Can't Solve A New Problem :: Free Realms

Scholar

401 posts

Recently my EQ window has begun minimizing randomly. When I (finally) get to the desktop there are no new processes running or applications begun. This always happens at least once and sometimes several , as I said, random times. This is to say the least very inconvenient. It happens on both the laptop and the desktop on different accounts and with all charactors. No new apps were added just before the problem began but both comps had their hard drives formatted and old, presumably updated, programs re-installed. I am not inadvertantly hitting alt-tab. I can't figure out if it's a Windows or an EQ issue. The EQ Knowlege Base is, as usual, useless. Does this sound familiar to anyone?

#2 May 20 2007 at 5:20 AM Rating: Good

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Sage

3,128 posts

Sounds like adware program or virus trying to pop up an ad while you are in EQ. I would run adaware, spybot, and antivirus etc.

#3 May 20 2007 at 7:14 AM Rating: Decent

__DEL__1592300485364

Scholar

66 posts

If you cannot get it figured out , you might want to try using WinEQ. I really like it because I no longer crash when hitting the start key, because eq is already in a window... I'm guessing that it would work in your situation as well, letting pop-ups pop on top of eq without minimizing it. Its a free download and its not against the rules.

#4 May 20 2007 at 10:18 AM Rating: Decent

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Scholar

647 posts

Firewall trying to get your attention. You need to tell it that EQ is not trying to ruin your computer (just your life, but hey - you're among friends, here!)

#5 May 21 2007 at 2:16 AM Rating: Decent

Scholar

401 posts

Thanks for the input. It aint spyware or adware, I sweep the comps regularly. The firewall sounds possible but I've got it set to no notifications. I'll check the other settings. What is WinEQ? Is it a UI or what? I've never bothered with second party EQ apps.

#6 May 21 2007 at 9:45 AM Rating: Decent

__DEL__1594573680283

Scholar

34 posts

If nothing else works you can always try reinstalling EQ. Since the same problem is on 2 different machines do this as a last resort. What are you using to scan for virus/adware?

#7 May 22 2007 at 3:16 AM Rating: Decent

Scholar

401 posts

I'm using Spybot, AdAware and ZoneAlarm and I'm still stumped. I installed WinEQ but I don't like the small window and I'm not using it. I can't ever find anything running when it happens and it's driving me crazy.

#8 May 22 2007 at 5:00 AM Rating: Decent

__DEL__1592300485364

Scholar

66 posts

You can make the wineq window full size by changing the resolution in the option on the patcher. I use 1280 x 1080 iirc. You can try different resolutions for different window sizes, like half screen or what not as well.

#9 May 25 2007 at 2:43 AM Rating: Decent

Scholar

401 posts

That did the trick. Thank you all

#10 May 25 2007 at 3:12 AM Rating: Decent

__DEL__1592345110055

Scholar

647 posts

$10 says it's ZoneAlarm. I used that myself on one computer a while back, and had that exact problem.

#11 May 26 2007 at 3:19 AM Rating: Decent

Scholar

401 posts

I thought of that. I turned off alert notification and manually gave permissions to every EQ process. Whenever the window minimized I went to the ZoneAlarm alert log and didn't see anything there that would have triggered something. I didn't see anything unusual in Windows Task Manager either. Using WinEQ solved the problem as far as playing the game goes but I still don't know what was going on. I hate a mystery when it comes to my computer.