This has been going on since I got my new motherboard (at which point I ended up re-installing xp home)...

Whenever I start programs (games in particular, namely fullscreen games) they minimize without me having done a thing. Then when I click the taskbar button for it, it pops back up to a black screen for an instant then right back down. If I try it about 20 times and click in some random place on the screen right after I try to open it again, the program/game sometimes stays open. But then at other points in the game the same thing will happen when I try to move to another screen or other thing such as starting a 'mission' or game etc...

Note: this doesn't happen with word, works, outlook, aim, PS and so on...

Help?
Thanks

do you have folding running? or a skinning program program running (Windows Blinds)? i found on my main rig if i run folding running whiile i am playing colin Mcrae rally it knocks me out.....

Yeah, Chrome, I was gonna say turn off folding, cause the same thing happens to me. I close folding, then it works

I figured it had something to do with running folding, but I turned it off, even went so far as uninstalling it and I still have the same problems...

ok is there any other things running in the backround? anything that may be using too many CPU cycles?

Do you have a Wireless Logitech Keyboard and the software running? If you do, uninstall the software for the Keyboard and see if that was the problem.

Other programs I hae running are kazaa lite, EasyTune4 (moniters tempts etc), Norton Internet Security '03, Trillian, sometimes AIM, software for my saitek joystick, apache, mysql, and a little creative volume control thing.

Only new ones on there from before I rebooted are easytune and norton net security 03, everything worked fine before.

I've seen this before and found that it is related to Windows hotfix. Windows hotfix KB828035, kb823182, kb824141 and kb825119 are the culprits. Try uninstalling these updates then play the game. (Don't worry about the warning that if you uninstall them, others won't work.)

I have this problem with NFSU. I traced my problem down to Folding @ Home. I know youve said youve ruled that out but Im sharing for others. I can play the game while folding, I can pause the folding then play the game but if any time I "pop" up the display for F@H I have that same problem you have and the only recourse is to restart the system. Then I can play just fine, until I pop that damn display again.

Another possible culprit could be your color settings (not likely, but possible). I have a couple of games that (although it is not mentioned in either of the manuals) will not run on 32bit color. I change to 16bit and they work fine.

first, i would suggest you take BA's advice and get those hotfixes...

if those dont work...

it sounds to me like something is just simply stealing focus repeatedly....i would try this, open your game and let it minimize on its own, ctrl-alt-del and look in your task manager and see if there is a process that appears to be acting sporadically or has a strange name or insane amount of memory use...if there is, see if it has a shortcut in your startup folder...or just uninstall the application alltogether...

Thanks for all the help guys, I'll try what BigAkita said about removing those and let you know how it works out but first I have some really annoying Latin homework to do that takes like an hour

EDIT:
I removed those things that you said BigAkita, and it works perferct now, thanks a TON!

Also, now, if I re-install folding, I should just have to pause or exit it when I go to play a game right?