Do you have a screensaver activated? EDIT: After rereading your question, this one answered. But check the powersaving options of your screen too.

Then you could always check for unneeded tasks which could cause this and try to deactivate them. (best one by one, to find out exactly which task it was. Is a lengthy procedure, but better than going btd every few minutes)

It could also have something to do with a "mouse-gesture" software, if you happen to have set "minimize" or "change task" to a certain mouse movement you use in racing.

BTW: Posting big and blue won't make people more willing to answer your question, nor does it speed up the process of helping you. Also, usually one single questionmark should be enough per question.

Instant messengers on?
Check your msconfig for more suspicious entries

I assume you use the keyboard for some tasks too; so do you have any frequently used things bound to ctrl or shift? Because pressing one of said keys five times is a retarded shortcut for some useless windows function. You can disable those functions by activating the shortcut and from there on you can finde the properties, etc in the dialog that opened.

Close Google Talk while you're racing , even if it's unconnected.

sounds like a program is trying to get your attention, or taking priority over display. sometimes i get that with certain apps. Can be playing a game happily then suddenly some program decides it wants to do something and will minimise the game and drop me on the desktop. Check out your system tray or running process list and see if you can weed out the culprit application.

i turn off my messengers,mcafee and other stuff that might have pop ups

Yup this started happening to me too about 3 months ago. It only happens with lfs, and it only occurs once near the start of my session. I've actually mentioned it in multiplayer (while apologising for straightlining off the track coz my desktop appeared), and a couple of other racers have said it also happens to them.
anyone else out there solved this one?
thanks

I have this problem too, and I ran both AdAware and AntiVir scans and nothing detected.

Ive had this happen to me once, typically after I got a 23.28 on BL1 in FOX (never got near that time since). I was on the straight and it just minimised. Maximised it and carried on playing again. Like I said this has only happened once.

funny...i get this too but only as the game is starting, before any screen desplays so it never botherd me...will be watching this one

The only time i have this happen is as my computer is linked to the only printer in our house and is networked throughout my house so other people on the network can print also. Only problem is it opens up the box that tells you how much ink is left etc. So i know what causes it. Never had it happen where nothing has popped up.

wat patch do you have...mabye try installing U30 if it only happens in LFS for sum of you

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHHAHA!!!! LMAO @ KOB CHEESE!
Replying to a message 2 a msg from 10th October 2005
lmfao and the rest followed!:gnasher: :monkey: :leb:
well done guys

OMG hahaahaha I didn't even know

Quote from CSU1 :

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHHAHA!!!! LMAO @ KOB CHEESE!
Replying to a message 2 a msg from 10th October 2005
lmfao and the rest followed!:gnasher: :monkey: :leb:
well done guys

What. The. Hell?!?!

EDIT - Ignore attachment, im attacthing it here for a PM...

I thought bumping a topic when you got the same problem is a good thing? Then it dont waste forum space and people saying "Try here mate : *link here*"

But meh, some people.

Quote from RoCkBiGdAvE :

I thought bumping a topic when you got the same problem is a good thing? Then it dont waste forum space and people saying "Try here mate : *link here*"

But meh, some people.

Very true, way to go to make a show of me tis funny tho'

so i've been living with the problem a while !?!

thought i'd be sensible + do a search before posting.. normally the answer can be found straight away - but not in this case so i reincarnated the thread m'kay ??
illepall
ta 4 the replies - i'm on the official patch U

Quote from CSU1 :

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHHAHA!!!! LMAO @ KOB CHEESE!
Replying to a message 2 a msg from 10th October 2005
lmfao and the rest followed!:gnasher: :monkey: :leb:
well done guys

WTF? This problem has been going on for a while, I've had issues with it too, albeit on my old computer. It's better that he bumps an old post than makes a new one. People would be jumping down his throat to use the search function if he posted a new thread instead of posting in this one.

As to the original poster, I have no clue what to do, I'd like to know, too

I'm having the same issue, seems to be post patch U, about 5 or 10 min into game it just minimises to the desktop & it's definatly not due to other programs in the background.
However it only happens in game when I'm driving, it doesn't happen on a menu screen.

It's got to the stage of going into single player until it minimises, then going online.

I also have the problem. There is a unnamed program shown on the task bar when I get kicked out to the desktop which closes within 2 seconds so I can never see which program it is.
I really think it is the HP printer software I have installed checking for updates but I can't be sure.
Like others it happens twice after I boot-up my computer.

This is really a problem with LFS. Another program starting up shouldn't kick the program out to the desktop. None of my other games do this.

Sorry, but I fail to see how that's a problem of LFS. If you have disruptive programs in the background then the fault is on your side. Either teach that program not to look for updates or to pop up, or silence it otherwise.

Usually the games that completely steal the focus to prevent other windows from popping up are also the ones that force you to do a hard reset each time it crashes, because it's not possible to get the desktop back anymore. I rather have LFS the way it is - it doesn't make sense to make a program worse for 98% of its users to fix the problem for the ones who can't take care of their PC.

Quote from AndroidXP :

Sorry, but I fail to see how that's a problem of LFS. If you have disruptive programs in the background then the fault is on your side. Either teach that program not to look for updates or to pop up, or silence it otherwise.

Usually the games that completely steal the focus to prevent other windows from popping up are also the ones that force you to do a hard reset each time it crashes, because it's not possible to get the desktop back anymore. I rather have LFS the way it is - it doesn't make sense to make a program worse for 98% of its users to fix the problem for the ones who can't take care of their PC.

*Dons flameproof suit*

I have only been dropping to desktop on incoming IMs since one of the recent patches, possibly patch U or one of the test patches. It never used to happen...I would see the toaster pop-up on top of LFS and maybe get a stutter, but LFS would stay in focus.

Maybe Scawen changed something ?

the minimising problem would always happen in my first or second race in lfs. when my desktop appears, there is no evidence of popups.

I've been thinking - it seems to happen when i play lfs straight after booting up, so theres probably some service that runs x minutes after system start. i had a look at zonealarm which woz configured to use automatic updates (by default now when u install it?).. i've just turned it back to manual updates, rebooted + have ran lfs without any problems

I'll repost if the problem reoccurs!