.

---

To find the compiler, run where /R %windir%\Microsoft.NET csc.exe. Pick the one from the latest .NET version installed, no matter whether 32b or 64b. Save the C# code in Program.cs and compile it to Program.exe:

C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\csc.exe Program.cs

Solution 4

In my case it was that wermgr.exe (Windows error reporting) started again and again. I followed the below solution to stop it from starting automatically, and that solved the problem.

1. Start button -> In the search box type Action center -> Enter.
2. Click on the arrow next to Maintenance to expand.
3. Under Check for solutions to problem reports, click on Settings.
4. Click on Change report settings for all users.
5. Check the radio button next to Each time a problem occurs, ask me before checking for solution.
6. OK your way out, by clicking OK.

Solution 5

The Hint with using Alt+F4 to exit the interrupting program worked well. Instead of tracing the just exited program with SysInternal's ProcessManager, I did traced the program as follows:

1. Open Task manager
2. Take a screenshot of open processes
3. Switch to Browser, Mail etc and "wait on focus loss"
4. Press Alt+F4 to exit the interrupting program
5. Go to Task manager and compare open processes with screenshot
6. The now "missing" process caused the problem

In my case it was twcu.exe, a program that starts with TP-Link Configuration tool. It is used by external WIFI-USB Sticks. As reported here (twcu.exe at file.net) and here (twcu.exe at computerbase.de [german]), TP-Link Configuration tool is not needed for the WIFI connection itself. I removed it from Autostart (msconfig > system start), restarted the computer and it still connects to the WIFI flawless - and the focus loss problems are gone!

View more solutions

Comments

[and31415]

Does the problem happen in Safe Mode too (with or without networking) too? Start msconfig, and select the Startup tab. What programs are there?

[trejder]

It is very hard to "catch" described problem, because it does not happens too often. For example -- no trace for past two days. So I would have to work days in Safe Mode to try to "catch" this. But, thanks for the idea. Also, see my answer below.

[and31415]

From msconfig, select the Services tab and enable the Hide all Microsoft services. Check that too. Here's an official KB article which can be useful: Perform a clean startup to determine whether background programs are interfering with your game or program. Also, even if you don't see anything unusual, I think it would be a good idea to list all third party startup items and services you got.

[trejder]

Good idea and nice piece of code. But, since this is a site for users, not developers (this is Super User, not Stack Overflow), then you should add some explanation on how non-C#-developer is able to run your code?

[Ryan]

@trejder, did you need to download technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896645 or something else, or are you referring to a built-in feature of Windows that lets you look at a list of processes that recently exited? Thanks!

[trejder]

@Ryan Nope, as in answer -- Process Monitor from Sysinternals package.

[Daryl Van Sittert]

When using Process Monitor, go to the Filter menu and add the following filter: Operation is not Process Exit then Exclude. My touchpad driver was throwing an error and trying to report it with Windows Problem Reporting. Thank %#!@ for these Q&A sites or else I would have destroyed my laptop.

[MickyD]

I just had this happen to me. Turned out to be C:\Program Files (x86)\ViveSetup\PCClient\HTCVRMarketplaceUserContextHelper.e‌​xe - a program for the HTC Vive. I deleted the whole directory. I suspect it is a problem with their update earlier this week

[Palec]

I created an improved version of this and put it in my own answer, including the answers to your questions, @trejder.

[OmarL]

This code gives me the error "The type or namespace 'Process' could not be found". So I needed to add a reference to System.dll.

[Palec]

Strange, @Wilson. Which version of csc.exe are you using?

[Palec]

By the way, the command line will be csc.exe -reference:System.dll Program.cs then. See -reference C# compiler option docs.

[OmarL]

I have Microsoft (R) Visual C# Compiler version 2.6.0.62329 (5429b35d)

[Palec]

That version seems to be from an older build of VS 2017 (or its build tools). I cannot reproduce the problem with current VS 2017 (15.6.4, csc -version 2.7.0.62715 (db02128e)). Still, thanks for sharing the issue and its solution.

[Motassem MK]

it was hilarious to say "so much fun" about not having an issue xD

[phuclv]

probably convert this into PowerShell which doesn't need a C# compiler?

[Omar Alshaker]

@phuclv sure go ahead :D

[Stevoisiak]

Can a compiled version be provided?